Alan Kay wins first season of History Channel's Alone (Photo : Screenshot from History Channel's Youtube)
After 55 gruelling days on Vancouver Island, surviving hostile weather, large predatory animals like grizzly bears and cougars, 40-year old Alan Kay from Blairsville, Georgia bagged the US$500,000 grand prize and bragging rights as winner of the first season of History Channel's new hit show, "Alone."
The show put 10 survival experts and bushmen out in the open, with only a backpack full of their choice items and a few cameras to record their experience.
The premise is simple -- outlast the other nine people on Vancouver Island.
In reality however, it's a lot tougher than just simply being the last man standing.
For 10 episodes, contestants had to battle against terrible Vancouver Island weather, which meant rain and snow for the majority of their stay. Not only that, but the location is known to be overrun with wild bears and cougars.
Contestants had to find ways to produce food and clean water on the island, build a shelter, and resist the temptation to quit. Amazingly, the psychological aspect of the game was were most contestants had trouble.
In the end, only two contestants Alan Kay and Sam Larson were left to battle it out to be called the show's winner.
The two were clearly among the creme of survivalists on the show, and had various skills that were crucial to thriving on the island.
Both Larson and Kay, as well as the other contestants, were also constantly faced with making critical decisions that directly affected their lives on the island.
Some gave up due to the threat of predatory animals, a lot of them succumbed to loneliness after missing their loved ones.
Kay, the first season's winner, lost nearly 60-pounds and admitted the whole experience was physically taxing on the body. He also gave in to psychological distress towards the end of the show.
"Around the 14- and 21- day period, it became obvious to me I was losing [weight]. It was during these times I experienced an extreme loss of energy as well," Kay told People magazine.
"At the end of my stay on Vancouver Island, my belt could wrap around to my tail bone. I went from a 38-in. waist to a 31-in. waist. And this looks strange to me, as I am 6'6"," Kay added. "Looking in a mirror for the first time after coming out of the woods was surreal; the only part of me I recognized was my eyes."
"Alone" has been renewed for a second season with production set to begin in the fall, again in the same location, Vancouver Island.
