Discovery Channel's "Wild" man, Bear Grylls, not so brave: report

**celeb_2006** · July 25th, 2007, 09:45 PM

Man vs. Wild Television show - Man vs. Wild TV Show - Yahoo! TV

(thank goodness les stroud's new shows coming out next month!)

Discovery Channel is re-evaluating one of its most popular series, "Man vs. Wild," after allegations surfaced that its survival-expert host was bunking in motels when he was supposed to be braving the great outdoors.
The network issued a statement Monday in response t o an investigation launched by British television network Channel 4, which carries the program under the title "Born Survivor: Bear Grylls." Channel 4 confirmed that host Bear Grylls had partaken of indoor accommodations on at least two occasions when his series had depicted him spending the night in the wild.
"Discovery Communications has learned that isolated elements of the 'Man vs. Wild' show in some episodes were not natural to the environment, and that for health and safety concerns the crew and host received some survival assistance while in the field," the network said in a statement.
The production company behind the series, Diverse Television, is cooperating with the Channel 4 investigation, which likely will address a range of allegations that called into question "Wild's" authenticity.
In each episode of the series, Grylls is airlifted into the wilderness with only a few tools to aid in his survival, such as a flint or water bottle. A former British special forces soldier, Grylls is typically depicted as subsisting for several days without intervention or interruption while cameramen follow him offscreen. He has been stranded all over the globe, including Utah's Moab desert and the Costa Rican rain forest.
But among the charges made against Grylls is that a raft he is depicted as having built himself actually was constructed and then disassembled by consultants to the show in order for the host to put it together. In another episode, Grylls happens upon what are referred to as wild horses that were said to be brought in from a trekking station.
The brouhaha could become a PR nightmare for the channel, which in recent years has abandoned contrived unscripted formats in favor of the scientific explorations that first made the Discovery brand famous. "Wild" in particular has emerged as one of its main attractions during the past two seasons.
But the company gave no indication about parting ways with the series, only making certain unspecified alterations.
"Moving forward, the program will be 100% transparent and all elements of the filming will be explained upfront to our viewers," Discovery said. "In addition, shows that are to be repeated will be edited appropriately. Bear Grylls is a world-class adventurer and a terrific talent."
A spokeswoman for Discovery declined to elaborate on what exact measures will be taken to address the concerns raised about "Wild."
Among the likely possibilities: a disclaimer that will precede each episode explaining that some of the events being depicted are dramatized.
On July 13, Grylls spoke at the Television Critics Assn. summer press tour in Los Angeles about production of the series but gave little hint of any shenanigans behind the scenes. At one point, he described what it was like to bed down in the wild.
"Often at nighttime, they will get helicoptered out, and they might have to recharge camera batteries and hand in footage, and then they leave me a little minicamera for the night stuff, and they come and rejoin me in the morning," he said.

**DVS_one** · July 26th, 2007, 03:24 AM

I really like this show, but I thought it was a bit convoluted. I mean come on the camera crew has water and all sorts of whatever to survive... yet they hand him nothing?? Not realistic to me.

**Mel1973** · July 26th, 2007, 06:19 AM

seriously, there had to be an "investigation" into whether or not a tv host spends the night at hotels now and again? wtf?

**gardenofeve** · July 26th, 2007, 06:30 AM

It's kind of a rip off of a program that was running on OLN, where a guy basically does the same thing, except he doesn't have a camera crew, but just records on his own camera. So far no allegations of him cheating, that I know of.

**Sweetie** · July 26th, 2007, 07:56 AM

He's no Les Stroud, that's for sure!

**nwgirl** · July 26th, 2007, 11:52 AM

Eh, whatever. I couldn't/wouldn't do 99% of the stuff I've seen him on tape doing during the day, regardless of whether or not he gets airlifted out at night and stays in a motel. If they put a disclaimer in the credits, I don't particularly care.

**southernbelle** · July 26th, 2007, 12:28 PM

This show is revolting. In the episodes I've seen, he's tortured and killed a rabbit (basically stoning it to death), bitten the head off of a snake and eaten it, and picked up a pile of animal shit so he could squeeze out the juices and drink them because he was so "desperate" for water. Not only is it perverse, I think some of his actions border on animal cruelty.

**Mel1973** · July 26th, 2007, 12:42 PM

I think if we were all having to survive without life's little amenities, we'd probably all be a little revolting...

**Dorahacky** · July 27th, 2007, 12:08 AM

I like the show, but I've always wondered, when watching footage of him, say, scrambling down a rocky, sheer cliff....doesn't he actually have it easier than the cameraman filming him? The cameraman's basically doing the same thing he's doing, but having to drag around all his equipment and get the shot to boot.

**Icepik** · July 27th, 2007, 12:21 AM

Originally Posted by Mel1973

I think if we were all having to survive without life's little amenities, we'd probably all be a little revolting...

But if this guy isn't actually living out in the wilderness, there is no reason for him to do any of the aforementioned "stunts" southernbelle mentioned - he's doing it all for show and no other reason. The only thing he's desperate for is ratings. That is revolting

**Merlot-N-Bali** · July 27th, 2007, 11:46 AM

I like Survivorman better anyway. This Bear dude gets on my nerves.

**Sweetie** · July 27th, 2007, 11:55 AM

^ I do too. I like Les Stroud.
I saw the deal with the rabbit and I couldn't even watch that part of the show. I can understand training like this if someone has to be out in the wilderness but just for a show I think it's sad. I really could not believe my eyes when he started killing that poor little rabbit.

**irishpig** · July 27th, 2007, 10:49 PM

Originally Posted by Icepik

But if this guy isn't actually living out in the wilderness, there is no reason for him to do any of the aforementioned "stunts" southernbelle mentioned - he's doing it all for show and no other reason. The only thing he's desperate for is ratings. That is revolting

That was why I stopped watching Survivor. Remember the dude that hunted down the pig, killed it and smeared blood all over himself? There were rumours at the time that the pig was brought in by producers...which smelled like a canned hunt to me. I haven't watched it since.

**Kathie_Moffett** · July 27th, 2007, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by nwgirl

Eh, whatever. I couldn't/wouldn't do 99% of the stuff I've seen him on tape doing during the day, regardless of whether or not he gets airlifted out at night and stays in a motel. If they put a disclaimer in the credits, I don't particularly care.

I agree. I like Grylls. He has a rather sweet vibe. I wonder if the show is done entirely as he'd prefer it to be? In any case, the man ate grubs on camera, fergawdssake. I gotta give him some credit for that. Plus, the sequence where he jumped naked into a frozen river was...entertaining.

That said, I love Les Stroud. I've never watched him before and I'm checking out his Georgian swamp episode right now. He's great, very low-key but likeable. He seems like the real thing to me and I'd watch "Survivorman" again, no problem.

But Grylls is okay by me too. And frankly, if I was lost in the wilderness and starving, that cute l'il bunny would be history. Seriously.