'Naked and still afraid!' – Father-of-two set to star on all-natural reality show for a second time

Now, after being approached by show developer Discovery, the 'Black Country Through and through' survivalist is set to take to the jungles of Columbia where he will complete a 40-day and 40-night test while also having to walk a total distance of 40 miles.

Talking about the challenge, Sam, a mental health worker, said: "I was actually approached again after doing the first show, they asked if I wanted to be included in the XL version, which is more of an extreme challenge than the last one.

"This time it is 40 days and 40 nights while travelling 40 miles, so about a mile a day. It just adds another layer to an already hard task. It was filmed in the badlands of Columbia, it is like a secondary rainforest. An absolute bug fest through and through."

The father-of-two said that he enjoyed the last experience so much, that he decided to give it another go.

Sam added: "It was fantastic, it went really well. The first time I did it was in the Mojave Desert in New Mexico and it was like a real western movie. Long open plains and these massive oceans of grass from horizon to horizon.

"This time it was a bit harder. The first night we stayed was horrible, I remember we were down for the night and all of sudden we had this massive jaguar come sniffing around. This wasn't like an average jaguar either. It was huge.

"I was just walking and I turned a corner and you could hear it sort of growl. It's scary to think that when you see them, they have most likely been watching you for hours."

The mental health worker said that losing his clothes and being close to nature was 'an enlightening' experience, saying it made him realise how little humans need to survive.

Sam said: "I am a Black Country guy, it was all alien to me, I'd be picking these fish out of the water that was like they were from Jurassic Park, fruit with scales, you just wouldn't see it in Asda.

"What it made me realise though is how little we actually need as humans to survive. People romanticise the past and it really has made me think about the food I eat and where it comes from. Not in an ethical way, but just about eating certain foods to stay strong.

Sam said one of the most challenging aspects of the trial is overcoming lethargy, saying that this time, he will have to compete with travel as well as survival.

Sam said: "Last time I dropped about three and a half stone in 21 days, which is such a short amount of time. This time I obviously had to deal with survival, but also travelling, which uses a lot more energy.

"It's quite frightening when you start to deal with lethargy. You realise that when your body runs out of energy it burns fat, when there is no fat it burns muscle. You start feeling so horrible."

Sam is a father of two to Reece, 22, and Charley, 13, whom he says he missed – however, they think he's a little bit crazy.

"I have two lovely boys, Rhys and Charley, I'm really proud of them, I really missed them during the filming.

"They definitely think I'm a bit of crazy for doing it again."

Naked and Afraid XL airs in America on Sunday, May 12, showing on Discovery and Max, with a UK air date set for November 21.