Peak Danger: 7. No Man Left Behind

Summary

Extreme Podcast Summary: Season 2, Episode 7 – "Peak Danger: No Man Left Behind"

Release Date: March 3, 2025
Host: Natalia Mehlman Petruzella
Produced by: Novel for the BBC

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Introduction

In Season 2 of Extreme, the BBC delves into the harrowing events surrounding the 2008 K2 disaster. Episode 7, titled "Peak Danger: No Man Left Behind," recounts the tragic summit attempt where 11 climbers lost their lives over two devastating days. Host Natalia Mehlman Petruzella weaves a narrative of ambition, survival, and the unforgiving power of nature.

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Main Characters

• Wilko van Rooyen: An experienced climber with a deep passion for mountaineering, whose determination to conquer K2 leads to life-threatening challenges.
• Cecilie Skog: Wilko’s wife, whose concerns about the dangers of high-altitude climbing are juxtaposed against Wilko’s relentless pursuit.
• Karim Mehrban: A Sherpa guide from Shimsha, whose dedication and compassion play a crucial role in the unfolding rescue missions.
• Hugues Daubaraide (UG): A French climber known for his humor and risk assessment skills.
• Pasang Lama & Big Pasang: Sherpa guides tasked with leading the rescue efforts, embodying the perilous responsibilities Sherpas bear on such expeditions.
• Other Climbers: Including Norwegian, Korean, Dutch, and local climbers who contribute to the complex dynamics of the disaster.

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The Climb and Summit Day

July-August 2008 marked the peak of ambition for approximately 30 climbers attempting to summit K2, a mountain renowned for its treacherous conditions. Wilko van Rooyen, despite previous setbacks, joins the expedition with his wife Cecilie, embarking on what was meant to be a unique honeymoon adventure.

Wilko van Rooyen reflects on his mindset:
"Climbing big mountains. You are really above the clouds. You are so alone that you realize you can only depend on yourself, nature and nothing else matters."
(00:45)

Despite the inherent risks, Wilko's determination leads him to successfully reach the summit with his team on August 1st. However, as daylight fades, the descent becomes perilous.

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Disaster Strikes

The descent on August 2nd takes a disastrous turn when an avalanche, triggered by collapsing seracs (unstable ice cliffs), scatters climbers across K2's steep slopes. The fixed ropes meant to guide climbers are disrupted, leaving many, including Wilko, navigating the treacherous terrain alone.

Wilko describes his dire situation:
"If you think you should remember the way you go, it isn't there anymore."
(02:33)

Stranded with limited supplies and battling snow blindness, Wilko makes a desperate call to his wife:
"I got my wife on the line. She knew from the media that something was going on because a lot of people were in trouble. She realized what kind of situation I was and she tried to motivate me. Remember that you're a daddy, you will hold on and believe still in a miracle that you will survive."
(03:55)

As Wilko loses consciousness, the avalanche's aftermath unfolds, leaving seven other climbers fighting for survival amidst the chaos.

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Rescue Efforts and Challenges

The following day, rescue missions are launched to save the stranded climbers. Pasang Lama and Big Pasang, along with other Sherpas and team members, undertake the perilous task of locating and assisting the missing.

Pasang Lama expresses the emotional weight of the mission:
"We have lost our brother. In one way, I'm alive, you know. And then in another way, I myself lost my life."
(19:10)

Complicating the rescue are continuing avalanches and the treacherous condition of the mountain. Communication breakdowns and the chaotic environment lead to uncertainties about the fate of several climbers, including Karim Mehrban and Hugues Daubaraide.

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Wilko's Struggle and Survival

After enduring another night alone in the death zone with diminishing strength, Wilko faces the grim reality of his situation. By August 3rd, he is severely dehydrated, frostbitten, and close to death.

In a pivotal moment, Wilko receives a lifeline when his wife identifies his location via binoculars:
"My satellite phone rings suddenly. My wife who was sitting whole night, she was counting 24 hours and I didn't still phoning and she got me on the line and then she told me they spotted you from base camp by a binocular. Help is underway."
(23:24)

Fueled by hope, Wilko continues his descent and is eventually found by his teammate Cass Van de Chavel:
"I realized this is my friend. And then I came back to reality and I realized I have survived."
(24:32)

Wilko is rescued and brought to base camp, where the full scope of the tragedy is revealed. He learns that 11 climbers have perished, including his teammate Rolf Bae.

