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Your chance to quiz adventurer Bear Grylls
Action adventurer traveller Edward Michael Grylls is known simply as 'Bear.'
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/08/09/bear.art.gettyimages.jpg caption="Bear Grylls is your Connector of the Day."]
The 36-year-old Brit is best known as the face of his own television series on the Discovery Channel called "Man vs Wild."
Born on the Isle of Wight, Grylls found an early love for the great outdoors and at the age of eight, began learning to rock climb and sail.
After leaving school, Grylls enrolled in the United Kingdom Special Forces to work as a survival expert and medic. Grylls served two duties in North Africa.
In 1996, Grylls was involved in a free fall parachuting accident that caused severe injury to his back.
Two years later, Grylls achieved his childhood goal of being the youngest Briton to ever climb Mount Everest - being just 23 years old.
Since then, Grylls hasn't stopped trying to outdo the number of adventures he is part of.
Since 2000, Grylls has circumnavigated the UK on a jet ski, crossed the North Atlantic in an inflatable boat, paramotored over Angel Falls.
In the autumn of 2010, Grylls was out with a new season of his popular adventure show "Man vs Wild."
Here's your chance to have your questions answered by Bear Grylls.
Do you want to know what his favorite adventure has been so far? Does he have a challenge he hasn't met yet? What is one scenario that he think he couldn't survive?
Please leave your questions for Bear below and be sure to tell us where you're writing from.
On Twitter
Is there any place you would not dare go to?
I would like to know if Bear has other physical challenges or achievements that he would like to take on. I am an American living in the UK.
Dear Bear,
I am currently a US contractor working in Iraq. Before this, I was an Airborne Ranger in the United States Army. I understand what it is like to always want to achieve more, and to push one's self to their absolute limit. Being a veteran of the SAS, the youngest Briton to climb Everest, star of your own Survival Show, and having accomplished every thing else you have set out to do, my question is: what drives you to do what you do? Every time you set out on a new task/ adventure, what is your inspiration to complete your goal against all odds? I am always curious to learn the motivation behind those of us who just can't settle for "good enough".
Have you ever been truly terrified while out in the wild? If so, what was the situation?
Dear Mr. Grylls,
I love to see you taking on challenges in harsh climates and terrains all over the world.
But every time I see you I say to myself "I wish Bear had come to Afghanistan and Baluchistan"
maybe one day you will....
Regards,
Your Fan.
Hi from Melbourne, Australia!
I really love your show, Bear – gross at times, haha, but absolutely fascinating!!!
How has your Christian faith helped you in your time in the Special Forces and in the adventures that you're always embarking on? Most of us can't even imagine doing the things you've done. How does your faith inspire you to overcome your fears? Are there particular verses from the Bible that you draw on?
Keep up the great work for His Kingdom!! 🙂
Hello Mr Gryllis
The family and I enjoy your programmer. Just a question, are you contemplating a full length movie that teaches people how to get away from dangerous situations. Really miss a movie like Towering Inferno. Perhaps can consider
1) What is the most difficult situation you have been in?
2) Have you ever been in a situation where not only were you stranded but also had to avoid a certain group in the area such as drug traffickers, indigenous groups, etc?
What would you say to allegations that you would hie off to the nearest Hilton at the end of each shooting day while filming "Man vs. Wild"?
Hi we're from Hong Kong, love your show! I guess like many we're always interested to see what you'll be eating. So we have a question along these lines. We know in a survival situation beggars can't be choosers and you eat what your presented with. BUT, is there anything in the past that you've felt was just to much work, or tasted too horrible to be worth the amount of energy you received from it? Thanks and greetings from Hong Kong!
Hello Bear Grylls! My girlfriend and I are big fans of your show! I'm writing from Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Is there any place that you you personally are really interested in going to but haven't been to yet?
G'Day Bear, writing from Australia here.
Was having a good chuckle last night at your experience with the skunk and the stinky jacket.
Out of all the nasty but essential to survival animals and critters you have eaten, what stays in your memory as the worst thing you have ever tasted (I guess pee would come close ! )
Rob.
