Episode 226 of The Adventure Podcast features ex-England Rugby Captain, sailor, rower, and world-record holder, Ollie Phillips. After over a decade of elite sport and multiple Player of the Year awards, an unknown injury suddenly stopped Ollie's career. In this episode, Matt and Ollie cover what it's like to grieve a career and a life you dedicated yourself to, and what happens after. They talk about Ollie's last minute decision to say yes to the Clipper Round the World Race, having never sailed before, a world record expedition to the North Pole, and more recently, a charity row across the Atlantic. Ollie is funny, direct, and genuinely honest. And it turns out the gap between who you were and who you're becoming is where the most interesting stuff happens.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00- 06:22: Who Ollie is now and the twelve-year rugby career that started it all.

06:22-14:48: Why sports people and soldiers gravitate towards adventure, the ten-out-of-ten feeling that real life rarely matches, and what the corporate world gets wrong.

14:48-22:43: Community, shared experience, and why Ollie has never started a story with "this one time, when I was on my own."

22:43-33:24: How a spinal injury ended his rugby career in four hours, and why saying yes to a last-minute call from Sir Robin Knox-Johnston changed everything.

33:24-39:14: Getting on the Clipper Race with no sailing experience, going from novice to second-in-command in three months, and the useful delusion that rugby might still be waiting at the end.

39:14-49:13: PwC, the North Pole, and a fifteen-month legal battle just to play one last game of rugby at Twickenham for closure.

49:13-1:00:51: What that final game meant, and the moment outside a basement flat that made Ollie realise he needed to change.

1:00:51-1:05:03: Therapy, validation, fatherhood, and why not expecting anything from anyone has made everything better.

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Episode 225 of The Adventure Podcast features marine biologist and TV host, Melissa Cristina Márquez. Also known as the 'Mother of Sharks'. Born in Puerto Rico, Melissa's spent her career trying to make people care about one of the most misunderstood animals on the planet. In this episode, Matt and Melissa cover a lot of ground - from Jaws and Baby Shark to a three-metre crocodile bite on her first ever Shark Week shoot. They touch on the psychology of inflammatory media language, and the hundreds of thousands of years of indigenous knowledge that Western science has largely ignored. Melissa is warm, funny, deeply informed and completely disarming. She has a way of making you realise how much of what you think you know about sharks has been handed to you by Hollywood. She challenges the idea that fear and respect can't coexist, argues that diversity in science isn't just about fairness but about asking better questions, and explains why a species that's survived 450 million years may not survive us. While this conversation starts with sharks, really it's about how we relate to the natural world and whether caring - loudly, specifically, and imperfectly - might be the most important thing any of us can do.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-07:05: Growing up in Puerto Rico, falling in love with sharks, and fighting to build a career.

07:05-16:48: Why diversity in science changes the questions we ask.

16:48-25:28: The language of fear and the lasting damage of Jaws.

25:28-38:11: The empathy gap between sharks and other endangered animals, and what early education can do to close it.

38:11-50:34: No villain animals, the case for fearful respect, and the crocodile bite nobody saw coming.

50:34-1:02:12: Sharks as keystones, trophic cascades, and why Melissa remains an optimist about the future.

1:02:12-1:08:32: Why science communication belongs to everyone, and what visibility does for the next generation of scientists.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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Episode five of our long-term series, The Far Reaches, features ornithologist, environmentalist, writer, and sustainability advisor, Tony Juniper CBE. Tony is the Chair of Natural England, the former president of The Wildlife Trusts, and has devoted over four decades to nature recovery and environmental protection. In this episode, Matt sits down with Tony in his greenhouse for a wide-ranging conversation about the state of the natural world. They start with the scale of what’s happening: climate change, collapsing ecosystems, soil loss, freshwater depletion, and how it's all driven by the same forces shaping modern society. Tony explains why many of the biggest environmental debates are framed incorrectly - not as trade-offs between nature and food, or economy and environment, but as problems that can be solved together if approached differently. They talk about farming, land use, and how mindsets are already beginning to shift. This episode is rooted in cautious optimism as Tony shares stories of species already returning to the UK. It emphasises that restoration isn’t theoretical, it’s already happening. Throughout the episode, Matt and Tony keep coming back to the idea of connection. People and nature. Policy and reality. And how the future depends on whether more people engage with it. While this is a stark reminder of what's going wrong, it's also strongly hopeful and shows what's already being quietly put back together.

