Quiz: Are these weird facts about Bear Grylls true or false?

Put your knowledge to the test in our Best of the Box quiz this week.

IF YOU WANT a person who’s capable of surviving the most extreme environments, then give Bear Grylls a call. The former SAS trooper has built a solid reputation on his ability to go to unimaginable lengths and survive: scaling mountains, eating strange things, going where no person has journeyed before – and doing it all on screen.

These days, Grylls likes to do this in the company of celebrities, and his latest season of Bear Grylls is Running Wild is currently being aired on Sky/NOW. Celebs like Tiffany Haddish and Matthew McConaughey are on board to accompany him for a 48-hour journey into the wilderness.

Grylls has done a lot of bizarre and fascinating things in his life. But can you tell what’s true and what’s false in this week’s Best of the Box quiz?

Screenshot 2026-04-27 at 15.38.35 Matthew McConaughey and Bear Grylls Propagate Content, LLC Propagate Content, LLC

Bear is Bear Grylls' real name, not a nickname

True

False

He learned to skydive when he was just a teenager

True

False

In 1996, he was injured in a free fall parachuting incident (true). He fell 16,000 feet, making it one of the highest falls survived without a parachute - true or false?

True

False

While in the SAS, he once wrestled a tiger who had gotten into the mess camp and was eating the week's supply of meat

True

False

He once circumnavigated Britain and Ireland on jet skis

True

False

He once created a world record for the highest open-air formal dinner party, and the participants needed to wear oxygen masks

True

False

He left his son on the top of Everest to be rescued, as part of a training exercise

True

False

He published a Christian devotional in 2019 called 'Soul Fuel'

True

False

He once broke his leg on an episode of his series Man Vs Wild, but refused evacuation and instead strapped up his leg with a splint made from tree branches.

True

False

He once squeezed fecal liquid from elephant dung - to drink

True

False

He was born in India

True

False

One of his sons is called Marmaduke

True

False

He still holds the record for the youngest Briton to scale Mount Everest

True

False

Asked what his greatest fear was, Grylls said: 'Spiders'

True

False

The character of Ethan Hunt in the Mission Impossible films is partly based on Bear Grylls

True

False

Answer all the questions to see your result!

You scored out of !

Bear expert

Is there anything you don't know about Bear Grylls?

You scored out of !

Almost at the summit

You know a lot about Bear Grylls - but not everything

You scored out of !

Needs rescuing

Back to your Bear Grylls studies!