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Aftermath and Reflection

The base camp transforms from a bustling hub of excitement to a somber memorial for the fallen. Climbers and Sherpas grapple with loss, exhaustion, and the emotional toll of the disaster.

Wilko van Rooyen concludes with a poignant reflection:
"I really believe that Tone, my son, gave me this trigger. He saved my life."
(25:06)

The episode underscores the immense risks climbers and Sherpas face, the thin line between ambition and survival, and the profound personal costs of pursuing the impossible.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Wilko van Rooyen:
  "Climbing big mountains. You are really above the clouds. You are so alone that you realize you can only depend on yourself, nature and nothing else matters."
  (00:45)

• Wilko van Rooyen:
  "If you think you should remember the way you go, it isn't there anymore."
  (02:33)

• Wilko van Rooyen:
  "I got my wife on the line... Remember that you're a daddy, you will hold on and believe still in a miracle that you will survive."
  (03:55)

• Pasang Lama:
  "We have lost our brother. In one way, I'm alive, you know. And then in another way, I myself lost my life."
  (19:10)

• Wilko van Rooyen:
  "I really believe that Tone, my son, gave me this trigger. He saved my life."
  (25:06)

---

Conclusion

"Peak Danger: No Man Left Behind" serves as a gripping exploration of human endurance, the bonds forged in extreme adversity, and the unforgiving nature of K2. Through personal testimonies and meticulous storytelling, Natalia Mehlman Petruzella captures the essence of what it means to push humanity to its limits—and the ultimate price it can exact.

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Next Episode Preview:
The tragic events of K2 set the stage for further exploration into the lives affected by the disaster and the enduring legacy of those who dared to conquer one of the world's most formidable peaks.

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Produced by Lee Meyer and Amalia Sortland, with editing by Joe Wheeler and additional production from Keith. Sound design and mixing by Ken Young Park, Nicholas Alexander, and original music by Adam Foran.

Transcript

[Narrator]

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[BBC Sounds]

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[Wilko van Rooyen]

Climbing big mountains. You are really above the clouds. You are so alone that you realize you can only depend on yourself, nature and nothing else matters.

[Narrator]

That was how Wilko van Rooyen looked at climbing at the world. For a long time, he had his guilty pleasures.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I like also the wine and the food and everything. I like to relax, you know.

[Narrator]

But the mountains were his greatest passion and he could never stay away for too long. Something his wife Helene knew all too well. Especially when it came to the topic of of kids.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

My wife always saying, you know, as long as you want to climb Everest without bottled oxygen, we won't take kids because there is a real chance that you won't be back.

[Narrator]

In 2007, Wilko's life changed forever.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

Finally she became pregnant and we were really happy and my son was born.

[Narrator]

Their son's name is Tone, a classic Dutch name meaning praiseworthy. In 2008, when Wilko makes his trip to K2, he's just seven months old. The timing seems perfect. To Wilco, anyway.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I have two months, three months on expedition. When I come back, he's 10 months. He won't remember.

[Narrator]

K2 has defeated Wilco twice before. He got seriously injured on a previous expedition. This time he was determined to reach the top and he did, with his teammates by his side. But by the afternoon of August 2nd, Wilco is now descending alone and he's completely lost.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

The terrain changed by the falling seracs.

[Narrator]

The serac, the huge unstable ice cliff which collapsed the previous night, slicing through the fixed ropes meant to guide climbers back down.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

If you think you should remember the way you go, it isn't there anymore.

[Narrator]

Wilco needs to descend with no safety ropes to catch him if he falls. And he's doing all this while squinting through the pain and blurry vision caused by his snow blindness.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

It's burning like the house is on fire.

[Narrator]

But that's not all.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

One of the worst things was I was so thirsty.

[Narrator]

Wilco hardly has any supplies on him. He's abandoned practically everything to help him move as quickly as possible.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I know that you never should eat snow. It will dry up and you have to eat more snow and your system has to put all new energy warmth into melting the snow. But I had to, it was too painful in my throat so I had to put every time snow in my mouth to get get away from this pain.