The Far Reaches is a long-term series where we speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-05:00: Why climate change, biodiversity loss, and resource depletion are deeply tied to how society functions.

05:00-15:00: How different lifestyles drive vastly different environmental footprints, and consequences.

15:00-25:00: Why framing issues as “nature vs food” or “economy vs environment” is misleading, and what a better approach looks like.

25:00-35:00: How farmers are responding to climate pressures, and why the conversation is shifting on the ground.

35:00-45:00: Examples of restoring ecosystems and improving biodiversity through smarter land use.

45:00-55:00: Beavers, white-tailed eagles, cranes, spoonbills - real stories of recovery across the UK.

55:00-End: Why this isn’t hopeless - and how reconnecting people with nature is key to change.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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Episode 224 of The Adventure Podcast features wildlife cinematographer and third generation commercial fisherwoman, Erin Ranney. The conversation begins with Erin's upbringing in Alaska and Washington State, and how she grew up working on her family tree farm and in the largest sockeye salmon run in the world. She talks about how that shaped her understanding of conservation from the inside out and why she’s chosen to stay connected to that community. From there, Erin traces her path into filmmaking and the point at which she realised it could act as a bridge between science, storytelling, and audiences. Alongside the field stories, Matt and Erin dig into the realities of the industry; the long periods living in tents, years spent building skills through unpaid work and stock footage, and the challenges facing nature storytelling today. They talk about the need for better science communication and the lack of funding for nature content. And why inspiring curiosity might be one of the most important parts of the job.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-08:00: Life in Bristol Bay, commercial fishing, and understanding conservation from within a working community.

08:00-18:00: A chance fly-fishing class leads to a complete career pivot into ecology and field research.

18:00-26:00: Erin discusses her lemur research, and how borrowing a long lens led to realising film could connect people to science.

26:00-36:00: Cold emails, buying her own camera, filming stock footage, and landing her first paid job filming bears in Alaska.

36:00-45:00: Working in extreme environments.

45:00-55:00: Six months in remote camps, bush planes, family involvement, and rediscovering a love for filmmaking.

55:00-01:05:00: Glacial retreat, extreme heat, and salmon die-offs - and why these stories couldn’t be ignored.

01:05:00-01:15:00: Why Erin stays connected to fishing and farming communities, and sees herself as a bridge between worlds.

01:15:00-End: Kids’ programming, inspiring curiosity, mentoring young filmmakers, and what needs to change in the industry.

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Episode 223 of The Adventure Podcast features award-winning director and cinematographer, Richard Ladkani. Richard has dedicated his life to impactful, compelling storytelling about our world and our place in it. His work includes The Ivory Game, Sea Of Shadows, YANUNI, and his latest film follows the life of his close friend, Jane Goodall. In this episode, Richard reflects on his life and his career so far. He starts by telling the tale of how Jane once challenged him to stop making films that were simply “interesting” and instead focus on work that could genuinely change the world. And how that one moment changed everything. He explains how that led him into the heart of the illegal ivory trade and cartel-driven illegal fishing in the Sea of Cortez. Matt and Richard unpack the reality of making “impact films”: chasing dangerous stories, earning trust on the ground, and taking risks that often define whether a story even exists. They also dive into what impact actually means and what can limit it, and touch on the challenges facing documentary filmmaking today: political pressure, platform control, and the constant tension between telling important stories and actually getting them seen. At its core, this episode is about choosing work that matters, taking risks to tell stories that need to be told, and figuring out how much impact one person can really have.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-05:00: Greenland & Jane Goodall: feeling lost, then being challenged to make films that actually matter.

