The adventurer and author Jordan Wylie said attempting to paddleboard around Britain has been his toughest expedition, after he was made an MBE at Windsor Castle.
The former soldier told the PA news agency: “I’ve ran marathons in the coldest places on the planet like Antarctica to the most dangerous places like Iraq and Afghanistan, but I think trying to paddleboard around Great Britain was one of the toughest adventures both physically and mentally.”
He said “having a sense of gratitude” was what kept him going through such extreme expeditions.
He added: “I often think back to colleagues and comrades that I lost in the military in places like Iraq, people who never made it home. I think about loved ones who are no longer with us and that gives you a deep sense of gratitude to know that you’re still here.”
Mr Wylie said he felt “incredibly humble and grateful” to be made an MBE and that it was “an extra honour” to have it presented by the Princess Royal, who was his Colonel-in-Chief when he served in the British Army.
The national ambassador for the Army Cadet Force said he wanted to use his story to inspire young people.
He added: “I was a pretty naughty kid at school, I grew up on a rough council estate in Blackpool and didn’t do too well in my education. I’ve come a long way and I try my best to inspire lots of young people from challenging backgrounds.”
Mr Wylie, known for his appearances on the Channel 4 television shows Hunted and Celebrity Hunted, said that he has had his own “struggles with mental health”.
He said: “I’ve talked openly about being diagnosed with severe depression and chronic anxiety.”
“People need to open up, they need to talk to people, they need to get outside more,” he added.
“I think, for me, running and exercise and adventure is the best medicine. And what I try to do in the Army Cadets is encourage a lot more of that for young people.”
