BUZZ BEAT MEDIA

Bear Grylls may be best known for his survival skills, but the biggest adventure of his life didn’t take place in the wild. It happened quietly, through the steady, life-shaping presence of faith. This year, the 51-year-old adventurer, author, and television personality shared a more personal story—one rooted in belief, struggle, and hope.

In his latest project, The Greatest Story Ever Told, Grylls takes on the life of Jesus—not with added dramatics, but with reverent clarity. Every word Jesus speaks in the book is taken directly from the Bible, with no embellishment. “I haven’t changed even a comma,” he says. 

What makes this work special, Grylls adds, is not the writing process (though he did write it in the jungle while filming a Netflix show) but its purpose. “It’s the proudest thing I’ve ever done. If I could be remembered for one thing, this would be it.”

Grylls has spoken candidly about his complicated relationship with traditional church structures. Though raised in a religious school setting, he found the rituals impersonal and distant. It wasn’t until a moment of grief as a teenager, alone in a tree, that he whispered a heartfelt prayer that would spark the beginning of his spiritual renewal.

Faith, for Grylls, is not about performance or perfection. It’s about authenticity. “My early experience of church made me feel like I didn’t belong,” he admits. “But I’ve realized since that the real Church is a community—like a hospital, not a theatre.” 

He believes faith is meant to be lived, not just studied. Whether it’s reading the Bible daily with a friend or saying a spontaneous prayer with a global leader like Barack Obama, his approach is simple and genuine.

The adventurer isn’t afraid to speak about doubts either. “Even John the Baptist, who paved the way for Jesus, had doubts,” he says. This honesty, Grylls believes, is what keeps faith real—and relatable. “We all struggle. That’s normal.”

Despite his global platform, Grylls keeps his faith humble. He prefers the back pew over the spotlight and values quiet accountability over public recognition. Yet his decision to share the story of Jesus with the world—through both his book and his life—reflects a boldness rooted in conviction.

“The story changes us,” he says. “It’s love. It’s freedom. It’s truth. And once you know it, it never lets you go.”

For Grylls, plugging into faith is like plugging in a toaster. “Unplugged, you’re cold. But once it’s connected, everything lights up.”

And that’s what this chapter of his life is about—sharing the light, one story at a time.

*Cover Photo/Thumbnail Photo from Youtube of Premier On Demand