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If you've ever found yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere, with nothing but your wits and survival skills to rely on, you might have wondered: "What would Bear Grylls do?" The answer is clear; he'd drink his own urine, eat bugs, and jump off cliffs. Somehow, he'd make it look cool too. Bear Grylls' blend of daring stunts, rugged charm, and infectious enthusiasm has won over audiences of all ages and backgrounds. He has faced some of the toughest challenges nature can throw at him and emerged victorious. But how did he get here? That's the question we'll explore in this article. Along the way, we'll discover the secrets of his success, and what makes him such an enduring figure in the world of adventure and entertainment. So, grab your survival kit and get ready to join us on a journey through the wild world of Grylls.
The Early Life of Bear Grylls
Let’s tell you about the early life of one of the most adventurous men on the planet, Bear Grylls, an author, television presenter, and ambassador for various charitable organizations. He was born on 7th June 1974 in London to Sir Michael Grylls and Sarah Grylls. Bear spent his early years in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland before his family moved to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight when he was just four years old. There, his father, a member of the prestigious Royal Yacht Squadron, taught him how to climb and sail. By the time he was a teenager, he had already learned how to skydive and had earned a second dan black belt in Shotokan karate.
Bear attended Eaton House, Ludgrove School, and Eton College. He then went on to study Spanish and German at the University of the West of England, Bristol, and Birkbeck College, graduating with a bachelor's degree in Hispanic studies in 2002. After his studies, Grylls briefly hiked in the Himalayan mountains of Sikkim and West Bengal before joining the Territorial Army with 21 SAS in 1994, where he was trained in unarmed combat, desert and winter warfare, survival, climbing, parachuting, and explosives. He eventually became a survival instructor and was posted twice to North Africa. Bear married Shara Cannings Knight in 2000 and they have three sons together.
Grylls’ Break Into Television
Bear Grylls has made quite a name for himself in the TV industry, appearing on all sorts of talk shows like The Oprah Winfrey Show, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, and even Harry Hill's TV Burp. Let's not forget about his appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Jimmy Kimmel Live, and Late Show with David Letterman. Bear isn't limited to just talk shows, he's been the face of the UK Ministry of Defence's anti-drug campaign and has even done advertisements for Trail Mix Crunch Cereal and the Alpha Course, a Christian faith course. Oh, let's also not forget about the time he did a four-part TV show called Escape to the Legion, where he and some other guys did basic desert training in the Sahara like the French Foreign Legion. That's some hardcore stuff right there.
Bear's most popular TV series is definitely Man vs. Wild (also known as Born Survivor: Bear Grylls and Ultimate Survival), where he gets dropped into some seriously gnarly environments and shows us how to survive. This guy has climbed cliffs, parachuted from helicopters and planes, paraglided, and even ran through a forest fire! He's eaten some seriously gross stuff like deer droppings and drank his own urine (yeah, you read that right). He's also hosted Worst-Case Scenario, Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls, Bear's Wild Weekend, and Escape from Hell, where he tells real-life stories of people surviving in crazy situations. Bear is all about mental fortitude and the will to survive, not just physical strength.
Bear Grylls’ Numerous Expeditions
Bear Grylls is quite the adventurer and his expeditions are definitely something to marvel at. For instance, in 1998, he accomplished his childhood dream of reaching the summit of Mount Everest in Nepal, becoming one of the youngest to achieve such a feat. He also circumnavigated the UK on jet skis to raise funds for the Royal National Lifeboat Institution and crossed the North Atlantic in an open rigid inflatable boat.
Grylls has also broken world records, such as hosting the highest open-air formal dinner party under a hot-air balloon at 7,600 meters while wearing full mess dresses and oxygen masks, and achieving the longest indoor freefall in a vertical wind tunnel in support of Global Angels charity. In 2007, he set a record for the highest flight in a paramotor near Mount Everest, taking off from 4,400 meters and reaching 9,000 meters. The following year, he led a team to climb an unclimbed peak in Antarctica. In 2010, he led a team of five on an ice-breaking rigid-inflatable boat through the Northwest Passage to raise awareness of global warming and raise money for charity. Grylls continues to inspire others to push their limits and explore the world around them.
Bear’s Interests Off The Screen
Aside from being a TV presenter and all-around do-gooder, Bear Grylls is also an author who has written more books than you can shake a stick at, including Facing Up/The Kid Who Climbed Everest, Facing the Frozen Ocean, Born Survivor: Bear Grylls, Mud, Sweat, and Tears: The Autobiography, A Survival Guide for Life, True Grit, Mission Survival series, Ghost Flight, Burning Angels, Soul Fuel, and Never Give Up. But that's not all, he's also an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, Global Angels, and Care for Children, and he has gone on some seriously intense expeditions to raise money for these organizations. Bear's an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to young people, media, and charity. In 2018, he became the Chief Ambassador of World Scouting. Talk about a life of adventure and making a positive impact!
Sources: Bear Grylls, The Guardian, and CA Knowledge.