‘Naked and Afraid’ filmed in Namibia

The American reality television series ‘Naked and Afraid’ has filmed a recent episode in Namibia. Each programme pairs two new contestants – a man and a woman – and places them in harsh environments where they have to survive off the land for 21 days without any clothing.

The show, now in its third season, has previously been filmed in the Costa Rican jungles, Malaysian rain forests and other extreme environments across the world.

The first episode of the third series, titled ‘Primal Fear’, saw Lindsey Leitet and Luke McLaughlin attempt to survive in the harsh Namibian wilderness. Although it was a challenging 21 days, both managed to complete the television show to the end.

“The sheer volume of thorns on everything including the ground was a huge obstacle”, said Leitet, a home-schooling mum from California. She started the show unprepared for exposing her body, stating “I’m not a naked person”.

The male contestant, Luke Mclaughlin, was the polar opposite, beginning the show looking like he had already been in the veld for 21 days. A hairy wilderness instructor from Utah, nudity was not a problem for him. “I go naked all the time,” he said at the start of the episode.

A man who is at home in nature, The Namibian contacted McLaughlin about his time in Namibia and received the reply: “I am leaving for a five day wilderness trip today so I might not be able to answer your questions.”

On the show, contestants are forced to survive entirely off the environment. They must find water, food and shelter without any assistance for the full 21 days. Many contestants without experience in this way of life struggle to survive.

Overcoming hardships in the Namibian landscape, both Leitet and Mclaughlin managed to endure the drastic temperature changes without clothing to protect their bodies. “The plummeting temperatures at night is something I had never experienced,” said Leitet.

Despite the tough environments filled with dangerous animals and extreme weather conditions, it is normally the contestants’ egos which are the hardest to handle. Hungry and tired, stress levels are regularly high and this often leads to arguments and fights.

Somehow, Leitet and McLaughlin’s hungry bellies and tired eyes did not push them into any confrontations. It actually seemed to draw them closer. Leitet used her diary sessions, which she filmed every evening next to a nearby river, to calm her nerves. “No matter how the day had been or how I felt physically, that time rejuvenated me and I felt truly blessed to be there.”

Now back leading comfortable lives in America, the Namibian wilderness has left lasting impressions on the contestants. “I would come back in a heartbeat,” said Leitet. “The landscape and people are beautiful and I look forward to seeing more of the country.”

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