No plans to travel, and the autumn chill sending you burrowing under a blanket on the sofa? Let two French aristocrats do the adventuring for you. Brothers Matthias and Bastien Cadéac d’Arbaud road-trip across the Philippines in 100 Things To Do Before You Die, an unscripted series that has been streaming on Prime Video UK since June, and they have the broken ribs to prove it.

A road trip with no script and no limits

The brothers cross the Philippines by plane, car, horse, motorcycle and jeepney, taking on the wildest activities and toughest challenges the country has to offer. The series launched under the slogan “Live bold or stay home”, and the makers say nothing was scripted and nothing was staged, so what you see is whatever happened when the cameras were rolling.

Whale sharks, a deserted island and a knockout

Expect adrenaline with a local accent. The experiences on the brothers’ list include swimming with whale sharks and surviving on a deserted island, alongside rides across impossible terrain and local challenges that would make most people reconsider their life choices. The series also puts local people, culture and food at the heart of the adventure, and the brothers say the best part is that nothing goes to plan.

“Our favourite part is definitely while we are on the ground filming the movie. It is very exciting because no matter how much time we spend planning or imagining how one sequence is going to be, it never happens as planned. All the show is about surprises that come along the way,” they say.

The boxing ring was the most painful of those surprises. “We have really enjoyed the boxing session against a pro. We both thought we could last two or three rounds, but neither of us lasted more than a minute before getting KO’d.” Their bravery came at a price, with both suffering broken ribs. Fortunately, it was one of the last sequences they filmed, so the injuries didn’t disrupt production.

A dare to swap the scroll for the real thing

The series is pitched as a break from conventional travel television, aimed at an era of polished content and staged narratives and at the basic human urge to live fully and see the world. The brothers say they created the show because they were bored of television that never takes a risk, stating that television has become too safe and too predictable.” Matthias adds that adventure “isn’t about the Instagram moment. It’s about the moment before the photo.” They also want to encourage viewers to put the phone down.

“‘You only have two lives and the second one begins when you realise you only have one.’ Stop postponing your dreams, stop living your life scrolling your screens… make it happen! Tomorrow is already too late,” the brothers say.

Who are Matthias and Bastien?

Curious to know more about the brothers beyond the wild experiences they filmed? Their backgrounds involve cameras and very different careers of their own.

Matthias, the more obvious entertainer of the pair, is a guitarist, musician and actor who has played in rock bands across Europe and appeared on The Hills. He has also had a long-running connection with the Philippines through his role as international brand ambassador for Don Papa Rum, travelling there regularly for events.

Bastien took a rather different route. After studying Finance and Management at EDHEC Business School, he started his career trading at Société Générale in New York before moving into entrepreneurship and investment. He eventually swapped finance for television, becoming the first non-journalist to host Capital, France’s flagship business programme, and later presenting Le Monde Secret.

What’s next?

Plans of another season are TBC, but the brothers promise no let-up. “Several surprises upcoming. More fun, more extreme, more everything… but always with the same vibe,” they say.

100 Things To Do Before You Die is streaming now on Prime Video UK. Follow the series on Instagram at @100.thingstodobeforeyoudie.

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