Man vs. Wild (2006 — 2020)

The popular survival television series, Man vs. Wild (2006–2020), goes by many names, including Born Survivor: Bear Grylls, Ultimate Survival, and Survival Game. In the United Kingdom, it is often referred to simply as Bear Grylls. Originally shown on Channel 4 in the UK, the later seasons were broadcast on Discovery Channel UK. Produced by Diverse Bristol, the show premiered on November 10, 2006, following a pilot episode titled The Rockies which aired on March 10, 2006. In addition, Grylls mentioned being approached about directing a Man vs. Wild urban disaster 3D feature film, an opportunity that greatly appeals to him. He later joined a Discovery program called Worst-Case Scenario, showcasing survival techniques in an urban setting. The show premiered on May 5, 2010, on the same network. However, Grylls’ legal relationship with Discovery ended in 2012 due to contract disagreements, leading to the cancellation of the series. However, in April 2019, Grylls made his comeback to the wild through Netflix’s interactive series You vs. Wild. The series consists of eight episodes running approximately 20 minutes each.

In each episode, Grylls and his film crew are left stranded in a different region. They document Grylls’ efforts to survive and find civilization again, often needing to build some type of overnight shelter. These regions are typically wild, such as jungles or forests, but occasionally include industrial areas in cities, like the Shipyard Gdynia episode. Grylls also shares stories of both successful and failed survivals in the specific area they are exploring. The filming process takes approximately 7-10 days, preceded by a week of reconnaissance and a flyover by Grylls himself. After two days of intense survival briefings, a cameraman and sound engineer join Grylls on his journey. The directors oversee location filming and the final editing of each program. To highlight his role in teaching survival techniques to viewers, Grylls is credited specifically as ‘Presenter’.