Bear Grylls’ new series will feature eight famous faces including Oscar-winning actor Troy Kotsur as the adventurer’s first deaf guest.
The full line-up of the 49-year-old former SAS soldier’s ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge’ was confirmed on Thursday (22.06.23) and includes Bradley Cooper, 48, who will accompany Bear in the Wyoming Basin, Benedict Cumberbatch, 46, in the Isle of Skye, Cynthia Erivo, 36, on the Brecon Beacons Mountains and Troy Kotsur, 54, in the Scottish Highlands.
Bear’s latest run of the show will also feature Russell Brand, 48, in the Hebrides Islands, Rita Ora, 32, in the Valley of Fire, Daveed Diggs, 41, in the Great Basin Desert as well as Tatiana Maslany, 37, in the Laramie Mountain.
The show will premiere on the National Geographic channel on Sunday 20 August at 6pm and a blurb for the series said: “Continuing to push superstars’ comfort levels, Bear Grylls and his guests will venture from the highest peaks of Scotland to unforgiving terrain in Wyoming for more ultimate, life-changing challenges and adventures.
“The much-anticipated series has a fabulous line-up of guests including Hollywood superstars Bradley Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch and Rita Ora.”
A press release for the series added: “This series guests will continue to be tested both physically and mentally beyond their limits – like Bradley Cooper spending a night hanging off the side of a cliff, Cynthia Erivo traversing a freezing waterfall, and Troy Kotsur battling raging rivers as Bear’s first deaf guest.”
“Bear teaches each celebrity a key set of survival skills they will then have to master on their own under a high-intensity moment to earn their extraction from the wilderness. Fears will be conquered, and limits will be tested!”
Troy won the best supporting actor in 2021’s film ‘CODA’, in which he played the deaf dad of a hearing singer.
Along with his hit TV show, Bear has partnered with African conservation charity Tusk and Be Military Fit to host a #TrainLikeARanger workout in support of the ‘Wildlife Ranger Challenge’, a global campaign empowered by Tusk to raise funds for rangers across the African continent.
He said at its launch his dream TV show guests would include the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The dad-of-three also revealed that his sons do not plan to follow him into a TV career and said he will “embrace” turning 50 next year.
Asked if we would like Prince William and his wife Princess Catherine, both 41, to appear on ‘Running Wild’, Bear said: “They are adventure people anyway so they’d be great – maybe one day.
“And in the meantime, I keep admiring them. They are amazing and truly champion Tusk and all the conservation work. They would always be welcome on the show.”
‘Running Wild’ has also featured famous names including Barack Obama, 61, and actors Ben Stiller, 57, Kate Hudson, 44, and 43-year-old Channing Tatum.
