Wim Hof: who is he, what’s his breathing method, when is his Freeze the Fear show on TV and how to watch

Extreme athlete, Wim Hof, will appear on BBC One’s Freeze the Fear alongside Holly Willoughby and Lee Mack.

Eight celebrities face a series of cold challenges designed to push their minds and bodies to the limit - with the help of The Iceman.

Hof created the Wim Hof Method, which combines cold therapy, breathing and meditation.

Find out everything you need to know about Wim Hoff and his new Freeze the Fear show here.

Who is Wim Hof?

Wim Hof is a Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete.

Also known as the Iceman, he is famed for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures.

The daredevil has run a half marathon above the Arctic circle barefoot, submerged himself in ice for almost two hours and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in just shorts and shoes.

The 62-year-old has previously set the world record for fastest half marathon barefoot on ice and snow, the world record for longest time in full-body contact with ice, and the Guinness World Record for farthest swim under ice.

However, all of these have since been surpassed.

His ability to endure extremely cold weather conditions has shown others they can achieve things they thought were impossible.

The Iceman has taught the benefits of cold-water therapy for decades, including to celebrities and athletes worldwide.

The extreme athlete has written a number of books, including; Becoming the Iceman (2011), Way of the Iceman (2015), What Doesn’t Kill Us (2017), The Wim Hof Method (2020 and The Iceman Speaks (2020).

Hof, who was born in the Netherlands, has six children.

What is the Wim Hof method?

Wim Hof attributes his capabilities to the Wim Hof Method (WHM).

Created with his son Enahm Hof, WHM involves frequent cold exposure, breathing techniques and yoga or meditation.

The meditation techniques that are part of the WHM will help to improve overall wellbeing.

However, alongside cold therapy and breathing exercises, you become able to take full control over your mind and body.

The WHM breathing technique is: take in a strong inhalation through the nose, let out a relaxed exhalation through the mouth, repeat for 30 breaths, and then on the 30th breath, exhale to 90 percent and hold for as long as you can.

Two studies have shown that the Wim Hof method could positively affect those with certain inflammatory disorders.

When is Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof on TV?

The BBC One reality show, Freeze the Fear, will air on Tuesday 12 April.

The show, hosted by This Morning presenter Holly Willoughby and comedian Lee Mack, will feature extreme athlete Wim Hof.

Hof will be supervising eight celebrities through a series of radical challenges.

The six-part series will air Tuesday’s at 9pm.

You can watch the trailer here.

How can I watch Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof?

BBC One will air the reality series, each Tuesday from 12 April to 17 May.

The one-hour episodes, which follows as celebrities give up their cosy lives to live in the freezing Italian mountains, will begin at 9pm.

All six episodes will be available on BBC iPlayer after they have aired.

Who is the celebrity line up for Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof?

Musical theatre actor Alfie Boe, aged 48.

The 48-year-old is best known for his role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables on the West End, and has previously appeared on Mr Selfridge and Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway.

He also performed at the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Concert at Buckingham Palace.

Songwriter, footballer and television presenter Chelcee Grimes, aged 29.

Grimes has written songs for Dua Lipa, Kesha, Olly Murs and the Saturdays.

She has played football for Fulham, Everton, Tranmere Rovers, and currently plays for Merseyrail Ladies FC.

Alongside football, she co-hosts BBC Two’s spin-off MOTDx and a BBC Sounds podcast.

Professional dancer Dianne Buswell, aged 32.

Buswell is best known for appearing on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing.

She has also launched her own Youtube channel and appears in vlogs with Youtuber boyfriend, Joe Sugg.

TV presenter and former gymnast Gabby Logan, aged 48.

The former international gymnast represented Wales in rhythmic gymnastics at the 1990 Commonwealth Games, before joining Sky Sports.

Logan has hosted The Premier League Show, Match of the Day, The One Show and Splash.

Weather presenter Owain Wyn Evans, aged 38.

The Welsh journalist currently presents the weather for BBC North West Tonight.

He has previously appeared on The One Show, Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel, BBC’s New Year’s Eve and BBC Breakfast.

Former professional footballer Patrice Evra, aged 40.

Evra has played for Manchester United, West Ham, France, Monaco and Nice over his 20-year career.

Rapper and TV personality Professor Green (Stephen Manderson), aged 38.

Manderson rose to fame with the release of his debut album, Alive Till I’m Dead, which made it to number two on the UK charts.

He is also a mental health activist and has hosted many documentaries including Professor Green: Suicide and Me, Professor Green: Hidden and Homeless, Professor Green: Dangerous Dogs, Professor Green: Living in Poverty.

Actress and presenter Tamzin Outhwaite, aged 51.

Outhwaite is best known for playing Mel Owen in EastEnders, and recently she competed as Scarecrow on The Masked Dancer.

She has also appeared in Death in Paradise, Ridley Road, Doctor Who and Silent Witness.