Bear is one of the world’s foremost and daring adventurers. He spent three years with the British Special Forces (21 SAS) before suffering a horrendous parachuting accident in southern Africa in which he broke his back in three places. Yet in 1998, just two years later and after severe rehabilitation, he overcame the odds to become the youngest British climber ever to reach the summit of Mount Everest and return alive. He was just 23. His book on this extraordinary story, Facing Up, soared into the Top 10 Bestseller List. 

In 2003, Bear led the first team to cross the frozen North Atlantic unassisted, travelling just below the Arctic Circle in a small, open rigid inflatable boat. The mission was in aid of The Prince's Trust and the book about this record-breaking adventure, Facing the Frozen Ocean, was short-listed for Sports Book of the Year. 

Bear presented a Channel Four series in 2005 called Escape to the Legion, about life in the French Foreign Legion. In 2006, along with Dame Ellen MacArthur, he was awarded an Honorary Commission in the Royal Navy, at the rank of Lieutenant-Commander.

This year, he is presenting a new prime-time TV series on Channel Four titled: 'Born Survivor: Bear Grylls' and ‘Man vs Wild’ for the Discovery channel worldwide.

These feature Bear being dropped into some of the most inhospitable places on earth – and showing how to survive!