05:00-10:00: Discovering the scale of the ivory trade and realising how few people understand what’s happening.

10:00-15:00: Arriving in Africa, gaining access, and witnessing the aftermath of elephant poaching first-hand.

15:00-25:00: How following instinct, taking risks, and building relationships opens doors to the real story.

25:00-35:00: Choosing characters and narratives that can carry impact, not just information.

35:00-45:00: How the film reached China, Jane Goodall’s role, and the potential link to policy change.

45:00-55:00: Cartels, illegal fishing, and why timing (like Covid) can derail even the biggest campaigns.

55:00-01:05:00: Why stories need hope, character, and emotional connection to actually change behaviour.

01:05:00-01:15:00: Streaming platforms, politics, censorship, and the difficulty of getting important stories seen.

01:15:00-End: Purpose, Impact & What Comes Next. Why he keeps doing it even when it’s difficult, and what it means to use storytelling as a force for change. 

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Episode 222 of The Adventure Podcast features ex special forces operative and mindset coach, Simon Jeffries. After starting out as a Royal Marines Commando and a tour in Afghanistan, he was selected to serve in the SBS. Several tours later, he decided to step away from the military and instead founded his mindset coaching company, The Natural Edge. In this episode, Simon traces a life shaped by long journeys, hard-earned lessons, and a deep curiosity about people and place. He reflects on the experiences that pulled him into adventure in the first place, and rather than focusing on polished outcomes, he shares the messy reality. Matt and Simon talk about risk, resilience, and how perspective changes over time. They also discuss the mindset behind a life of adventure, and how that way of thinking carries far beyond expeditions. That these same principles apply to work, relationships, and long-term direction. At its core, this episode is about taking the lessons learned in extreme environments and using them in the real world; building resilience, clarity, and confidence in the face of the unknown.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode four of our long-term series, The Far Reaches, features conservation journalist Rhett Butler. In 1999, fresh out of high school, Rhett founded Mongabay - an independent, non-profit environmental science and conservation news platform. He ran the project solo for the first few years, publishing thousands of stories and photos. However it has grown immensely since then, with a network of roughly 1,000 correspondents in 80 countries, covering conventional news to deeply reported investigative projects. Rhett also co-founded Tropical Conservation Science, an open-access academic journal that creates opportunities for scientists in developing countries to publish their research. In this episode, Rhett talks openly about his lack of traditional experience, early interest in conservation, his trajectory in finance, and making the leap (or building the bridge) to committing full time. They also touch on the current state of conservation news and its challenges, and the importance of solution-oriented storytelling. It’s a fascinating and inspiring conversation with someone whose genuine modesty feels rare, given the reach and impact of the platform he’s built.

The Far Reaches is a long-term series where we speak to guests about subjects related to our planet and our place on it. These episodes will dig a little deeper, perhaps enter the realm of armchair philosophy, and will tackle some more existential questions surrounding adventure and exploration.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episode 221 of The Adventure Podcast features international journalist and author, Adam Skolnick. Adam has written for countless news outlets, Lonely Planet guidebooks, magazines, and columns, and has travelled to over 40 countries. In this episode, Matt and Adam discuss his journey into writing. His first gigs, travelling for stories, and how to make a living doing so. Adam reflects about the early adventures he went on; cycling around the world in his twenties and how the reality looked very different from the romantic version he imagined. Often including long-stretches of boredom, loneliness and self-doubt. It's a wide-ranging conversation as they discuss everything from the pressure of shaping messy reality into something coherent on page, to ego and validation, the discomfort of being honest about motivations that don’t fit the heroic narrative, and the temptation to chase ever-bigger projects for 'better' stories. Adam also talks about the inspiration behind his new book, American Tiger, which he covered live as a journalist at the time, and how he found transitioning from fact to fiction.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-05:00: Motivations, ego, and the difference between starting an adventure and finishing one.

05:00-12:00: Adam reflects on riding around the globe, and the uncomfortable truth about why he really left.

12:00-25:00: A raw account of failure at sea, coping in crisis, and how unfinished journeys shape us differently.