Well, first off, cheers for the "Man vs Wild" series so far. I tried parachuting (tandem) myself. WOW!!! Adrenaline rush was insane.
Will you be returning to Australia to do another ep of the show?
What is the adventure you have survived that you are most proud of?
-Philippines
Hi Bear – in your role as chief scout, do you think it's wise to demonstrate highly dangerous survival techniques including going into abandoned mine shafts? Aren't you concerned young kids might try and emulate these risky `survival' techniques?
Many thanks,
Keith
Shanghai
why are you gay?
Mr. Grylls,
I have seen every episode of your show. You are AWESOME. Keep up the great work, Bear!
how long Bear spend to prefare for his every time adventure and how to get knowledge prefare for his every time adventure.
Any plans on doing jungle survival in Thailand?
Your show on the Discovery Channel is by far some of the most interesting fare on T.V.; however, (no offense meant), I think you are missing your calling in life. You should be an action-movie star. you could be bigger than Jason Statham...
Hey Bear,
Your show is fantastic! We watch it all the time. What branch of special forces were you a part of and what is the best place you have ever travelled to, either in the military or any other time in which you had to survive?
From California
Here in the mountains of Southeastern Arizona we have rattlesnakes, black bear and mountain lions (cougar). I've seen in your show how you deal with potentially deadly snakes. What would you do if confronted by a bear or a mountain lion?
I actually had an encounter with a mountain lion on a hike once. We were a rather large party: two adults, two teenagers (my children) and two large German shepherds held on a leash.
We had just begun our hike and not a 100 meters from where we had parked, I saw movement about 12 – 15 meters from us, off to the right alongside the brush. It was a rather large mountain lion.
Before I had a chance to warn my companions, the large male German shepherd I was holding on a leash smelled the cat and went off, growling and barking and straining at the leash. I could barely restrain him.
The mountain lion seemed unconcerned. He had been observing us, and had been moving parallel to us, checking out our group. Without even breaking stride, the cat suddenly veered off and disappeared into the brush.
I wonder what might have happened had there been only two adults and no dogs, as is usually the case when my hiking partner and I hit the trail.
I forgot to enter my hometown...
Sierra Vista, Arizona.
Walter Horlick
Hi Bear, I never miss any of your adventures.. it's quite yucky to see you eat those things you eat most of them 'almost live' ... do you ever get a stomach upset? how do you manage?
All the best and I shall continue to watch your adventures and also spread the word... 🙂
–macrina
Luv this show manVsWild , Bear is a celebrity in India !! 😀
My wife is Japanese and loves Man vs Wild. Have you considered doing an episode in Japan, e.g. the wilds of Hokkaido?
Hello! I was wondering what nutrition could be yielded from the forever wild behind our house. I mean, if there were to be some reason why we would be able to procure food from an outside/commercial source, how would we survive? With the exception of wildlife, it kind of looks to me like there is nothing much else out here. Lots of grass and trees. Perhaps I'm living in too much comfort! The deer like our flowers, I suppose some of those are edible for people, too. Anyway, I look forward to hearing your reply!
Have you ever considered taking on an apprentice and if so, what would be the criterion?
Bear, many of the tasks that you undertake in your adventures seem too daunting or dangerous for most people to even comprehend… truth be told, most of us would simply turn away in the face of such adversity. Where do you find the courage to overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles? How do you deal with your fears?
Big Fan!
Mark
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
You were a medic. I've been in the business of tending to the injured and dying, etc for about 35 years. I used to enjoy doing some of that stuff that you do, but have backed off lately. Do you see yourself getting a sense of mortality and an appreciation of life at some point and backing off? More of a consultant role? Believe me, the warranty comes off after age 50.
Hey Bear! I'm a huge Man vs. Wild fan from Berkeley, CA, and was wondering if you would consider being UC Berkeley's unofficial mascot? We are the Golden Bears, but you are far more inspiring than a bear in a cardigan.
Can sperm be used in any way to get out of a jam in a hostile environment?
