Bear Grylls’ bizarre friendship with Russell Brand after River Thames baptism

Bear Grylls is renowned for his survival instincts, and he has taken numerous famous faces on outdoor adventures over the years.
For the television series Running Wild With Bear Grylls, which aired in August 2023, Bear and Russell Brand previously traveled across the Hebrides Islands. The pair appeared to have struck up a friendship there, and they exchanged a moment of faith, Brand admitting that he felt disengaged from a “higher purpose or God.”
“When you stop drinking and stop taking drugs, you’re confronted with the nature of the problem,” said Brand during the show. I was a distanced individual, most likely without regard for my higher purpose or God. ”

After receiving a baptism in the Thames in May of this year, Brand shared a photo of himself embracing Bear and another man. Sharing the photo on X and Instagram, Brand wrote: “Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit. ”
Brand stated that he was transformed after being baptized and accepted into Christianity shortly after receiving the surprise post. He stated in a video statement that he anticipated making “mistakes” as he adapted to his new religious outlook.
He continued, “As a person who has taken a lot of substances in the past, and I have always been disappointed that they haven’t been able to provide the kind of tranquillity, peace, and even transcendence I’ve been looking for.
During the baptism process, an incredible event occurred. Overwhelming. I was submerged, literally overwhelming. And it was the River Thames, at some points. So I felt changed. Transitioned. ”
He also requested some patience from others. For me, this is novel. I am learning. And I will make mistakes. My current course of action is this. And I already feel incredibly blessed, relieved, nourished, held. It’s been an incredible experience,” he continued.

Multiple women came forward in September 2023 to accuse Brand of sexual assault in a joint investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches program, The Times, and Sunday Times. Later, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that they were looking into the comedian’s allegations, and he was later interrogated. Brand has never refuted the accusations made against him.
Bear shared his convictions regarding Brand’s conversion to Christianity in January 2025. “I didn’t baptise. I never judge and he was a friend through [appearing on] Running Wild, and he’s had a real journey in his life,” he told The Telegraph.
“You know what, whoever it is, you can’t only stand beside people who have had perfect journeys. He experienced a genuine sense of humility, repentance, and a profound realization of his own lack of faith in his life. ”
He added: “People say to me, ‘What about the victims? ’, if they’re victims. And I go, ‘Of course I stand beside everybody. We are commanded to “love everyone” and not hold anyone accountable. ”
Source: Mirror
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