25:00-35:00: Why success can be less interesting than failure, and how chasing “epic” creates a moving goalpost.

35:00-45:00: Different ways people experience fear, and why acknowledging it can be more powerful than suppressing it.

45:00-55:00: How children, responsibility, and time away from crisis culture reframed Adam’s sense of purpose.

55:00-01:05:00: Adam introduces a new philosophy: joy over grit, presence over performance.

01:05:00-01:20:00: Why “hero moments” lose value over time, and what actually lasts from a life of adventure.

01:20:00-End: Closing reflections on peace, humility, and finding meaning without needing the next big thing.

To listen to new podcast, Atlantic Canada, head to https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/atlantic-canada/id1872073512, or search it wherever you get your podcasts.

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Episode 220 of The Adventure Podcast features endurance athlete and author, Peter Wright. Peter has undertaken some of the world's most challenging endurance events - completing the Marathon des Sables, the Jungle Ultra, the Western States 100, the Cape Wrath Ultra and rowing the Atlantic. But what's fascinating about Peter is that on the face of it, he's a pretty normal bloke with a full-time career, who made a series of seemingly ordinary decisions. In this episode, Matt speaks with Peter about how a comfortable, “mildly active” life gradually evolved into a decade of endurance challenges. He shares honest stories of failure, imposter syndrome, DNFs, and the mindset shifts that helped him keep going when quitting felt easier. They discuss balancing adventure with family life and a full-time career, the reality of preparing for a two-year project, and the emotional highs and lows of life at sea. At its core, this episode explores motivation, ageing, and fear of regret. And why adventure isn’t necessarily about talent, but about turning up and committing to the long game.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Chapter Breakdown

00:00-03:00: Peter describes his early relationship with sport, comfort, and routine - and the quiet feeling that something needed to change.

03:00-06:30: Moving to Jersey, being inspired by an active island culture, and setting the goal of running the London Marathon.

06:30-10:00: Discovering ultra running through magazines, meeting influential runners, and saying yes to scarier challenges.

10:00-14:00: A disastrous London Marathon; twisted ankle, lost gels and an emergency toilet stop.

14:00-18:30: Preparing for the Sahara, imposter syndrome, conservative early pacing, and finishing stronger than expected.

18:30-23:00: Why DNFs aren’t the end, unfinished business, and returning to races to “wipe them from the record.”

23:00-27:30: Juggling endurance challenges with life.

27:30-31:30: Why ultrarunning is more inclusive than expected.

31:30-34:30: Sunrises, hallucinations, emotional swings, and the mental landscapes of endurance events.

34:30-36:30: A gruelling virtual challenge during Covid leads to an unexpected invitation: rowing the Atlantic.

36:30-42:00: Family conversations, finances, sponsorship, learning to row, and two years of preparation.

42:00-45:30: Departure day emotions, family goodbyes, and the relief of finally being at sea.

45:30-52:30: Peter explains life at sea.

52:30-55:30: Reaching Antigua.

55:30-59:30: Writing a book, recent multi-day Iron-distance challenges, and redefining what’s possible later in life.

59:30-End: Peter reflects on motivation, fear of regret, and why showing up with a good attitude matters more than anything else.

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Dispatches are our shorter form episodes, usually around a single question, subject or story. In this episode, Waldo Etherington talks to us about all things trees. Waldo has been on the podcast before, and is also a regular diarist in our sister series, Field Diaries. He's a rope access specialist whose spent months high in rainforest canopies and on expeditions all over the world. His passion for the lungs of the earth is unparalleled and completely infectious. He explains how exactly he sees trees, from their body language to 'visual tree assessments', and drops mind-boggling facts throughout. Hopefully you'll listen to this episode and walk away with a new sense of wonder and appreciation for these magnificent living beings.

For extra insights from the worlds of adventure, exploration and the natural world, you can find The Adventure Podcast+ community on Substack. You can also follow along and join in on Instagram @‌theadventurepodcast.

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-adventure-podcast.

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