Ben Fogle reveals eccentric star of his New Lives In The Wild show has died as he pays heartfelt tribute
TV explorer Ben Fogle has paid a moving tribute to one of the most memorable stars of his hit show New Lives In The Wild – after confirming the eccentric adventurer has sadly died.
The broadcaster, 51, addressed the sad passing of elderly twin Bob Stone, 83, who lived in the canyons of Utah and appeared on Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Revisits.
The Channel 5 show documents people who have chosen to leave the rat race and live off grid for 10 years.
Twin brothers Bill and Bob Stone, who once had adrenaline-fueled careers as parachute instructors and police informants, chose to move to live a subsistence lifestyle as organic farmers, preparing for doomsday.
They moved to Utah after a life of daring career switches, including one of them testifying against a drug gang, leading to witness protection and then bounty hunting.
They faced new challenges associated with growing old and living in a remote area, including rock slides and the need for minimal comfort in the house they built around a mobile home.
They appeared on Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Revisits, where Ben met them for the third time.
The former Countryfile host, while observing their lives, has a great deal of respect for the people he meets on the show and tries to share their stories fairly and without prejudice.
Ben took to Instagram to share his devastation of one of the twins passing in an emotional post.
He wrote: “Bill and Bob Stone were two of my favourite people I ever visited on New Lives in the Wild. I visited them 3 times in total in their secret hillside cave in the remote canyons of Utah.
“Sadly Bob recently passed away. I feel so privileged that I was able to help Bill and Bob, a former Special forces soldier and bounty hunter.
Despite my fear of heights I jumped from a small plane over Moab with Bill for an unforgettable experience.
“A dream of Bob’s was to climb Everest and although he was never able to fulfill that ambition, I spent many hours sharing with him photos, videos and tales from my own climb.
“His eyes sparkled as I recounted my climb, like he was there with me.
The Stone brothers taught me so much about a forgotten sector of society in the United States, driven from the mainstream by conspiracy propaganda.
“I saddens me that Bill and Bob spent their final years gripped by fear, terrified of an invisible force they felt threatened their very survival.
“I feel honoured to have known him and shared his story that would otherwise have remained forgotten, as it would never have been known. Rest is peace Bob. Love and peace to Bill.”
Fans flooded to the comment section to share their sadness, with one saying: “Two incredible characters! They were so inseparable. RIP Bob and thoughts go out to Bill Xx”
Ben Fogle's career to date
2000 – Launched his TV career appearing as a contestant on Castaway
2001 – Became a co-presenter of Countryfile, hosting on and off before leaving for good in 2018
2001 – Joined the BBC’s Animal Park
2002 – Presented One Man and His Dog
2003 – Hosted Big Screen Britain
2003 – Fronted Death by Pets
2005 – Hosted Animal Park’s special Wild in Africa series
2006 – Joined Channel 4’s coverage of Crufts for two years
2007 – Presenter another Animal Park special, Wild on the West Coast
2009 – Hosted Country Tracks for BBC Two
2013 – Launched his Channel 5 series New Lives in the Wild
2013 – Became the host of Countrywise on ITV1 for three years
2024 – Fronted Into the Congo for Channel 5
Another added: “Such sad news I loved watching your visits with these 2 very special gentleman. May Bob rest in peace. Love to Bill ”
A third penned: “Such sad news, you always make us all feel so connected to those you meet. I hope Bill will be ok.”
Bill and Bob’s last appearance on the reality show revealed that their paranoia about the outside world had grown.
In the season 12 episode 4 of New Lives in the Wild Revisits, Ben made an unprecedented third visit to see his old friends.
Ben asked if much had happened since his last visit and Bill replied: “Not much, except that UFO that landed over there.”
Ben said: “Whoah?! You saw a UFO? How do you know it was a UFO?”
Bill answered: “Landed right down there with that cedar tree by the house. What else was it? It did not make any noise at all. They just had a whitish bluish glow to it like static electricity going around it all the time. That had it lit up.
“I was sitting reading the magazine and Bob started stoking the floor and pointing and I thought, first thought he was having another heart attack he kept pointing out.
“So I got up out of the chair and looked down. Here comes this whatever this thing was, lands on the other side of the cedar tree right by the house.”
The brothers then showed Ben an image of an alien Bob had carved onto a rock.
Ben said: “I should say Bill and Bob are not alone in their experiences. That said, I do worry that aliens are just one more thing for Bill and Bob to feel anxious about. The day just got a little bit weirder.
“There’s a lot of eccentricity here, but it’s tinged with sadness ’cause there is a very real paranoia and I think a lot of that paranoia is born through news, they consume. But, you know, there’s a sparkle of mischief as well and there’s something kind of charming about that.”
Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild Revisits is available to watch on Channel 5 streaming service.