Bear Grylls

Every year the death toll on Mount Everest rises, and for every six mountaineers who make it to the top, one will die. Yet at 7.22am on May 26th 1998, Bear entered The Guinness Book of Records by becoming the youngest, and one of only around thirty, British climbers to have successfully climbed Everest and returned alive. He was only 23 years old.

The actual ascent took Bear over ninety days of extreme weather, limited sleep and running out of oxygen deep inside the ‘death zone’ (above 26,000 feet). On the way down from his first reconnaissance climb, Bear was almost killed in a crevasse at 19,000 feet. The ice cracked and the ground disappeared beneath him, he was knocked unconscious and came to swinging on the end of a rope. His team-mate and that rope saved his life.

Previously, in 1997, Bear had become the Youngest Briton to climb Mount Ama Dablam in the Himalayas (22,500 feet), a peak once described by Sir Edmund Hillary as unclimbable’.

Prior to the Everest Expedition, Bear, also a Karate Black Belt, spent three years with the British Special Air Service (21 SAS). What makes his story even more remarkable is that during this time he suffered a free-fall parachuting accident in Africa where he broke his back in three places. After months and months of rehabilitation, focusing always on his childhood dream of Everest, he slowly became strong enough to attempt the ultimate ascent of the world’s highest peak.

Bear has a natural talent for communication and his speaking has brought him worldwide acclaim. He speaks to corporations all around the world on his experiences on the mountain and how these can help us in our business environments. He is among the youngest and most successful motivational speakers in the world.

Bear’s first book, ‘Facing Up’, went into the top-10 best seller list, and was launched in the USA titled, ‘The Kid who climbed Everest’. Worldwide this book has touched people through its honesty, courage and humility. Bear is always a popular guest on television shows, which have included, amongst many others, the Oprah Show and Jay leno’s Tonight show in the USA and in the UK: BBC’s’: Friday night with Jonathon Ross, Heaven and Earth, BBC’s Ready Steady Cook, Channel Four’s Richard & Judy, GMTV, and radio programmes such as Radio 1, Radio 2 & Five Live.

Bear was also approached to star in a ‘Sure For Men’ deodorant TV commercial (Rexona, worldwide). This featured the story of Bear’s Everest climb and what makes him most nervous! The advert was awarded campaign of the week on its release.

In 2003 Bear successfully completed another world breaking expedition, (click here), leading a team across the North Atlantic Arctic Ocean in a small open rigid inflatable boat. Suffering weeks of frozen spray and icebergs, the expedition was filmed for a documentary, and was raising funds for the Prince’s Trust charity. The book on this remarkable journey, ‘Facing the Frozen Ocean’, and was short-listed as Sports Book of the Year, and Bear was awarded an Honorary commission in the Royal Navy for this record-breaking feat.

Bear was also recently used by the UK Ministry of Defence to head the Army’s anti-drugs TV campaign, and featured in the first ever major advertising campaign for the world renowned shop: Harrods. His first major TV Series was for Channel Four, called ‘Escape to the Legion’, where he went through simulated basic training with the Legionaires in North Africa and told the story of what it is really like to join the French Foreign Legion.

On the back of the success of the Foreign Legion Documentary, Bear was commissioned to present 13 x 1-hour programmes for a TV Series called ‘Man Vs Wild’ on Discovery Channel Worldwide, plus also an 8-part TV Series for Channel Four titled ‘Born Survivor: Bear Grylls’. These feature Bear being parachuted in to some of the most inhospitable deserts, jungles and mountains on earth with next to nothing, and showing us how to survive…the hard way!

(Oh, and in between all this, he became the first man to fly a powered paraglider above Mount Everest, raising over $1million in the process for Global Angels charity. Well, at least no-one can say he ain’t busy!)

Bear lives with his wife Shara on a boat on the Thames in london, and also on a small Welsh island. They have two little boys called Jesse and marmaduke. They are the pride of Bear’s eyes.

2007
Bear breaks new world record by becoming the first man to fly a powered paraglider above the summit of Mt Everest. Sponsored by GKN, the expedition raised over $1 million for Global Angels Charity, looking after some of the world’s poorest children. (www.gknmissioneverest.com)

Born Survivor – the new book from Bear Grylls

Bear’s eight part TV Series for Channel Four in the UK, (co-produced with the Discovery Channel worldwide), titled ‘Born Survivor: Bear Grylls’, airs each Saturday night through March & April.

