Bear Grylls’ life away from TV including horror accident and ‘worst time’ he fell in love

Bear Grylls’ life away from TV including horror accident and ‘worst time’ he fell in love

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Bear Grylls, a traveler and TV personality, has set out with Netflix on a new adventure. In order to survive on his survival show Celebrity Bear Hunt, he is pursuing a dozen celebrities in the Costa Rican jungle, including Mel B, Joe Thomas, and Boris Becker.

The actor has a varied life outside of the TV shows he stars in, aside from performing daring stunts on-screen. What else is known about the star, then?

He was born Edward Michael Grylls on June 7, 1974, in Donaghadee, Co Down, which makes him an Irish citizen, a heritage he proudly claims has been beneficial post-Brexit. Before settling in the UK at the age of 4, he spent his early years in Northern Ireland.

Grylls views his mother, Sarah Ford, as “fully Irish” due to her upbringing by an Irish mother. Patricia Ford, his maternal grandmother, became the first woman MP from Northern Ireland to hold the seat in the North Down constituency. His father, Sir Michael Grylls, served as an MP for Surbiton, reports Surrey Live.

When Bear was just a week old, his older sister gave him the nickname “Bear,” and it has since stuck. He received his degrees in Spanish and German from the University of the West of England after co-founding a mountaineering club at Eton College.

Bear’s real name (We Love TV) is not what he actually is.

From 1994 to 1997, he served in the Territorial Army as one of the 21 SAS, but his military career abruptly came to an end when his parachute malfunctioned while falling from 16, 000 feet. One of the biggest falls ever to occur without a functioning parachute is documented for this incident.

Yet, he bounced back astonishingly, climbing Mount Everest at the age of 23 just 18 months post-accident, becoming one of its youngest conquerors. Prior to scaling new heights, Bear’s personal life took a turn when he met his future wife, Shara Cannings Knight.

The encounter took place on New Year’s Eve 1998 in Scotland, quite memorably as he ran aground while attempting to remove his clothes from the water, believing it was the “worst time in the world to fall in love”

The adventurous couple subsequently welcomed three sons: Jesse, Marmaduke, and Huckleberry, bringing them up initially on a houseboat moored on the River Thames, complete with outdoor bathing facilities, a sleeping hammock, and a canoe on deck. The family currently divides their time between a secluded island off the coast of Wales and a swanish penthouse at the reimagined Battersea Power Station.

Bear Grylls with his wife Shara holding his OBE after his investiture at Buckingham Palace in October 2019
He had an unusual encounter with his wife Shara (Getty Images).

Back in 2001, Bear became the owner of Saint Tudwal’s Island West, having bought it for £95, 000. This 20-acre retreat, which is five miles from the shore and close to the Llyn Peninsula, includes a traditional former lighthouse keepers cottage. Bear has expressed his love for island life despite not having mains electricity or running water.

He recalls that having those kinds of wonderful memories while living there and spending time with the boys on the island over the years, and that having the opportunity to enjoy nature in that space has been truly special.

In a conversation with MailOnline back in 2015, Bear remarked that while he and his family were attracted to Battersea Power Station because it would give them a chance to inherit some of the family’s past.

Bear Grylls in Celebrity Bear Hunt on Netflix
In his newest Netflix series (Netflix), the star is looking for celebrities.

“We have moored our houseboat barge in Battersea for many years, and we are proud to keep that legacy,” said one customer. “Being able to purchase within this iconic building and own a small piece of London history felt like a very special opportunity. It will make a very special house.

Beyond the television spotlight, Bear is the Army Foundation College’s honorary colonel and, from 2015 to 2024, became the youngest Chief Scout in the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories. His achievements include receiving an OBE in 2019 and serving as The Prince’s Trust’s ambassador.

Bear Hunt is currently available for streaming on Netflix.

Source: Mirror

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