[Narrator]

But amazingly, Wilco has held on to one crucial piece of gear. His satellite phone. Punching clumsily into the keypad with frozen fingers, he manages to dial the one number he can remember.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I got my wife on the line. She knew from the media that something was going on because a lot of people were in trouble. She realized what kind of situation I was and she tried to motivate me. Remember that you're a daddy, you will hold on and believe still in a miracle that you will survive. But we had to keep it short because otherwise the battery would be empty. So I said I will phone you back, you know, in 24 hours. And at that moment I felt unconscious.

[Narrator]

Wilco has no idea how long he's out, but eventually he stirs awake and starts slowly making his way down the mountain. As he descends, the skies high above his head are darkening.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I knew if I'm going through in the night I will fall in the crawsh and nobody will find you.

[Narrator]

Wilko knows his best option is to bivouac again. Which means another night on the vast icy slopes with no shelter.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I didn't know if I would survive this night again.

[Narrator]

But he doesn't really have a choice. He's still completely exhausted.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

You're not full asleep, but also not full awake. You're between two worlds or something.

[Narrator]

And when he is awake, his mind is playing tricks on him.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I know that I think I have been sitting along a dead climber with a yellow jacket, but I can't tell you if it's true.

[Narrator]

As Wilke was spending a second night out in the cold and dark, he's totally unaware of just how bad things have become for his fellow climbers. Over the past 24 hours, seven other climbers have been battling for survival. While a high stakes rescue mission is underway. The lives of everyone involved hang in the balance. I'm Natalia Melman Petruzella from the BBC. This is extreme peak danger. Episode 7 no Man Left Behind Sitting across from K2 is another of the Karakoram range's huge mountains. Broad peak reaching over 26,000ft. It's not quite as big as its neighbor, but it's still one of the tallest mountains in the world and a popular choice for climbers. In the summer of 2004, journalist Amanda Padawan and Her brother Will had planned to tackle the climb together. But before they made the trip, Amanda and her family suffered a heartbreaking tragedy.

I'd recently lost Will to a very tragic suicide, and he was just 23 at the time. I ended up going to Pakistan by myself. Our expedition had hired several young men from the village of Shimsha to carry gear up Broad Peak. And one of these young men was named Kareem Mehrban. He reminded me a lot of my brother in some ways. Same eyes, dark eyes. They both had this kind of radiant smile. And they both were quiet. Both loved the mountains. Both were excellent climbers. Karim was a very kind man. And I think I was at a time in my life when I really needed to have a friend and sort of a surrogate for my brother. And Karim filled that void for me.

In mid July 2004, after a punishing climb, Amanda and Karim are sitting at one of the high camps on Broad Peak. From here, they can look out at the sprawling Karakoram range. Mountain after mountain as far as their.

Eyes can see on a very clear day, just a searing blue sky. We had this perfect view of K2 in front of us, and Karim pointed to the mountain and told me he was going to climb it.

Karim did climb it, but not until years later.

He definitely didn't fall in the category of an obsessive. He knew the mountain was always going to be there, and then he could come back to it another season, another summer.

Kareem's climbing career wasn't about taking big risks.

I think he very much wanted to stay alive for his family.

In 2008, Kareem is one of around 30 climbers taking part in the fateful summit push. He's guiding a French climber named Hugues Daubaraide. They've been on a few trips together.

From all accounts, Hugues was great fun. He liked to dance in base camp. He had a great sense of humor. He was an insurance salesman, too, which is ironic because he's someone who weighs risk every day.

On Summit Day, August 1, along with members of the Norwegian, Korean and Dutch teams, Karim and Hug make it to the top of K2. And just like the others, they're hours behind schedule.

Karim, when he reaches the summit, he prays.

Karim is a devout Muslim.

UG calls his girlfriend and tells her, I'm finished now. This time next year, our family will be at the beach.

They begin their descent. As the sun is already setting, and in the ever increasing darkness, things are starting to fall apart.

UG and Karim are Not doing well. They've run out of bottled oxygen.

