Bear Grylls previews new Fox show, reveals how Hollywood stars face survival tests
The new season of ‘Bear Grylls is Running Wild’ premieres tonight on Fox, pushing Hollywood’s biggest stars to their limits. Survival expert Bear Grylls details how celebrities like Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Monaghan, and Tiffany Haddish are challenged by nature’s harshest environments. He explains the unique experience helps them open up, creating compelling television in this ninth season.
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One of the world’s most recognizable survivalists, Bear Grylls, swapped the rugged cliffs of Norway for the bright lights of the “Fox & Friends” studio this week — at least for a short time.
Joining host Brian Kilmeade, Grylls discussed the ninth season of his hit show, “Running Wild,” which makes its debut on FOX.
While most talk shows involve celebrities sitting on a sofa to promote their latest project, the approach by Grylls is a bit more — visceral.
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The new season of his show features a heavy-hitting lineup, including Matthew McConaughey, whom Grylls took to a glacier in Norway.
Kilmeade joked about Grylls’ casual appearance. But the survivalist was quick to note that his mother often called him the scruffiest person in the room.
The show, “Running Wild With Bear Gryllsm” is entering its ninth season, which debuts on FOX on Tuesday, April 21. (Neil Mockford/GC Images)
For Grylls, however, the attire is a uniform for a job that bridges the gap between A-list glamour and rugged human experience.
“The wild never judges,” Grylls said on “Fox & Friends.”
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“I’ve done this all my life. … My dad was a former Marine, taught me a lot of this stuff. … This became my world.”
When asked why some of the most successful people on Earth would willingly subject themselves to the harsh conditions seen in the show’s promos — such as eating snakes or boiling water to avoid illness — Grylls said that for these stars, the appeal is about authenticity.
“The wild never judges,” Grylls told Brian Kilmeade of “Fox & Friends.” ()
“It’s different [from] a chat show, where you sit on the sofa, and there’s a performance for three minutes to tell a funny story,” Grylls said.
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“Nature does my job for me. Like I said, it opens people up. I think a lot of these stars — they want the experience of what the wild can give you.”
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The duo reviewed a clip of McConaughey learning the hard way that even “pristine” Norwegian water needs to be boiled to avoid a mid-journey disaster.
Grylls previously hosted guests such as NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, shown above, during the filming of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls.” (Ben Simms/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)
Reflecting on nine seasons of taking world leaders and icons into the brush, Grylls shared his biggest takeaway.
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“Everyone’s just a regular person underneath it all,” he said. “I admire the fact that they’re out of their comfort zone. And that becomes a discipline — successful people do the difficult.”
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“Running Wild” airs tonight on FOX, with episodes available for streaming the following day on Hulu.
