Edward Michael “Bear” Grylls OBE (born 7 June 1974) is a British adventurer, writer, television presenter and businessman. He first drew attention after embarking on a number of adventures, and then became widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild (2006–2011). He is also involved in a number of wilderness survival television series in the UK and US, such as Running Wild with Bear Grylls and The Island with Bear Grylls. In July 2009, Grylls was appointed as The Scout Association’s youngest-ever Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories at age 35, a post he has held for a second term since 2015.
Education
Grylls was educated at Eaton House, Ludgrove School and Eton College, where he helped start its first mountaineering club. He studied Spanish and German at the University of the West of England, Bristol and at Birkbeck College, where he graduated with a 2:2 bachelor’s degree, obtained part-time, in Hispanic studies in 2002.
Personal life
Grylls was born in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland on 7 June 1974. His family has a strong cricketing background, his grandfather Neville Ford and great-great-grandfather William Augustus Ford having both been first-class cricketers. He grew up in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, until the age of four, when his family moved to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight.
He is the son of Conservative politician Sir Michael Grylls and his wife Sarah “Sally” (née Ford). Grylls has one sibling, an elder sister, Lara Fawcett, who gave him the nickname ‘Bear’ when he was a week old.
From an early age, he learned to climb and sail with his father, who was a member of the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron. As a teenager, he learned to skydive and earned a second dan black belt in Shotokan karate. He speaks English, Spanish, and French. He is an Anglican, and has described his Christian faith as the “backbone” in his life: “You can’t keep God out. He’s all around us, if we’re just still enough to listen.”
Grylls married Shara Cannings Knight in 2000. They have three sons, born in 2003, 2006 and 2009.
In August 2015, Grylls left his 11-year-old son on Saint Tudwal’s Island along the North Wales coast, as the tide approached, leaving him to be rescued by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) as part of their weekly practice missions. The child was unharmed, though the RNLI later criticised Grylls for the stunt, saying its crew “had not appreciated” that a child would be involved.
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Grylls used to be a vegan but now consumes a diet predominant in animal-based foods, fruits and honey.
Military service
Bear Grylls, whose real name is Edward Michael Grylls, is a British adventurer, television presenter, and author known for his survival skills and outdoor expertise. He is most famous for his television series “Man vs. Wild,” also known as “Born Survivor: Bear Grylls” in the UK. However, Bear Grylls did not have a military service in the traditional sense; rather, he has a background in the British military.
In 1994, Grylls joined the British Army’s Territorial Army, specifically the 21 SAS (Artists) Regiment, which is part of the United Kingdom Special Forces Reserves. He underwent rigorous training in survival, parachuting, and combat techniques. Bear Grylls’ time in the military significantly influenced his later career as an adventurer and survival expert.
During a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa in 1996, Grylls broke his back in three places. The accident led to his departure from active military service. However, his determination and passion for adventure persisted. After a long and challenging recovery, he managed to return to the activities he loved, including climbing and trekking.
Grylls’ military background played a significant role in shaping his approach to survival and outdoor challenges, which he later showcased in his television programs and books. His show “Man vs. Wild” (also known as “Ultimate Survival” in some regions) gained global popularity, featuring Grylls demonstrating survival techniques in various extreme environments.
Although Bear Grylls’ military service was relatively short-lived due to his injury, it undoubtedly had a profound impact on his personal development and the skills he later shared with audiences around the world.
Bear Grylls Age Girlfriend Wife Family Biography
| Bio/Wiki | |
|---|---|
| Real Name | Edward Michael Grylls |
| Nickname | Bear |
| Title | Born Survivor: Bear Grylls |
| Profession(s) | Former SAS (Special Air Service) Serviceman, Survival Instructor, Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel, Adventurer, Writer, TV Presenter, Businessman |
| Famous For | His TV series, Man Vs. Wild (2006-11) |
| Physical Stats & More | |
| Height (approx.) | in centimeters- 182 cm in meters- 1.82 m in Feet Inches- 5’ 10” |
| Weight (approx.) | in Kilograms- 75 kg in Pounds- 165 lbs |
| Body Measurements (approx.) | – Chest: 42 Inches – Waist: 32 Inches – Biceps: 14 Inches |
| Eye Colour | Grey |
| Hair Colour | Brown |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of Birth | 7 June 1974 (Thursday) |
| Age (as in 2023) | 49 Years |
| Birthplace | London, England |
| Zodiac sign | Gemini |
| Nationality | British |
| Hometown | London, England |
| School | Eaton House, Ludgrove School, London, England |
| College/University | • Eton College, London, England • The University of West of England, Bristol, England • Birkbeck, University of London, Bloomsbury, London, England |
| Educational Qualification | Bachelor Degrees in Hispanic and Latin American Studies |
| Religion | Christianity (Anglican) |
| Food Habit | Non-Vegetarian |
