Les Stroud

Best known as the Canadian Screen Award-winning producer, creator, director, and star of the hit TV series "Survivorman" (OLN Canada, The Science Channel US, Discovery Channel International, City TV (Rogers) Canada, amongst numerous others around the world), Les Stroud is the only producer in the history of television to produce an internationally broadcast series entirely written, videotaped, and hosted alone. With Stroud credited as the creator of the "Survival TV" genre, "Survivorman" is one of the highest-rated shows in the history of OLN Canada, the Science Channel US, and Discovery Channel US and remains the highest-rated repeat show on the Discovery Channel. "Survivorman" is licensed for broadcast worldwide, with ratings in the US hitting 2 million on individual episodes. Les’ work has received multiple Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Director, Best Host, Best Music, Best Show, Best Audio Mix, Best Editing, Best Writer, and Best Photography.

Stroud has appeared in and/or produced numerous television specials and series including hosting the 20th Anniversary of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week, "I Shouldn’t Be Alive", "The Science of Survival", "Surviving Sharks", "Expedition Everest", "Surviving Urban Disasters", "The Mad Trapper", "Surviving Alaska", "The True Story of Robinson Crusoe", "Shark Feeding Frenzy", "After the Experiment", "Deadly Waters", and the documentary feature "Off the Grid with Les Stroud". He was also featured in the series "Extraordinary Lives". From 2010 to 2011, Les was Executive Producer/Host of "Survive This" (YTV, Cartoon Network, Nat Geo Kids) and made celebrity guest appearances on "Extreme Makeover Home Edition", "Top Chef", and "MTV Cribs". He Executive Produced/Hosted the NHL celebrity survival special "Survival Challenge" (OLN/Rogers), and the Discovery Channel series, "Les Stroud: Beyond Survival" earned top ratings on both Discovery Channel US and OLN in Canada. He is at the helm of many productions with Rogers Canada, National Geographic (2019’s "Alaska’s Grizzly Gauntlet"), The Science Channel US, Discovery Channels International, Blue Ant Media and is currently in production for American Public Television for his series "Wild Harvest", a feature doc entitled "La Loche" and the special "Surviving Disasters" airing on PBS stations nationwide as well as around the world on National Geographic.

A celebrated keynote speaker, musician, and author, both his books "Survive! – Essential Skills and Tactics to Get You Out of Anywhere–Alive!" and "Will to Live" have made the Globe and Mail bestseller list. Les was nominated for Best Travel Writer at the Canadian National Magazine awards and has been nominated for a 2011 White Pine Award. His third book "Beyond Survivorman" was launched in 2014 and in 2021 he released his first children’s book "Wild Outside" for Annick Press Canada, nominated for a Yellow Cedar Award. Stroud has won Best Writer in Non-Fiction at the Canadian Screen Awards and the Executive Producers Award for Excellence at the Lewiston Film Festival. He currently writes for Boy Scout Magazine, Explorers Club Journal, and BC Outdoors, among others. His new podcast "Surviving Life with Les Stroud" is on the Apostrophe Podcast Network.

Les Stroud’s contributions extend beyond media and survival training; he is also an advanced survival trainer for the Canadian Military Armed Forces, a Fellow of the Royal Canadian Geographic Society, and received the Distinguished Alumni award from Fanshawe College. In 2022, he was named Chief Scout of Canada for Canada Scouts. Stroud is a board member for the Sea Shepherd Conservation Organization and the Canadian Canoe Museum, and an ambassador for Shelterbox International. He shares his expertise in workshops and speaking engagements, incorporating elements like his "3 Zones of Assessment" to enlighten organizations on leadership and innovation.