Bear Grylls
Born: 1974-06-07 in Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland, UK
Known For: Acting
Biography
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls (born 7 June 1974) is a British adventurer, writer and television presenter. He is widely known for his television series Man vs. Wild (2006–2011), originally titled Born Survivor: Bear Grylls in the United Kingdom. Grylls is also involved in a number of wilderness survival television series in the UK and US. In July 2009, Grylls was appointed the youngest-ever Chief Scout in the UK at age 35. Grylls was born in Donaghadee, County Down, Northern Ireland.He grew up in Donaghadee 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, who was implicated in the cash-for-questions affair, and Lady Sarah Grylls. Lady Grylls is the daughter of politician Patricia Ford, briefly an Ulster Unionist Party MP, and cricketer and businessman Neville Ford. Grylls has one sibling, an elder sister, Lara Fawcett, a cardio-tennis coach, who gave him the nickname 'Bear' when he was a week old. Grylls was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton College, where he helped start its first mountaineering club, and Birkbeck, University of London, where he graduated with a degree, obtained part-time, in Hispanic studies in 2002. He graduated from the University of West of England. 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. At age eight he became a Cub Scout. He speaks English, Spanish, and French. He is a Christian, and has described his faith as the "backbone" in his life. Grylls married Shara Cannings Knight in 2000. They have three sons. In August 2015, it was reported that Grylls had deserted his young son, Jesse, on Saint Tudwal's Island along the North Wales coast, as the tide approached, leaving him to be rescued by the RNLI. The RNLI later criticised him for the stunt, saying its crew "had not appreciated" that a child would be involved.
Filmography
2025
- Celebrity Bear Hunt as Self
- The Mosaic Church as Narrator
- Jesus: Refugee, Renegade, Redeemer with Bear Grylls as Self
2024
- Arthur the King as Himself
2023
- The Coronation Concert as Self
- Finding Michael as Self
- I Survived Bear Grylls as Self - Host
- War Zone: Bear Grylls Meets President Zelenskyy as Self
2022
- Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge as Self - Host
- Charlie Mackesy: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, the Horse and Me as Self
- Ranveer vs Wild with Bear Grylls as Self
- Louis Theroux Interviews as Self
2021
2020
- Michael McIntyre's The Wheel as Self - Celebrity Contestant
- World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji as Self - Host
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Rajinikanth
- Into the Wild with Bear Grylls & Akshay Kumar
2019
- Tamron Hall as Self - Guest
- You vs. Wild as Himself
- Hostile Planet as Himself - Host / Narrator
- Man vs Wild with Bear Grylls & PM Modi
- Treasure Island with Bear Grylls as Host
2018
- Man vs Wild with Sunny Leone as Himself
- The Sidemen Show as Self
2017
- Bear's Mission with... as Himself - Presenter
2016
- Michael McIntyre's Big Show as Self - Interviewed Guest
- Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls as Self - Host
2015
- Hot Ones as Self
- The Island as Himself - Host
- Absolute Wild China with Bear Grylls
- Survivor Games with Bear Grylls
- Bear Grylls: Mission Survive as Himself
- Bear Grylls: Breaking Point as Himself - Host
- Britain's Biggest Adventures with Bear Grylls as Himself
- With A Kite as (archive footage)
2014
- Running Wild with Bear Grylls as Self - Host
- The Island with Bear Grylls as Himself
- The Michael McIntyre Chat Show as Self - Guest
- Bear Grylls: Extreme Survival Caught on Camera as Himself - Presenter
- Bear Grylls: Man vs Everest
- Bear Grylls: Man vs Everest
- Bear Grylls: Everest after the avalanche as Self
2013
- Bear Grylls: Escape From Hell as Himself - Host
- Get Out Alive with Bear Grylls as Host
- Bear Grylls: Born Survivor - Patagonia as Self
2011
- The Jonathan Ross Show as Self
- Bear's Wild Weekend with... as Himself
- Man vs Wild - Extreme Moments Collection as Self
2009
- Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen as Self - Guest
2008
- Bear Grylls: Mission Everest as Self
2007
- The Graham Norton Show as Self
2006
- The One Show as Self
- Man vs. Wild as Self
2005
- 8 Out of 10 Cats as Self
- Made in Hollywood as Self
- Escape to the Legion as Self
2002
- Top Gear as Self
- Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway as Self
1988
- LIVE with Kelly and Mark as Self - Guest