Why Bear Grylls Decided to Join ‘The Chosen’ Universe

Bear Grylls is known for his extreme outdoor expeditions on television. The British adventurer has been the centerpiece of many an adventure show, most notably Man vs. Wild and Running Wild With Bear Grylls. Now, though, the former SAS trooper is taking on his boldest adventure yet: joining The Chosen universe.

Yep, Grylls hosts a new addition to the faith-based programming franchise, The Chosen in the Wild With Bear Grylls. The six-part series, which premieres on Prime Video on August 9, features Grylls bringing stars of The Chosen into the native wilderness for explorations and challenges they’ve never experienced before. With Grylls anchoring the action, the series sees creator Dallas Jenkins, series lead Jonathan Roumie, and a host of other Chosen faithfuls tackling the brave outdoors.

Fans of Grylls’ TV adventures past may be wondering: Why this? Well, for him, it was the logical next step in his walk.

In 2025, Grylls released his novelization of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, a retelling of the Gospel, in The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness Account. He told Premier Christianity that he was compelled to do so. “I literally woke up one morning and knew I was going to write this thing, with utter conviction. I got straight on the phone to the publishers and said: ‘It’s going to be the biggest-selling book in history.’ They laughed. I said: ‘It will! After the Bible and the Qur’an, it’s going to the biggest.'” Though Grylls had written several books before, he told the publication, “It’s the proudest thing in my work world I’ve ever done.”

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His wife, Shara Grylls, recently updated her own book Never Stop Holding Hands, which was a story she published back when the two married 26 years before, and she spoke to Woman Alive about the update and revealed their history of religious upbringings. “I was brought up in a Christian household. So was Bear, but mine wasn’t as evangelical as it is now. Bear became introduced to that side of church when he was 16, and then when I met him, he introduced it to me. I’d grown up in a local village church. I got confirmed when I was 19, because I didn’t want to get confirmed when I was younger. I wanted it to really mean something, so I did it after school. Our Christian faith has been a really big thing for our family and for our marriage, and that’s mainly down to Bear. It’s the backbone to our lives and marriage,” she explained.

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As for his decision to bring that personal faith into his professional adventures, he told YouTuber Leah Klett in 2024, “The wild always reveals who we are. Adventures open us all up. The outdoors lights us up. And I think what we’ve tried to do with Chosen in the Wild is get to know the real people and show their real journeys — show the real stuff. Isn’t it the same with The Chosen? It shows the real reality of what Jesus was like and their relationships and their journeys. It’s the element of faith that I’ve always responded best to myself.”

Grylls added, “It feels a really special pairing to bring the best of Running Wild to The Chosen and allow fans to get to see their favorite actors in a way they never do.”

Participating in The Chosen in the Wild With Bear Grylls alongside Grylls, Jenkins, and Roumie, are series stars Paras Patel (who portrays Matthew), Elizabeth Tabish (Mary Magdalene), Noah James (Andrew), and Luke Dimyan (Judas).

The Chosen in the Wild With Bear Grylls, Series Premiere, August 9, Prime Video