Bear Grylls facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Bear Grylls
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Grylls at a meeting with Coventry Scouts groups in 2012
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| Born |
Edward Michael Grylls
7 June 1974 Donaghadee, Northern Ireland
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| Education | Eton College |
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
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| Spouse(s) |
Shara Cannings Knight
(m. 2000) |
| Children | 3 |
| Parent(s) |
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| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1994–1997 |
| Rank | Trooper |
| Unit | 21 SAS(R) |
Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls is a famous British adventurer, writer, and TV presenter. He is also a survival expert and a former soldier. Bear Grylls became well-known for his TV show Man vs. Wild, where he showed people how to survive in tough environments. He has also been involved in many other wilderness survival shows. In July 2009, he became the youngest-ever Chief Scout for The Scout Association in the UK. He held this important role until September 2024.
Contents
Early Life and Family
Bear Grylls was born in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, on June 7, 1974. His family moved to the Isle of Wight when he was four years old. From a young age, he learned to climb and sail with his father. As a teenager, he learned to skydive and earned a black belt in karate. He can speak English, Spanish, German, and French. Bear Grylls is a Christian and has said his faith is very important to him.
He married Shara Cannings Knight in 2000, and they have three sons.
Education and Military Service
Bear Grylls went to schools like Eton College, where he helped start a mountaineering club. He later studied Spanish and German at university.
After school, he hiked in the Himalayas. From 1994 to 1997, he served in the Territorial Army with a special unit called 21 SAS. His time in the SAS ended because of a parachuting accident in 1996. His parachute did not open, and he broke three bones in his back. He survived a fall from 16,000 feet, which is one of the highest falls ever survived without a working parachute.
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In 2004, Grylls was given the honorary rank of lieutenant commander in the Royal Naval Reserve. He was also made an honorary colonel in the Royal Marines Reserve in 2021. In April 2024, he became an honorary colonel for the Army Foundation College.
Amazing Adventures
Bear Grylls is famous for his incredible expeditions and challenges.
Climbing Mount Everest
On May 16, 1998, Bear Grylls achieved his dream of climbing to the top of Mount Everest in Nepal. He was 23 years old at the time, making him one of the youngest people to do this. He had broken his back in a parachuting accident just 18 months before. To prepare for Everest, he climbed Ama Dablam in 1997, which was a very difficult peak.
Crossing the North Atlantic Ocean
In 2003, Bear Grylls led a team of five people on a journey across the North Atlantic Ocean. They used a small, open inflatable boat. They faced very strong winds and huge waves, and even saw icebergs on their trip from Canada to Scotland.
Dinner Party in the Sky
In 2005, Grylls set a world record for the highest outdoor formal dinner party. He and two others had dinner under a hot-air balloon at 25,000 feet (7,600 meters). They wore fancy clothes and oxygen masks! This event helped raise money for charities.
Flying Over the Himalayas
In 2007, Bear Grylls set another record by flying a powered paraglider near Mount Everest. He took off from 14,500 feet (4,400 meters) and reached an amazing height of 29,500 feet (9,000 meters). This was almost 10,000 feet (3,000 meters) higher than the old record. He had to deal with extremely cold temperatures and low oxygen.
Antarctica Journey
In 2008, Grylls led a team to climb an unclimbed mountain in Antarctica. They also planned to explore the coast using inflatable boats and jet skis that ran on special fuel. However, the trip ended early when Grylls broke his shoulder while kite-skiing across the ice. He was traveling very fast when his ski got stuck, throwing him into the air.
Longest Indoor Freefall
In 2008, Bear Grylls and two friends set a Guinness world record for the longest continuous indoor freefall. They used a special wind tunnel to stay in the air for over 1 hour and 36 minutes. This was done to support a children's charity.
Northwest Passage Expedition
In September 2010, Grylls led a team through the Northwest Passage in an ice-breaking boat. This long journey, over 5,700 nautical miles (10,600 km), aimed to show the effects of global warming and raise money for charity.
Books and Television Shows
Bear Grylls has written many books and starred in popular TV shows.
Books
His first book, Facing Up, described his climb of Mount Everest. He also wrote Facing the Frozen Ocean about his Arctic journey. His book Born Survivor: Bear Grylls went along with his TV series.
He has written his autobiography, Mud, Sweat and Tears, and survival guides like A Survival Guide for Life. For younger readers, he wrote the Mission Survival series, which are adventure books about survival. He has also written books about mental strength and being a Scout.
Television Shows
Bear Grylls has appeared on many talk shows and in advertisements. He even made an airline safety video for Air New Zealand.
Escape to the Legion
In 2005, Grylls filmed a four-part TV show called Escape to the Legion. In this show, he and eleven other people went through a tough training program in the Sahara Desert, similar to what the French Foreign Legion does.
Man vs. Wild
Bear Grylls is most famous for hosting Man vs. Wild (also known as Born Survivor). In this show, he is dropped into wild places and teaches viewers how to survive. He showed how to find food, build shelters, and deal with dangers. The show ran for seven seasons.
Sometimes, the show faced criticism because some scenes were set up, and he didn't always stay in the wilderness overnight. Bear Grylls later apologized if people felt misled.
In August 2019, Bear Grylls appeared in a special episode with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, filmed in Jim Corbett National Park.
Running Wild with Bear Grylls
This popular TV series, which started in 2014, features Bear Grylls taking celebrities on two-day adventures in the wilderness. Famous people like Zac Efron, Kate Winslet, and even former US President Barack Obama have joined him on these trips. The show returned for a second season in July 2023.
The Island
Bear Grylls also presented The Island with Bear Grylls, where groups of ordinary people are left on a remote island to survive on their own.
Bear Grylls Survival School
In 2016, he presented a show for kids called Bear Grylls Survival School. It taught young people important survival skills.
You vs. Wild
Grylls also created an interactive series for Netflix called You vs. Wild. In this show, viewers can make choices for Bear Grylls, deciding how he survives in different situations.
World's Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji
In 2020, Grylls presented a revival of the Eco-Challenge series. This show featured teams from all over the world competing in a difficult adventure race in Fiji.
Bear Grylls Meets President Zelenskyy
In March 2023, Grylls traveled to Ukraine for a documentary. He met with President Zelenskyy and spoke with people affected by the war.
I Survived Bear Grylls
This is a competition series co-hosted by Grylls, where contestants face survival challenges.
Celebrity Bear Hunt
An upcoming reality competition series starring Grylls, set to premiere on Netflix in 2025.
Helping Others
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Bear Grylls is an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, which helps young people in the UK. He also supports Global Angels, a charity that helps children around the world. Many of his expeditions have raised money for these and other good causes, like the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) and SSAFA Forces Help, which supports military families.
He also supports environmental causes, like testing new fuels made from rubbish. In 2011, after an earthquake in New Zealand, he encouraged people to donate to help rebuild the city.
Grylls is an ambassador for Care for Children, an organization that helps disadvantaged children find family-based care.
Scouting Leadership
Chief Ambassador of World Scouting
In November 2018, Bear Grylls was named the first Chief Ambassador for the World Organization of the Scout Movement. In this role, he helps promote Scouting around the globe, encouraging young people to learn new skills and be kind.
Chief Scout of The Scout Association
On July 11, 2009, Bear Grylls became the Chief Scout for The Scout Association in the UK. He was 35 years old, making him the youngest person to hold this position since it was created in 1920. He was very proud to lead the largest youth movement on the planet. He continued in this role until September 2024.
See also
In Spanish: Bear Grylls para niños