| Residence | • The narrow-boat moored by Battersea Bridge on River Thames, London • Saint Tudwal’s Island west off Abersoch on the Llŷn Peninsula, North Wales |
| Hobbies | Performing Karate, Writing, Mountaineering, Swimming, Playing the Piano |
| Controversies | • His show, Man vs. Wild, received huge criticism earlier. According to the viewers, some scenes are misleading and manipulated. He pretends to be alone in the wild, actually, he is not. He remains with the whole crew and gets assisted by them sometimes. • In one such episode of Man vs. Wild, he was attacked by a fake bear. Actually, he was attacked by a man wearing the costume of a bear. This happened when the crew was unable to find a tame bear. • In a scene, it was shown that Bear Grylls had escaped an active volcano with poisonous Sulphur dioxide, but it was not so. However, the scene was manipulated with special effects; using hot coals and smoke machines. • In another episode, he simulated to be stranded on a desert island. However, the episode was reported to be filmed on an outlying part of Hawaiian Archipelago. After filming, Bear Grylls rested in a motel there. |
| Relationships & More | |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Marriage Date | Year– 2000 |
| Family | |
| Wife/Spouse | Shara Cannings Knight (Volunteer) |
| Children | Sons– Marmaduke Mickey Percy Grylls, Huckleberry Edward Jocelyne Grylls, Jesse Grylls Daughter– None |
| Parents | Father– Michael Grylls (Politician) Mother– Sarah Grylls |
| Siblings | Brother– None Sister– Lara Fawcett (Tennis Coach, Fitness Professional) |
| Favourite Things | |
| Favourite Food(s) | Eggs, Avocado, Chia Seed Protein Smoothie, Banana, Chocolates |
| Favourite Beverage | Almond Milk |
| Favourite Song | The Bare Necessities (performed by Tony Bennett) |
| Favourite Mountaineer | Edmund Hillary |
| Favourite Tennis Player | Roger Federer |
| Style Quotient | |
| Car Collection | Land Rover |
| Money Factor | |
| Net Worth (approx.) | $20 million |
Expeditions
Everest
On 16 May 1998, Grylls achieved his childhood dream of climbing to the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal, 18 months after breaking three vertebrae in a parachuting accident. At 23, he was at the time among the youngest people to have achieved this feat. There is some dispute over whether he was the youngest Briton to have done so, as he was preceded by James Allen, a climber holding dual Australian and British citizenship, who reached the summit in 1995 at age 22. The record has since been surpassed by Jake Meyer and then Rob Gauntlett who summitted at age 19. To prepare for climbing at such high altitudes in the Himalayas, in 1997, Grylls became the youngest Briton to climb Ama Dablam, a peak once described by Sir Edmund Hillary as “unclimbable”, although now the third most popular in the Himalayas for permitted expeditions.
Circumnavigation of the UK
In 2000, Grylls led the team to circumnavigate the British Isles on jet skis, taking about 30 days, to raise money for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). He also rowed naked in a homemade bathtub along the Thames to raise funds for a friend who lost his legs in a climbing accident.
Crossing the North Atlantic
In 2003, he led a team of five, including his childhood friend, SAS colleague, and Mount Everest climbing partner Mick Crosthwaite, on an unassisted crossing of the north Atlantic Ocean, in an open rigid inflatable boat. Grylls and his team traveled in an eleven-metre-long boat and encountered force 8 gale winds with waves breaking over the boat while passing through icebergs in their journey from Halifax, Nova Scotia to John o’ Groats, Scotland.
Dinner party at altitude
In 2005, alongside the balloonist and mountaineer David Hempleman-Adams and Lieutenant Commander Alan Veal, leader of the Royal Navy Freefall Parachute Display Team, Grylls created a world record for the highest open-air formal dinner party, which they did under a hot-air balloon at 7,600 metres (25,000 ft), dressed in full mess dress and oxygen masks. To train for the event, he made over 200 parachute jumps. This event was in aid of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award and The Prince’s Trust.
Paramotoring over the Himalayas
In 2007, Grylls embarked on a record-setting Parajet paramotor in Himalayas near Mount Everest. He took off from 4,400 metres (14,500 ft), 8 miles (13 km) south of the mountain. Grylls reported looking down on the summit during his ascent and coping with temperatures of −60 °C (−76 °F). He endured dangerously low oxygen levels and eventually reached 9,000 metres (29,500 ft), almost 3,000 metres (10,000 ft) higher than the previous record of 6,102 metres (20,019 ft). The feat was filmed for Discovery Channel worldwide as well as Channel 4 in the UK. While Grylls initially planned to cross over Everest itself, the permit was only to fly to the south of Everest, and he did not traverse Everest out of risk of violating Chinese airspace.
Journey Antarctica 2008
In 2008, Grylls led a team of four to climb one of the most remote unclimbed peaks in the world in Antarctica, to raise funds for children’s charity Global Angels and promote the use of alternative energies. During this mission the team also aimed to explore the coast of Antarctica by inflatable boat and jetski, part powered by bioethanol, and then to travel across some of the vast ice desert by wind-powered kite-ski and electric powered paramotor. However, the expedition was cut short after Grylls suffered a broken shoulder while kite skiing across a stretch of ice. Travelling at speeds up to 50 km/h (30 mph), a ski caught on the ice, launching him in the air and breaking his shoulder when he came down. He had to be medically evacuated.