In your experience of being a survivalist, what is your greatest fear? (excluding filling taxes and bee stings)
also, which incident were you closest to death?
Hi Bear
Do your children accompany you in some of your adventures?
How do you encourage them to be an adventurer like your self?
Eating all the things i cannot even thing about and beein stung by all the strange creatures you face during your trips never brought you serious diseases/illnesses or health problems ?
By the way, we love watching your awesome performances
How is your back now? Does the injury that you had in '96 ever interfere with your adventure and outdoor pursuits?
Hi
I love your show. I have lived in England for the past 3 years. What was your least favorite place ?
Mr. Grylls,
Are you mentally healthy?
Andrei Ionescu,
Romania
Dear Bear
What are the factors which motivates you to keep doing adventurous things and what do you think before attempting the same?
Tokyo, Japan
What is the one place you have struggled most?
Hi Bear,
We live in Norway and watch your show very regularly on Discovery. My husband is a great fan of yours and loves the outdoors.
Norway is a beautiful country with harsh winters and dramatic landscapes. Wondering if you will visit Norway in the near future and if we could get a chance to meet you.
I am sure Norway will be an adventure with it's snow capped mountains, deep valleys and huge fjords.
Hope to receive a reply from you soon.
Regards,
Arlene
Dear Bear Grylls,
Greetings and best wishes to you!
My name is Darin and I write to you from Eastern Europe, the country of Bulgaria. I have two boys – 12 and 15 years old. You and your show is one of the things that gathers us often to watch you. We really enjoy what you do – lots of useful knowledge and tips for survival, beautiful nature and etc. In many of the episodes you talk occasionally about things being so many millions of years old. I just wanted to ask you if you would be interested to know about alternative and scientific view about the age of things! A challenge!?! Upon your interest I can send you few links!
Keep up the great show!
Best wishes to you from Bulgaria : Darin, David and Andrew Ivanov
Do you think you could survive an encounter with Chuck Norris?
If you were trapped in the dessert for days without food or water and stumbled upon the body of Chuck Norris, would you eat him?
How do you avoid getting injured?
I just posted a question asking whether or not Bear would eat Chuck Norris if he found his body after beig trapped in the dessert.
Of course what I meant to ask was if he was trapped in the desert. If you decide to post/answer/forward my question, can you change dessert to desert so I don't look like a total moron? thanks.
Hi ,
Great Show I have to say.
Do you ever feal sick from eating the things you eat in the survival show ?
Bear,
I am a student and a fan. My interest in what you are doing was kindled back when I got my Eagle Scout. Your methods are solid and easy to understand. Please keep on showing us how to do it better, like with the canteen in the Everglades, good stuff.
So, yes, I would love to know your favorite adventure. (I hope it wasn't when you jumped off your raft and nearly sat on top of the 2 large Tiger Sharks. I would have messed my pants.)
I have a great challenge for you and it's pretty country; The Ouachita National Forest just above and to the west of Hot Springs Arkansas. I was a pharm. rep. for a large anesthesia company and drove all over the western half of Arkansas visiting rural hospitals. I am a native of the Flint Hills of Kansas which are much easier to see over than the swapy, mountainous, craggy areas I was assigned to travel. I kept wondering what I would want with me and what I'd want to know if I got in a bad spot out there.
Well, of course, I always cheer for you Bear. But, a scenario I don't think you could survive would be falling overboard from a large ship such as an aircraft carrier or a cargo ship in the open "blue" sea. The impact? You'd have to find trash in the water to construct something to float upon (pants can't last forever). You'd be thirsty, hungry, sunburnt, sucking sea water, and eyed by the solitary palegic white tip shark or the schools of 14 foot blues. Worse yet a clutch of humboldt squid could rip you up when they ascend to feed at night. Please do not try this one without lots of extra people watching.
By the way, you seem to use a lot of fixed blades on your trips and I can never tell which manufacturer or type they are. Do you have a preference? Full tang? Why? Just curious.
