Ed heads for the Arctic Circle, and is dropped on top of a snow-covered mountain in the western fjords of Norway. This is the first time Marooned has ever been to a truly cold location. The conditions are so extreme that Ed is compelled to wear clothes, but as usual takes no food, tools or knife. Before entering isolation, Ed undergoes special ice training to prepare him for the dangers that lie ahead. He faces a new set of challenges, including having to build a shelter that will protect him from the inhospitable weather and keep his fire alight on the sodden ground. He’s under constant risk of hypothermia, and the rising spring tide threatens his home.

Ed is in The Philippines, on Coron Island, attempting to survive on a secluded beach. The seashore is covered in litter, potentially useful for survival but a depressing reminder of the state of our seas. Ed hasn’t been abandoned on an island since his ordeals on Naked and Marooned and, when he gets seriously ill, he starts to struggle with ghosts from the past. Lying on his sick bed of palm leaves, Ed realises that if he doesn’t push himself to find water and food quickly then his survival mission is over. Hemmed in by towering granite cliffs, he’s concerned there may be no fresh water to be found.

Dropped deep in the foothills of the Andes, in Argentine Patagonia, Ed faces extreme exposure to both intense sunlight and freezing temperatures as the southern hemisphere unleashes a torrent of meteorological abuse. Making camp in a mountain river valley, he subsists on a diet of wild woodland salad, tadpoles and ant eggs before getting to grips with tickling trout in the fish-rich waters. In a final demonstration of thriving, he builds an automated fishing system and creates a living larder to keep his food source alive in preparation for a last evening mega-meal.

Ed takes on the parched bushveld of northern Namibia, in southern Africa. Dropped right at the end of a very long dry season, there are virtually no edible plants available to him. Undeterred, he makes base camp up a tree on the shores of a huge lake, spending each night on his home-made sleeping platform. He builds a huge fish corral which gives him a steady supply of small fish to eat, alongside a bird that he catches in a traditional bushman’s trap. But his obsession with trying to catch a warthog sees him take his eye off the ball. How will he survive?

This time Ed must survive in the jungles of Guatemala. Dropped off on a small island in the Usumacinta River, Ed has to brave crocodiles to reach the jungle. Once there, he is swiftly reminded how tough it is to survive in a rainforest. Battling through dense foliage, he discovers a beautiful lake and sets up camp. But as it's the rainy season, he struggles to make a fire and can't catch anything to eat. Desperately hungry, he builds a raft and sets out onto the lake to fish, ever aware of the resident crocodiles. After nine days alone in the wild, Ed realises that he should make a dramatic offering in thanks for his survival.

Dropped in to the middle of Mongolia's Gobi Desert, Ed tackles his most isolated challenge ever. Thousands of miles from civilisation, and facing the constant threats of searing heat and dehydration, Ed finds refuge in a desert oasis. Home to elusive desert bears, the oasis provides Ed with a source of water, edible plants and a base to make a rock and wood house. After a meagre start, he eventually catches some supper.