Bear Grylls is a British author, TV presenter, and motivational speaker known for his work on “Man V. Wild: Born Survivor” and “Escape to Legion”. He was a member of the SAS TA and his military career ended after an accident. Grylls is also known for his ascent of Everest and continues to work as a motivational speaker and writer.
Edward Michael Grylls, known to the public as Bear Grylls, is a prominent British author, television presenter and motivational speaker, best known for his work with the Discovery Channel series “Man V. Wild: Born Survivor” and the series “Escape to Legion”. His television work is well known in both the UK and the US, both for his series and some commercial work.
Grylls was born on 7 June 1974 and is the son of the late Sir Michael Grylls, a leading member of the Conservative Party in the UK. Educated at Eton College, Grylls also attended London University, where he earned a BA in Hispanic Studies. A veteran of the UK’s Special Forces, he served as a member of the SAS TA as a Saber soldier. His military career was cut short in 1996 after an accident left him with a broken spine. During his time in the Special Forces, Grylls received training in a variety of disciplines, including desert and winter warfare, parachuting, rock climbing, explosives technology, and combat survival. The skills Grylls developed during this time helped prepare him for his later work as an explorer and adventurer.
After spending 12 months in rehab, Grylls launched a career as a celebrated adventurer. One of his first famous feats involved the ascent of Everest. As part of the fanfare surrounding that event, he appeared in a series of television commercials for Sure® deodorant. The commercial’s premise was based on a comparison of what really makes Grylls sweat (his work as a motivational speaker) to the task of mountain climbing.
Grylls’ notoriety led to plans to make a four-part documentary in 2005. Focusing on his entry – alongside 11 other UK recruits – into the French Foreign Legion, the project was called ‘Escape to the Legion’. The series chronicled the progress of Grylls and the other recruits during the month-long rigorous training they endured in the Sahara desert. Broadcast in the UK, the series was also picked up by the Military Channel in the US, providing even more exposure to the adventurer. This project led to the development of ‘Born Survivor’, an eight part documentary which was broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK and on the Discovery Channel in places including Asia, Africa and Europe.
The premise of “Born Survivor” placed Bear Grylls in a variety of environments, many of them inhospitable, where he would be called upon to demonstrate how to survive in adverse conditions. A support team, who meet Grylls at a prearranged meeting point at the end of the adventure, monitor his progress. The series ran for several years and attracted a sizeable audience.
Grylls continues to work as a motivational speaker, with projects in both the UK and the US. He also writes, with his 2004 offering, Facing the Frozen Ocean, selling well.
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