Karl Bushby steps back onto British soil after 28-year world walk
Karl Bushby has stepped back onto British soil after 28 years walking around the world, with about 250 miles left to reach his home in Hull.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Karl Bushby has stepped back onto British soil after nearly three decades, bringing his 28-year walk around the world into its final phase. The former paratrooper emerged from the English Channel and took his first steps on British land since he left in 1998. He now has about 250 miles left to reach his home city of Hull.
His expedition, known as the Goliath expedition, began in Punta Arenas, Chile, in November 1998. The rule was simple: he could not use public transport to advance, and he had to make it back to Hull under his own power. Distance figures have varied in reports: more than 30,000 miles, more than 36,000 miles, and about 50,000 kilometres across 26 countries. He marched up the spine of the Americas, crossed the frozen Bering Strait, and from 2006 moved steadily across Asia and Europe.
He was joined on one of his final legs along the French-Belgian border as he came close to the UK. Speaking as the end came into view, he called the challenge an incredible lifestyle and adventure. He said the moment felt amazing, overwhelming and surreal, and that it had taken a long time to reach this point. He also admitted to a sense of sadness, saying he was leaving a life behind after devoting half his life to the road, but he was achieving his objective.
His journey has been interrupted by both nature and human obstacles. He has said he was held at gunpoint a couple of times and that the environment sometimes felt as if it was trying to kill him. He was taken off the road, banned from using the internet and faced being kicked out and having the journey closed down. The 2008 financial crash, the Covid pandemic, visa troubles and the war in Ukraine all pressed pause on the expedition, forcing him to wait in Mexico until he could continue.
Now he is looking ahead to another challenge: building a life with family he has not seen for decades. He said his grandchild has never seen him, and he met one of his brothers and his children for the first time when they saw their uncle crawling out of the sea. He expects the process of reconnecting to take time. When he reaches his mum's doorstep in November, he is expected to become the first person to cross the planet on two feet.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |  |
|---|---|---|
| Reported by all 2 channels | ||
| Bushby has covered 26 countries and 50,000 kilometres. | ||
| Only on one channel | ||
| Bushby was on one of the final legs of his journey along the French-Belgian border as he neared the UK. | Not reported by ITV | |
| Karl Bushby is expected to become the first person to cross the globe on foot when he reaches his mother's home in November. | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Karl Bushby returned to British soil after 28 years away. | Not reported by Sky News | |
| Karl Bushby, a former paratrooper, set off from Chile in 1998 aiming to return to Hull without using public transport. | Not reported by ITV | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
Sky News framed the story as an extraordinary endurance feat and placed its reporter alongside Bushby on a late stage of the route, along the French-Belgian border. It stressed the strict no-public-transport rule, the scale of the journey and the dangers he had faced, including being held at gunpoint and threats from the environment. It did not report that he had already reached British soil, keeping the focus on the final approach.
- “Karl Bushby has spent the last 28 years walking around the world.”
- “He's covered 26 countries and 50,000 kilometers.”
- “It's just an incredible Challenge an incredible lifestyle and incredible adventure.”
ITV1 treated the story as a homecoming milestone, leading with Bushby emerging from the English Channel and stepping onto British soil for the first time in 28 years. It focused on the remaining 250 miles to Hull, the obstacles that paused the trip, and his expected family reunion and record as the first person to cross the planet on two feet. The tone was warm and reflective, with more detail on his personal life after the walk.
- “Emerging from the English channel Karl Bushby took his first steps on British soil since he left nearly three decades ago.”
- “A goal that is now a mere 250 mile stroll away.”
- “There's a certain kind of sadness, I'm leaving a life behind me.”
Who was on air
People and organisations each channel put on air while covering this story. Channels' own presenters and reporters are not listed. Names as transcribed, and the list can miss people.
- 06:29 BST
Karl Bushby, former paratrooper
Mornings with Jones and Melbourne · Sat 26 Sept
Broadcast Timeline
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