How I Survived

It was a steaming hot March afternoon in Weipa, a mining town on the Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Australia. At a safety course, 28-year-old mine worker Todd Bairstow couldn’t wait to knock off, treat himself to an ice-cold beer and go fishing. But, finishing up and trudging down to the creek with his little puppy running alongside him, they weren't completely alone. See, crocodiles lurked in the murky waters...*Thinking of you all, and hope you're staying safe and well in spite of everything Covid-19 is throwing at us. Lots of love from the HIS team. xInterview/script/host: Beth YoungProducer: Jake Taylor

*Quick note: We're working from home due to Covid-19, so this podcast is coming to you from Beth's wardrobe. Enjoy, and we hope you're all staying safe and sound. Lots of love, the HIS team xxxHeaving his massive backpack on, 22-year-old Kiwi William Pike was itching to get up the mountain. He and his mate James Christie – who he’d met at uni while studying to be a primary school teacher – were about to conquer Mt Ruapehu, on New Zealand’s north island. It was James’ first taste of mountaineering and William couldn’t wait to introduce his friend to the sport that he was so mad about. Over a week, the lads planned to climb the mountain’s three major peaks – the highest soaring nearly 3000m above sea level. They had all the right gear, the weather forecast was good, but there was another factor that was completely beyond their control - Mount Ruapehu is an active volcano. But, checking in with the local authorities before setting off, they said there was no sign that it was about to erupt...Interview/script/host: Beth YoungProducer: Jake Taylor

With the TV murmuring softly in the background, Desiree Page, 39, relaxed back into the reclining sofa, cuddling her 13-month-old son Cory. It was late at night, and her husband Gary, a long-haul charter bus driver, was away for work. Usually, Desiree would religiously lock every door and window before she went to bed. But, with her sleeping son in her arms, she dozed off. A sound sleeper, she didn’t hear a peep as a stranger stealthily broke into her home. Suddenly, someone was tugging on Desiree’s leg, shaking her awake…Interview/scriptwriter/host: Beth Young/Producer: Jake Taylor 

When Pepita Nicholls asked her husband of 18 years, Robert Ridgeway, for a divorce, he hatched a dark plan to get revenge. Now, there's been an update in Pepita's incredible story...Host: Beth Young/Interview: Riah Matthews/Producer: Denis Duggan *Police interview published with permission from Queensland Police.

It was a sunny, crisp winter’s day in Interlaken, Switzerland, and Florida couple Chris and Gail Gursky, married for 26 years and parents to a grown-up son, had the perfect plan to get their hearts pumping – hang-gliding over the gorgeous terrain. They loved zip-lining. Now, it was time to up the ante. And they were keen to get started – it was their first day on holidays.The instructor strapped Chris in, then they ran off the edge of the cliff together. But as soon as Chris' feet left the ground, his body sank straight down and he knew something was terribly wrong. Horrifyingly, his harness hadn't been strapped on properly. He wasn't attached. And he was hurtling well above the trees. This is how Chris survived...

A devoted single mum-of-three, Simone O’Brien, then 37, was looking for love. She’d been divorced amicably from her ex, the kids’ dad Trevor, for more than four years. But, working two jobs to make ends meet, and ferrying her kids between school, basketball and playdates didn’t leave much time for romance. So, she decided to try online dating.Meeting a successful 42-year-old real estate agent named Glenn Cable, they hit it off and went out on a date. Their relationship quickly grew. A perfect gentleman, Glenn showered Simone with compliments and flowers, and he was great with her kids, especially Simone's youngest, Zac. But was he too good to be true?Soon, red flags began to appear, and Simone decided to call off the relationship. She thought she'd never see Glenn again. But she was wrong. He was about to reveal his true colours...Interviewer/scriptwriter/host: Beth YoungProducer: Jake Taylor