Accompaning the TV series is the ultimate ‘Boy’s Own’ Survival book, called ‘Born Survivor’. (Visit www.amazon.com).

This book reached the Sunday Times’ Top 10 Best Seller List.

Season Two of ‘Man Vs Wild’ premieres across America.

2006
Bear’s new TV Series called ‘Man Vs Wild’ premiers across America on the Discovery Channel. (View here). He is currently filming another 12 programmes for US Discovery. (visit Discovery’s website)

Bear helps to launch the Alpha Course initiative worldwide with cinema and bill board adverts. Click here to view the advert.

Bear films 13 x 1hr programmes for Discovery Channel Worldwide. The TV Series is called ‘Man Vs Wild’ and features Bear being dropped into some of the world’s most inhospitable places, equipped with little more than the clothes on his back, and showing how to survive and get out alive! The locations Bear is currently filming in include: the Jungles of Costa Rica, The Moab Desert in Utah, the remote Pacific Islands, Sierra Nevada, USA, the Alps, Kenya, and Alaska.

Bear’s wife, Shara, publishes her first book titled: ‘Marriage Matters’, a little hardback gift-book of quotes on what makes a good marriage… in Shara’s case… long suffering! Click here for more information.

Shara & Bear had a gorgeous little boy called Marmaduke in April.

2005
Bear’s Channel Four Series ‘Escape to the Legion’ airs with winning reviews and ratings. Click here for the Channel 4 website.

Bear, along with the Round the World Sailor Dame Ellen MacArthur, is awarded an Honorary Commission by the First Sea Lord and Admiralty Board of the Royal Navy, at the rank of Lieutenant-Commander. Approved by the Queen in recognition of services to Her Majesty’s Royal Navy. Click here

Bear leads the first team ever to attempt to paramotor over the remote jungle plateaux of the Angel Falls, Venezuela, in aid of the charity ‘Hope & Homes for Children’. The team were attempting to reach the highest, most remote high tepuis, made famous by Conan Doyle’s ‘Lost World’. Click here

Bear breaks the world record for the highest ever open air dinner party, slung under a hot air balloon at 25,000 ft. Details of this adventure, in celebration of 50 years of The Duke of Edinburgh Award, can be found on the official website. Click here for more info.

2004
‘Facing the Frozen Ocean ‘, Bear’s second book is published.

‘Facing the Frozen Ocean ‘ is short listed for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year.

Films a four-part prime time Channel Four Series on what it is really like inside the French Foreign Legion. ‘Escape to the Legion’.

2003
Their son Jesse born in June.

Bear leads the first team to cross unassisted the frozen North Atlantic Ocean (view website) in an open Rigid Inflatable Boat. (In aid of the Prince’s Trust.)

2002
Star of a worldwide advertising TV campaign for ‘Sure for Men’ Deodorant featuring Bear’s ascent of Everest.

Gains a BA Hons Degree from London University (part/time) in Hispanic Studies.

Made an Ambassador for the Prince’s Trust Charity, started by His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales.

2001
‘Facing Up’ nominated for the Boardman Tasker Mountain Literature Prize

2000
Bear & Shara get married!

Bear leads the first team to circumnavigate the UK on jetskis. (In aid of the RNLI Lifeboats.)

‘Facing Up’ the account of Bear’s Everest ascent is published and reaches into the top 10 Best seller list.

1998
Youngest British climber to reach the summit of Mt. Everest . (In aid of SSAFA Forces Help, the Tri-Services Charity.)

1997
Youngest British climber to reach the summit of Mt. Ama Dablam, Himalaya, (once described by Sir Edmund Hillary as ‘unclimbable’.)

1994-1997
Served with the British SAS (21 SAS). Passed UK Special Forces Selection, serving as a sabre soldier, highly trained in unarmed combat, desert and winter warfare, combat survival, medics, parachuting, signals, evasive driving, climbing and explosives. Served actively in North Africa twice. In late 1996 Bear broke his back in a free fall parachuting accident in southern Africa.

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