Bear Grylls
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls OBE (/ˈɡrɪlz/; born 7 June 1974) is a British former SAS trooper who is a survival expert, adventurer, and television presenter. He first drew attention after embarking on a number of notable adventures, including several world records in hostile environments, 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,[1][2] a post he has held for a second term since 2015.[3]
This article is about the British adventurer. For the American musician, see Bear Grillz.
Bear Grylls
- Adventurer
- Author
- Television presenter
- Motivational speaker
3
- Sir Michael Grylls (father)
1994–1997
Personal life
Grylls was born in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland on 7 June 1974.[4][5] 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 is the son of Conservative politician Sir Michael Grylls and his wife Sarah "Sally" (née Ford). Her mother Patrica Smiles, Patricia Ford, Lady Fisher, was briefly an MP, succeeding her father; later she married an MP.[6] Grylls has one sibling, an elder sister, Lara Fawcett, who gave him the nickname 'Bear' when he was a week old.[7]
He lived in Donaghadee until the age of four, when his family moved to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight.[8][9] From an early age, he learned to climb and sail with his father, who was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. As a teenager, he learned to skydive and earned a second dan black belt in Shotokan karate.[10] He speaks English, Spanish, and French.[11] He is an Anglican,[12] and has described his Christian faith as the "backbone" in his life:[13] "You can't keep God out. He's all around us, if we're just still enough to listen."[14]
Grylls married Shara Cannings Knight in 2000.[15] They have three sons, born in 2003, 2006 and 2009.[16][17]
In August 2015, Grylls left his 11-year-old son on Saint Tudwal's Island off 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.[18]
Grylls used to be a vegan but now consumes a diet predominant in animal-based foods, fruits and honey.[19] In 2024 he commented to the Irish Times that he was proud to be an Irish citizen.[20]
Education
Grylls was educated at Eaton House, Ludgrove School and Eton College, where he helped start its first mountaineering club.[21] He studied Spanish and German at the University of the West of England, Bristol[22] and at Birkbeck College,[23] where he graduated with a 2:2 bachelor's degree, obtained part-time, in Hispanic studies in 2002.[24][25]
Military service
After leaving school, Grylls hiked in the Himalayan mountains of Sikkim and West Bengal.[26] From 1994–1997, he served in the Territorial Army with 21 SAS as a trooper. His time in the SAS ended as the result of a free fall parachuting accident in Kenya in 1996;[27][28] his parachute failed to open, causing him to break three vertebrae. At 16,000 feet, his fall is one of the highest ever to be survived without a functional parachute. [28]
In 2004, Grylls was awarded the honorary rank of lieutenant commander in the Royal Naval Reserve.[29] Then in 2013 he was awarded the honorary rank of lieutenant colonel in the Royal Marines Reserve,[30] and promoted to Honorary Colonel in June 2021.[31]
Career
Books
Grylls' first book, Facing Up (UK)/The Kid Who Climbed Everest (US), described his expedition and achievements climbing to the summit of Mount Everest. His second was Facing the Frozen Ocean. His third book Born Survivor: Bear Grylls was written to accompany the TV series of the same name. He also wrote an extreme guide to outdoor pursuits, titled Bear Grylls Outdoor Adventures.[47]
In 2011, Grylls released his autobiography, Mud, Sweat and Tears: The Autobiography,[48] followed by A Survival Guide for Life in late 2012 and True Grit in 2013.[49]
Grylls also wrote the Mission Survival series of children's adventure survival books titled: Mission Survival: Gold of the Gods, Mission Survival: Way of the Wolf, Mission Survival: Sands of the Scorpion, Mission Survival: Tracks of the Tiger and Mission Survival: Claws of the Crocodile. He has written two thriller novels based around his character Will Jaeger; Ghost Flight released in 2015[50] and Burning Angels in 2016.[51]
In 2019, Grylls published a Christian devotional titled Soul Fuel.[52]
In October 2021, Grylls released his second autobiography, Never Give Up; covering some of his most memorable events and adventures.[53]
In 2022, Grylls published Mind Fuel: Simple Ways to Build Mental Resilience Every Day.[54] Grylls told The Christian Post that it "offers honest and practical ways to practice better mental health... a crucial part of living a healthy, God-glorying life."[55]
In April 2023, Grylls released You Vs the World: The Bear Grylls Guide to Never Giving Up; a motivational book aimed at children.[56]
In September 2023, How to be a Scout, was released by Grylls.[57]
