Wim Hof: I've been called a madman for 40 years

The extreme athlete is beloved by the A-list and health enthusiasts the world over so when will the scientific establishment catch on, he wonders.

- William Hosie

BRILLIANT! All right! Here we are!" An excitable Wim Hof settles down in his kitchen to talk ice baths, healthcare and whether or not he actually holds 26 world records (so he says; others beg to differ). Ironically, it is the record button on my screen that has caught his eye. "Great!" he cries out again, as the little red dot appears. I enter a quiet panic - he has done this before, hasn't he? I take a deep breath as he nods in approval; in some ways this is the perfect introduction. Putting fear to rest through cool, collected breathwork is, in fact, the very premise of the Wim Hof Method.

Since it was formalised about 15 years ago, the Method has won plaudits amid some fierce criticism. Built on the three pillars of breathing, cold therapy, and commitment, it is rooted in the concept of free, holistic healing, an attractive idea which double whammy - also alleviates the burden on public health services. It has earned its creator millions and tons of celebrity fans, from Sacha Baron Cohen to Oprah Winfrey while also landing him in occasional hot water. A $67 million lawsuit blames him and his company Innerfire for the wrongful death of 17-year-old Madelyn Rose Metzger, who died while allegedly practising the athlete's breathing exercises in her pool.

The second pillar of the Method cold therapy has fascinated people for decades, and turned its creator into something of a celebrity. With the rise of wild swimming, Hof has in recent years cut a fashionable figure, and today counts a whopping 3.5 million followers on Instagram.