We know Karim and UG got separated from one another, but what happened next is shrouded in chaos and uncertainty. As a historian, I come up against this kind of thing a lot. Sometimes you have perfectly recorded moments, a veritable chronicle that outlines the exact way events transpired. That's always a great day at the But a lot of times history is about interpretation, about looking at the facts you do have available to you, making what you can out of them and doing your best to read the silences.

I liken it to the fog of war, where you would have a battle and there would be competing reports and memories would be hazy because of trauma. Same on a mountain. What happens next is unclear.

Karim is seen heading in the wrong direction.

Seeing terrain from one direction is different than seeing terrain from another. So if you've gone up a certain route, it may not look familiar to you going down, especially if you're exhausted and disoriented.

Karim appears to be veering off to the left, which will send him wildly off course.

Instead of descending towards the bottleneck, he's going to end up high above it, on top of this Iraq.

Hug does make it to the top of the bottleneck, the thin, rocky path that sits underneath the serac. Here he comes across Cass van der Hevel. He's a member of Wilko van Royen's team. Oog tells Kas to go past him because he's the faster climber.

At the entrance of the bottleneck, Oog appears to snag a crampon and falls. He whizzes past Cass, who recognizes this blur about an arm's length away as Oog because he wears a distinctive yellow orange down suit.

By the morning of 2nd August, Karim and UG are added to the list of the missing. Their fellow climbers can only pray for a miracle that these two will somehow make it back alive. Down at Camp 4 on that same morning, August 2nd, are the lucky climbers who have managed to make it back to safety. Mr. Kim, the leader of the Korean team, is exhausted. He's desperately worried for his three teammates who are still missing.

[Ham Dong Jin]

Ham Dong Jin was the climbing leader who led the entire team. He was that capable. As for Kyung Ho, he had summited Everest with me in 2007. Hyo Kyung was a former athlete, specifically a boxer with great mental strength and physical stamina. But he lacked experience.

[Narrator]

It seems like Kim Hyo Gyeong and Hwang Dong Jin were last seen hanging off the Mountainside tangled up together in a knot of ropes with one of their climbing Sherpas. Somewhere near the Big Serac, the location of the third teammate, Park Kyung Hyo, is unknown. While some of the climbers have lost teammates out there, others are missing family members. Pasang Lama, the Sherpa guide for the Korean team, made it back to Camp 4 after his risky trip down the bottleneck with no ice axe. He had been hoping to learn that his cousin Jumik had made it back, but their tent was empty. Jumik is stranded with the two Korean climbers near the Big Serac. This would be an agonizing discovery for anybody to find out your family member is in such danger. But it's even worse for Pasang because he knows Jumik's wife is heavily pregnant. Pasang and Jumik are part of a family unit of climbing Sherpas, all working for the Korean team.

[Pasang Lama]

We all four brothers out of four Sherpas, with three Jumik Ay and Jumik's younger brother. And another guy was also there from same village.

[Narrator]

The other Sherpa from the village is nicknamed Big Pasang. It's a common name where they're all from.

[Pasang Lama]

He was one of the super guy, very strong guy.

[Narrator]

Big Pasang didn't do the climb to the summit, so he's not as tired as Pasang Lama. He and some of the others have been instructed to rescue Jumik and the lost Korean climbers. Three people are already confirmed dead. Members of the rescue party are scared that they could be next.

[Pasang Lama]

I was hearing that I also die. I also die. I don't want to go. I don't want to go. I also die.

[Narrator]

There's an uncomfortable truth here. The dynamic between hired Sherpas and climbers often means that Sherpas need to risk their own personal safety in order to do their jobs and serve their clients. Sherpas have been at the front line of rescue missions for as long as they've worked high altitude expeditions. One of Pasang Lama's cousins even said that he felt like his clients owned his life. But their boss, Korean team leader Mr. Kim, sees no other choice.

[Ham Dong Jin]

Sending the rescue team was an absolute necessity. Imagine how exposed they were to the cold during that night. How much suffering and anxiety they must have endured. However, I was already exhausted after descending and suffering from frostbite on my toes, so I couldn't go. Instead, I sent three members of our team along with three Sherpas.

[Narrator]

So this small group of rescuers, including one of Jumik's brothers and Big pasang leave Camp 4 and head up the treacherous slopes towards the tangled climbers about 2,000ft above. After the rescue party has been climbing for a few hours, Pasang Lama hears a message over the walkie talkie.

