Channel 5's '10,000 BC' Reality Show Explores Prehistoric Living in Bulgarian Forest

In April 2015, Channel 5 premiered a reality show called '10,000 BC,' where twenty British individuals endeavored to survive in a Bulgarian forest under Stone Age conditions. This social experiment was overseen by Klint Janulis, an Oxford PhD candidate in Stone Age archaeology and a former Green Beret. The participants, reflecting a diverse segment of modern British society, received starter kits that included huts, a dead deer, apples, and berries. They faced challenges like starting fires and making tools, with one person needing urgent medical care. Safety teams monitored the participants, and producers dressed in contemporary clothing, creating a striking contrast between ancient reenactment and modern TV production. The series, sponsored by Kellogg's Krave, aired on Channel 5, with an article by Sam Jacob in ArtReview's April 2015 issue discussing themes of human nature, cultural conditioning, and contemporary myths.