Bear Grylls says he is not dealing with being 50 'very well'

January 21, 2025
Bear Grylls says he is not dealing with being 50 'very well'

Adventurer Bear Grylls has reflected on turning 50 and said he has not been "dealing with it very well".

The TV star, who is often seen tackling rough terrain and high-adrenaline situations, said that he now sees age as a percentage and is hoping humans will be able to "live to 200 in the next 30 years".

Grylls is the star of a new Netflix series called Celebrity Bear Hunt which sees him try to hunt down 12 famous faces in a Central American jungle.

Speaking to Saga Magazine, he said: "It was the most fun filming I've ever had, though it was physically exhausting."

"I get a kick out of seeing how pressure changes people and, as ever in survival, unlikely heroes come to the top. Some people crumble, some just elevate."

Asked about turning 50, following his birthday in June, he said: "The honest answer is I don’t think I’m dealing with it very well.

"For the first month or so I threw out all the cliches of age being just a number."

"I’m going to look at it not in years, but in percentage. I’m sure we’re going to be able to live to 200 in the next 30 years, so the way I see it, I had a very good 25% birthday."

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Grylls’ TV shows include Running Wild With Bear Grylls, Bear’s Mission, and You vs Wild, where he is seen travelling to remote locations across the world.

Reflecting on his adventures, he said: "I don’t run from scary things, I try to embrace them.

"Skydiving is still hard after my accident – I was in Zambia in 1996 with the Special Forces when my parachute failed to inflate, causing me to land on my back.

"I’m in pain every day, but I still skydive all the time."

Celebrity Bear Hunt will arrive to Netflix on 5 February.