Longest indoor freefall
Grylls, along with the double amputee Al Hodgson and the Scotsman Freddy MacDonald, set a Guinness world record in 2008 for the longest continuous indoor freefall. The previous record was 1 hour 36 minutes by a US team. Grylls, Hodgson, and MacDonald, using a vertical wind tunnel in Milton Keynes, broke the record by a few seconds. The attempt was in support of the charity Global Angels.
Northwest Passage expedition
In September 2010, Grylls led a team of five to take an ice-breaking rigid-inflatable boat (RIB) through 5,700 nautical miles (10,600 km) of the ice-strewn Northwest Passage. The expedition intended to raise awareness of the effects of global warming and to raise money for children’s charity Global Angels.
Career
Bear Grylls has had a diverse and dynamic career, marked by his adventurous spirit, survival skills, and charismatic personality. Here’s an overview of his career:
- Military Service: As mentioned earlier, Grylls began his career in the British Army’s Territorial Army, specifically in the 21 SAS (Artists) Regiment. Despite a parachuting accident that led to a broken back and his departure from active military service, his time in the military greatly influenced his future endeavors.
- Adventurer and Survival Expert: After recovering from his injury, Grylls channeled his passion for adventure and survival into various expeditions and outdoor challenges. He became known for his expertise in surviving in extreme conditions and situations.
- Television Career:
- “Man vs. Wild” (“Born Survivor: Bear Grylls” in the UK): This is perhaps Grylls’ most famous television show. It aired from 2006 to 2011 and featured him demonstrating survival techniques in some of the world’s most hostile environments. The show gained global popularity and showcased Grylls’ daring feats and resourcefulness.
- Other TV Shows: In addition to “Man vs. Wild,” Grylls has been involved in several other television projects, such as “Bear’s Wild Weekend,” “Bear Grylls: Mission Survive,” “Running Wild with Bear Grylls,” and “You vs. Wild.” These shows often involved Grylls taking celebrities or participants on outdoor adventures and challenges.
- Authorship: Bear Grylls is also an accomplished author, having written numerous books. Many of his books focus on survival techniques, outdoor skills, and personal anecdotes from his adventurous experiences. Some of his notable books include “Mud, Sweat, and Tears,” “A Survival Guide for Life,” and “The Kid Who Climbed Everest.”
- Entrepreneurship and Advocacy:
- Outdoor Clothing and Gear: Grylls has been involved in the design and promotion of outdoor clothing, gear, and equipment. He has collaborated with brands to create products that align with his outdoor lifestyle and expertise.
- Charitable Work: Grylls is also known for his involvement in charitable initiatives. He has supported various causes, including initiatives focused on children, veterans, and environmental conservation.
- Motivational Speaking: Grylls often shares his experiences and life lessons through motivational speaking engagements. He speaks about overcoming challenges, pushing one’s limits, and embracing the spirit of adventure.
Bear Grylls’ career has made him a globally recognized figure in the realm of adventure, survival, and outdoor exploration. His combination of skills, charisma, and willingness to face extreme challenges has resonated with audiences around the world.
Charity and politics
In September 2021, Bear Grylls has been involved in various charitable activities and initiatives, as well as some limited involvement in politics. However, please note that there may have been developments since then that I am not aware of. Here’s what I know up to that point:
Charitable Work: Bear Grylls has been associated with several charitable organizations and causes, reflecting his commitment to making a positive impact on society and the environment. Some of his charitable involvements include:
- The Prince’s Trust: Grylls has been an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust, a UK-based charity founded by Prince Charles that supports young people who are facing challenges in education, training, and employment.
- Global Angels: He is a patron of Global Angels, an organization that focuses on helping disadvantaged children around the world by providing access to education, healthcare, and clean water.
- Scouts Association: Grylls has served as the Chief Scout of the UK Scout Association, where he has worked to promote outdoor activities, adventure, and leadership development among young people.
- Conservation Efforts: Bear Grylls has been involved in promoting environmental conservation and sustainability. He has highlighted the importance of protecting the natural world through various initiatives and awareness campaigns.
Politics: Bear Grylls is not primarily known for his involvement in politics, but he has interacted with political figures on occasion due to his role as a public figure and his charitable work. He has also hosted and participated in events that promote leadership and community engagement.
It’s important to note that while Bear Grylls has expressed his views on various issues and causes, he has not been heavily involved in formal politics or political campaigns. His focus has primarily been on adventure, survival, outdoor education, and philanthropic activities.
Ambasador in United24
On 29 March 2023, Bear Grylls has become an ambassador for the UNITED24 platform. His education company BecomingX, together with Amazon and Accenture, is developing the BecomingX Ukraine learning platform for Ukrainians.