[Pasang Lama]

We had a radio communication. He was able to reach Jumik Bote.

[Narrator]

By 3pm Big Pasang has pulled ahead of the rescue party and found Jumika. After hearing this news, Pasang Lama joins the rescue mission himself.

[Pasang Lama]

I was also going for the rescue from the Camp four. I'm alone. I'm also very afraid.

[Narrator]

As he climbs, the radio messages keep coming.

[Pasang Lama]

I hear Jumik Bhote was telling that my hand and feet is fried.

[Narrator]

Jumik's gloves and boot had been knocked off by the force of his fall last night. His hands and feet, left exposed to the brutal elements all night long, are frozen. Pasang knows the important thing is Jumik's alive. He could still make it back home to his family. But as Pasang makes his way up the mountain, something is happening. The serac. It's collapsing again. Huge blocks of jagged ice are crumbling and dislodging. They're tumbling down the mountain, taking down everything in their path. The flood of ice and snow comes to a stop. A hazy frozen mist lingers in the air, turning everything opaque.

[Pasang Lama]

It is a very cloudy. I'm looking like this from the cloud.

[Narrator]

As the view begins to clear, Pasang is frantically scanning the mountainside.

[Pasang Lama]

There was a voice. Pasang.

[Narrator]

It's Jumik's brother.

[Pasang Lama]

I asked him what happened. And then I'm looking. There is two people tangled with ropes, you know, with a fixed line.

[Narrator]

Jumick, who had only just gotten free, is now tightly tangled up in a mess of ropes. This time with Big Pasang. Bright red blood is smeared across the snow around them.

[Pasang Lama]

They had died, you know, beside that dead body nearby, there was some Koreans. Dead body also.

[Narrator]

Pasang Lama thinks these are the two Korean teammates Jumik was once attached to.

[Pasang Lama]

We have lost, you know, we have lost our brother. In one way, I'm alive, you know. And then in another way, I myself lost my life.

[Narrator]

Pasang was too far down the mountain to witness the moment of their deaths. So there's a lot we can't be certain about. Journalist Amanda Padawan is aware of two theories.

One is that Djimec had been freed by Gerald MacDonald and they had met Big Pasung further along on the mountain.

Irish climber Jer McDonnell is one of the two men who spent the night of August 1, huddled together with Wilco along with Italian climber Marco Confortola. When Wilco had wandered away from them, snow blind, Jer and Marco had begun to make their own way down. Just like Wilco, they come across Jumik and the tangled Korean climbers. It seems like they spent a long time trying to free them. Eventually, an exhausted Marco moves on. He's found by another climber who guides him back to Camp 4. But it seems like Jer stays behind. Jer, who has spent night after night in base camp singing Gaelic songs, is known to be incredibly brave and selfless. In his climbing career, he's helped save the lives of multiple climbers. It's possible that Jer, after hours spent untangling ropes, gets Jumik free and on his feet.

Another theory is Big Pasang managed to reach the entangled men and was instrumental in freeing Jumik, but possibly wasn't able to help their clients, who had very serious injuries and might have been already dead.

However it happened beforehand, Big Pasang eventually meets Jumik and ties himself to him so they can climb down together. Apparently, climbers down below could see three men in red suits behind Jumik. It's thought that this is Jer and two of the Korean climbers, but we can't be certain because one of the figures could be Karim Meharban, the Pakistani porter who reminded Amanda of her late brother William. He'd wandered off course the night before. Did he find his way back to the right path? And could one of them be the third missing Korean teammate? We can't rule it out. Whatever the truth of how it all unfolded, the collapsing serac wipes everyone out. Pasang Lama radios down to tell Mr. Kim, the Korean team leader, that the rescue operation has failed.

[Pasang Lama]

Mr. Kim told us, Pasang, just leave. Get down immediately.

[Narrator]

Pasang and the other rescue party members trudge their way back. Someone else is still battling their way down the mountain too. Wilko Van Rooyen. He's already spent one night out in the death zone and now he's staring straight down the barrel of another night out here alone in the vast white wilderness.

