Naked and Afraid gives its viewers exactly what it says on the tin.
Each episode follows the journey of two people meeting for the first time, completely naked, and their attempt to survive in the wilderness for 21 days. Upon meeting at their designated location — whether it’s India or Mozambique— the partners must work together to construct a shelter and secure water and food.
Dani Beau, who starred in season 6 of the hit Discovery Channel series, described her experience to Nikki Swift in 2021 as “nerve-wracking,” adding, “The crew is filming you. And you see them decked out with big snake boots and mosquito nets, and you can smell their bug spray and everything.”
She continued: “And just seeing the thickness of the location that we’re put into for the first time, you’re just like, ‘Wow, what am I doing?’ You feel very vulnerable.”
The Discovery Channel series has shown audiences some insane scenes since it first aired in June 2013 — and producers no doubt make their contestants sign plenty of liability forms. Although no deaths have occurred on the show, injuries are bound to happen in the extreme conditions the show creates.
Keep reading to see the most outrageous Naked and Afraid injuries over the years:
2013: Dengue Fever
During season 2, Manu Toigo was bitten by a mosquito that was carrying the dengue virus. As time went on, Toigo developed dengue hemorrhagic fever. This life-threatening medical condition can cause shock, organ failure and death. The worst of the symptoms didn’t surface until she arrived back in L.A. after filming and began to experience headaches. Manu was then admitted to the hospital where doctors treated her.
“Every day I’m getting stronger,” Manu told fans in a video update weeks after contracting the virus. “And having physical therapy two, three times a week — basically just to get all my body strength back because I had such muscle atrophy — and I’m also dealing with nerve damage throughout the body.”
She added that her symptoms of dengue fever are “debilitating” and hoped to work through “the difficult part” of getting back on her feet.
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2015: Flesh-eating Bacteria
When a bug bit Matt Wright’s foot in season 3 of Naked and Afraid XL, doctors initially treated it with antibiotics. Unbeknownst to doctors at the time, the bite was infected with a flesh-eating bacteria. It quickly spread to the point that Wright faced the risk of losing his foot — or even death. Consequently, he withdrew from that season but returned for future episodes.
2017: Stage 2 Hypothermia
While sleeping in the Velebit mountains of Croatia during a rainstorm, Samantha Ohl refused to cuddle up with her partner for warmth. Once she started shivering and experiencing delusions, medics rushed her to the hospital. Local doctors were able to prevent any long-term consequences and despite the scare, the contestant expressed pride in her time on the show following her hospital stay.
After a few days of receiving treatment, Samantha said in the hospital “My kids will see, you know, Mom did it,” adding, “My body couldn’t handle the last part. I was really looking forward to high-fiving Adam and saying, ‘We did it.’ I thank you for being there and watching out for me.”
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2023: Hypothermia
During season 1 of Last One Standing, Amber Hargrove experienced hypothermia after her body temperature dropped on a freezing night in South Africa.
“Three nights of being freezing cold was so difficult,” Amber said through tears during the episode. “I noticed my muscles started to tighten up and when I couldn’t stand in the shelter and I couldn’t talk straight, I realized something was wrong with me.”
2023: Burned Genitals
During the season 15 premiere, a hot coal popped from a nearby fire and burned the tip of Sam Mouzer’s penis. The show’s medical team successfully treated the injury and averted the onset of infection.
“We’ve been peppered by hot coals,” Sam said on the show, describing the injured part of his body as his “little soldier’s helmet.”
A medic tending to Mouzer said the injury “shouldn’t be too traumatizing” while dabbing the wound with a Q-tip. Sam quickly recovered and proceeded with the rest of the show.