Over the years we have witnessed Bear Grylls brutally murder animals including bats, crocodiles and snakes in the name of so-called ‘entertainment’. Despite a number of complaints about this, “The Island with Bear Grylls” continues the precedent, as we see contestants brutally and illegally kill an endangered crocodile, and inhumanely murder several other animals including two piglets they had previously cared for and treated as pets, an iguana and an adult pig.

Be it a survival programme or not, we should not inflict pain and suffering on other sentient beings for the sake of entertainment. This senseless slaughter and outright disrespect for our fellow earthlings is the reason why so many animals are close to extinction or are extinct already.

Furthermore, if we are going to invade another species’ habitat for our own selfish purposes, then it should go without saying that we have a responsibility to protect them and their environment.

It is also important to keep in mind that as Chief Scout, Bear Grylls has a huge responsibility to young people around the world. He needs to be a responsible role model to them and therefore we do not want this sort of behaviour to be normalised. 

It is unconscionable that this show would feature the brutal and illegal death of an endangered animal, or any animal for that matter, for the purposes of a game. This is not ‘The Hunger Games,’ and we are in the 21st Century. Such cruel treatment of any animal for no valid reason should never be tolerated or promoted. We do not need any more animals added to the 150 billion already slaughtered each year for food.

This petition therefore asks that Channel 4 be prosecuted under Section 2 of the Ofcom Broadcasting Code, which prohibits the airing of “harmful” or “offensive” material.