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[Narrator]

As the morning of August 3rd rolls around, Wilco Van Royen is Fading fast. He's just spent his second night out alone with no shelter. He's completely dehydrated. His hands and feet are frozen. His brain and other organs are oxygen starved. To put it plainly, Wilko is slowly dying.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I was looking to God, you know, and I was angry, really angry. Why is this happening? Why I became a daddy. This can't be the end. And then the most stupid thing happened. My satellite phone rings suddenly. My wife who was sitting whole night, she was counting 24 hours and I didn't still phoning and she got me on the line and then she told me they spotted you from base camp by a binocular. Help is underway.

[Narrator]

Spurred on by this news, Wilco keeps pushing downwards. He can make something out ahead of him.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I was coming around the corner and then suddenly there was a yellow tent and I was really surprised. Why is here a tent?

[Narrator]

As Wilko stumbles closer, it dawns on him. It's not just a tent he can see.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I realized this is my friend. And then I came back to reality and I realized I have survived.

[Narrator]

Wilkos found Cass Van de Chavel, his teammate and longtime friend. Cass has spent the whole night searching the mountain for Wilko who's descended so far. He actually made it past Camp 4. He's now in Camp 3.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

I really believe that tone. My son gave me this trigger. He saved my life.

[Narrator]

Wilko's helped down to base camp where he rejoined some of the climbers he'd set off with just a couple of days earlier. With the video cameras rolling, everyone wants to know what he's been through.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

And I really didn't know where I was so I was really afraid. So I said.

[Narrator]

Wilko's snow blindness has improved with his descent, but he's in bad shape overall. He's lost over 20 pounds. His skin is weathered and haggard from the intense high altitude UV radiation. His toes are frostbitten, gray colored and hard as marble. His feet are quickly placed into baths of warm water while Dr. Eric Meyer starts emergency treatment.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

She's shaking a little bit, so I.

[H]

Was fortunate to have a few medicines in my kit. We were focused on treating frostbite injury. We started using one of the tents and preparing it as a makeshift er.

[Narrator]

It's in this makeshift ER that Wilco first learns the true gravity of the situation.

[Wilko van Rooyen]

There weren't many victims there. How many victims already there?

[H]

11. 11 people. Mr. Park? Mr. Wong? No. He's dead. Mr. Hugh.

[Narrator]

A somber atmosphere drifts through base camp. Days earlier, this place was a temporary city. Bustling and vibrant climbers filled with anticipation, milling around, their excited footsteps crunching on rock and ice. Now these tents, filled with clothes and equipment of lost climbers feel like mausoleums. Lars Nessa of the Norwegian team who'd lost his teammate Rolf Baja, had stayed behind. After making sure Rolf's wife Cecilia got home safe. There's a solemn duty he needs to undertake.

[H]

Part of the process in Base Camp was making this plate with Rolf's name and birth and death day as part of the tradition in K2. You can hear that being done in other tents as well. So very special atmosphere. With that sound and those surroundings.

[Narrator]

These plates will hang forever with all the others on the K2 memorial set up in honor of fallen climbers. But as the climbers are packing up their gear and preparing for the long walk out of Base Camp, this tragic disaster has sparked a worldwide media frequency frenzy. Mountaineering's darkest the toll is now 11 dead. Terrifying moment for those caught up in it.

[Ham Dong Jin]

11 climbers appeared to have died on.

[Narrator]

The worst climbing disaster in the history of the world's second tallest mountain.

Norwegian newlyweds were part of the team trying to scale the mountain. Sadly, Rolf was one of those who died. Coming home from K2 is very difficult.

[Pasang Lama]

My sorrows and my mourning were republic.

[Narrator]

That's next time on Extreme Peak Danger. Extreme Peak Danger is produced by Lee Meyer and Amalia Sortland. The editor is Joe Wheeler with additional production from Keith. Ken Young park sound design and mix by Nicholas Alexander. Original music by Adam Foran. Our theme music for Extreme Peak Danger is by Silverhawk AKA Cyril Poirier and Adam Foran. Our production managers are Cherie Houston and Jo Savage. Story development by Amalia Sortland. Our commissioning editor at the BBC is Dan Clark. Max O'Brien and Craig Strachan are executive producers and I'm Natalia Melman Petruzella, your host and executive producer. Extreme is produced by Novel for the BBC.

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