Also, kudos to you on mentioning the importance of prayer when under pressure to survive, people who scoff at this notion are insecure and have never been pushed to the edge. I pray every time I get lost in a Wal-Mart. It is good you have shown even tough guys pray.
Thanks for doing what you do. God bless you, your family and team.
Sincerely,
Bob Fleener
bobfleener@gmail.com
P.S.- I am writing to you while back in my native Flint Hills of Kansas.
I'm an American who lives in Brazil. My boy and I watch your show via iTunes all the time. We used some of the techniques when we spent a couple months in the jungle last year. I was wondering if you've ever thought of doing a show that is geared toward survival in a new social environment.
Specifically, if you're stranded in a different country where you don't know the language, what are some techniques for learning a few important phrases; what are some signs to watch for if in a potentially hostile environment; what are some body language tips that might pacify a potentially complicated situation; how to evade capture, escape techniques if captured... etc. I realize it would be logistically complicated, but some of these could be staged by local military. Just thought it might be an interesting idea for the show. "Wild" in this sense meaning "unknown" instead of natural. What do you think?
What do you consider to be the most challenging adventure of your career so far Bear?
Have you ever been in a situation where you genuinely feared for your life?
Hi Bear,
This is Retesh from India, I have been following your show regularly and it freaks me out when you do those out of the world kinda things..:)..
trust me you have got big big fan following in India too.....
My question to you is -How do you overcome fear while attempting any dangerous act,when you know that things can get fatal what in your mind keeps you going??
Dear Bear,
I really enjoy your adventures and unfortunately I haven't found the time the watch them all yet but I don't think you ever made a show that took place in a large city.
Given that nowadays the majority of the world's population lives in urban areas, chances are that we are more likely to have to survive in this kind of places than into the great outdoors. Have you ever considered doing a show called "Man Vs City", where you'd give advice on how to behave within different societies, in other words, the dos and don'ts of the world's major cities?
Keep going, thank you for everything.
Mat
From watching your show and reading about your many feats, I'm curious how do you come up with your next adventures? And what motivates you to pick one adventure over another?
I definitely like your show, but at times I wonder if you may be giving bad advice to people in an life threatening situation because it makes the show more exciting. For example I remember you one time spent hours making a bridge to cross a raging river, which then proceeded to fall into the river. If you were in a real life or death situation I think the best advice would have been to walk further up or down the river until you find a safe place to cross, as if you get hurt you are dead. Please advise you logic behind this approach.
Hi Bear
Watching your show reminds me of the motivation and drive of my early years in the U.S. Army. A true inspiration... thank you. Ever plan on doing a show on Mars survival skills? I mean, if a space traveler would happen to one day , stumble upon the Mars surface. Haha just maybe in a studio atmosphere, although you could pretend in the desert someplace etc.. (just an idea).
Thanks
Arin
Bear,
How did it feel to be the youngest Briton to reach the peak of Mount Everest? Has that been your most challenging adventure?
My friends, family, and I love Man vs Wild AND Worst Case Scenario. Keep it up!
From your fans in Bangalore, India
And BTW, try coming to Mumbai. I can bet that will be your toughest challenge yet 😉
In which episode of Man vs Wild were you the most afraid?
Ive wacthed half the episodes and I love them!
signed,
11 year-old boy from Wilmington, Delaware USA
Will you ever come to Bosnia and Herzegovina to film one of your episodes for Ultimate Survival?
I'm not objective, I admit, since I'm Romanian myself, nevertheless I loved the episode in the Carpathians, you pointed out some very useful "avoid-the-bear(as in wildlife not you 🙂 )-in-the-forest" advices. We have lots of them in the mountains.
Your shows are grate entertainment, man vs wild but worst scenario also. They give us mere mortals the opportunity to take part in such interesting adventures.
My question to you would probably be too private, but I'll just try my luck:
what does your wife say when she sees your show. hasn't she ever pointed out that you also kiss her with that mouth 😀 ?
To conclude I wish you all the best and keep doing the good work you've done up untill now.
(Probably) your biggest fan in Romania.