ben fogle in blue shirt superimposed infront of island

Ben Fogle's secret heartache over £2m private island he failed to buy

Homes Editor

March 25, 2025Mar 25, 2025, 6:30 PM GMT

Ben Fogle lives in Henley near London with his wife Marina and their two children Ludovic and Iona. The New Lives in the Wild star doesn't make any secret of the fact he likes an adventure, but did you know that he almost bought his own private island?

The presenter shot to fame when he appeared in the reality show, Castaway 2000, where he was left on an island called Taransay in Scotland for a whole year with a bunch of strangers for a unique social experiment. Then, 11 years after the show, he got very close to buying the island where it was filmed.

WATCH: Meet Ben Fogle's family

In a heartfelt feature for The Telegraph at the time, he explained his plans: "I have long dreamed of buying Taransay myself. The £2million-pound price tag may sound high, but this is an iconic island with incredible potential for those with vision and passion."

He continued: "With Tansaray on the market, I have been in contact with a number of individuals to look into the possibility of a consortium buying the island. It could be transformed into a wildlife reserve, with sustainable lodges for guests. This could finally pay for its maintenance and upkeep, while also providing some much needed local employment."

Ben Fogle in blue jumper in front of wooden lodge — Ben Fogle was one of the 35 adventurers that was filmed for the BBC fly on the wall show, Castaway 2000

Ben even honeymooned on the island! "I have returned to Taransay several times since the end of the project – once, for the wedding of a fellow castaway, Tanya Cheadle and her fiancé Paul Overton, a producer of the series; and then for my own honeymoon, during which it poured with rain for a week. But even that didn’t dampen my love of this unique island," he wrote.

Ben has such an affiliation with Scotland he also revealed that his daughter's name, Iona, is also after an island in the Outer Hebrides.

Sadly, the star's dreams did not come to fruition and the island was sold to someone else, but Ben hasn't spoken out about this.

ben-fogle-talking-with-blue-suit-on — Ben sadly lost out on the sale

Island plans

Adam and Cathra Kelliher were the lucky buyers of the island in 2011, and they have teamed up with an adventure holiday company to bring in tourism, however, they are also looking to restore its former natural beauty.

"It would’ve once been forested. It would’ve been rich in flora and fauna. Unfortunately, that’s all gone now and so we would like to recreate it," Adam told the BBC last year.

Not as exotic, but still a business venture no less, Ben also had a property in London which he now rents out for a hefty £26,000 per month.

Ben Fogle in his living room with two of his dogs on the sofa — Ben has a wonderful country home

In pictures via the MailOnline, the five-bedroom residence is seen to have eclectic décor throughout and a writing hut tucked away in the garden.

Back in Henley, the family's sprawling country estate is every family's dream with 1.3 acres of land, a tennis court, a swimming pool and a pond.

Ben Fogle in his bathroom — Ben taking a quick selfie at home

There are also plans to totally overhaul his main residence, transforming an existing garage and workshop into a podcast and yoga studio.

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information please click here.