EXCLUSIVE: Ben Fogle admits he was forced to confide in one person after worrying his sudden disappearances could raise suspicions.
For weeks, Ben Fogle was living a double life — slipping away on Saturday nights, guarding a secret so big that even he feared how it might look at home.
The Countryfile star has now revealed that he felt compelled to tell his wife the truth, amid concerns she might believe he was “up to no good” if he didn’t explain his mysterious absences.
The BBC presenter, 52, recently appeared on The Masked Singer, where his identity was kept tightly under wraps as he performed anonymously week after week, leaving viewers — and the judging panel — guessing.
Ben ultimately made it all the way to the semi-finals before being unmasked as Sloth, in a dramatic reveal that stunned fans.
Speaking exclusively, Ben admitted the secrecy took its toll at home.
“I decided I would really go for it,” he explained. “But it was very hard keeping it from my family.”
In the end, he chose honesty — at least with his wife.
“I did tell my wife,” Ben said. “I was pretty convinced that if I didn’t, she might think I was having an affair or something. I kept disappearing every Saturday night.”
However, his children were kept completely in the dark — and their reaction was priceless.
“I didn’t tell my kids, so it was a massive shock to them when they watched it,” he said. “It was so wildly different from anything I’ve ever done that they didn’t even suspect it. They were open-mouthed.”
Ben also reflected on stepping far outside his comfort zone and whether he would ever do something similar again.
“I’m incredibly lucky — I get to travel and do amazing things,” he said. “But if another show came along that looked challenging, fun, and totally different from my day-to-day life, I’d absolutely consider it.”
Turning 50 proved to be a turning point for the adventurer.
“When I hit 50, I decided it was time to really make the most of life,” Ben shared. “We only get one life — and sometimes we take ourselves far too seriously. Shaking things up can be really refreshing.”
He added that if another opportunity offered the same thrill as The Masked Singer, he wouldn’t hesitate.
“If it was as much fun as those few weeks, it would definitely be worth it,” he said.
Away from television, Ben is currently touring the UK with his live theatre show WILD, where he shares uplifting stories of survival, discovery and hope — from the frozen wilderness of Northern Sweden to the jungles of Honduras, and from Chernobyl to the peaks of Nepal.
The show promises audiences an intimate look behind the curtain of a life lived boldly — filled with adventure, reflection, and the occasional secret worth keeping… until it’s finally time to tell the truth.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/
