Bear Grylls [Edward Michael Grylls]
Biography & Facts [UPDATED] 2024

Bear Grylls Family & Relationships

Bear Grylls wife – Shara Cannings Knight (Married in 2000)

Shara Grylls is more than just a famous person’s wife. Let’s establish that.

The unexpected pair met on the North Coast of Scotland. Grylls was staying with a friend as he prepared for the biggest climb of his life – conquering Mt. Everest. 

Here’s the scoop: 

“It was freezing on the north coast of Scotland, and a wave came and took my clothes,” said Grylls. 

To cut the long story short, Bear was running around naked at the beach when he first met Shara. 

Yes, you read that right. 

I don’t know about you but he definitely fell in love at a bad time – LITERALLY.

Regretfully, Bear had to leave Shara for Everest just a few months after getting to know her.

As he came back successfully scaling the highest mountain, he finally proposed to her without second thoughts. 

Touching story, ain’t it? 

Now, writing was just a hobby for the young gal.

Shara became a published writer as she got married to Grylls, kicking it off with her first piece in 2006, “Marriage Matters.”

She was just a nobody until the release of her second most sought-after book bearing the title “Never Stop Holding Hands: And Other Marriage Survival Tips.”

The inspiration came from a single piece of advice given by an elderly couple on their wedding day.

Much to our amazement, the couple stuck to it on the whole, and it was later on revealed to be one of the secrets behind their blossoming marriage

Bear Grylls Kids 

Jesse Grylls (Born June 2003)

Early on, Little Jesse got tangled with the inescapable eyes of the paparazzi when he was no younger than 11. 

In support of his high-profile dad, the lad was left in the lurch of a resort in Abersoch, North Wales. 

He was to play the role of a child in distress that needed rescue. 

The little boy was cast down on the rocks that are 100 yards away from the shore. A lifeboat then carried him to safety. It was assured that the meticulously-planned operation was over in a matter of minutes. 

The stunt may have been great for the audience, but Grylls found himself in the middle of a huge backlash from raging parents. 

Grylls found himself at the center of controversy after volunteering his eldest son, Jesse, for a lifeboat training rescue mission.

Bear honestly thought children should be taking more risks in life.

“When we try to strip our kids’ world of risk we do them a great disservice. We teach them nothing about handling life,” says Bear. 

“All children have a right to adventure… these moments allow children to get excited about the possibilities the world has to offer.”

He also added, “They teach independence, initiative, self-reliance, and resourcefulness: skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.”

‘None of this, of course, should come at the expense of safety.’

Bear then said his son was wearing a life-jacket and was “safe the entire time…and very happy.”

What do you think? 

Marmaduke Mickey Percy Grylls (Born April 6, 2006)

Huckleberry Edward Jocelyne Grylls (Born January 15, 2009)

“The other day when I was training, I said to one of my boys, ‘Pass me the water bottle,’ and he went outside and peed in it and then gave it to me without telling me. He said, ‘But papa I have seen you drink your own pee before.’ I said, ‘That’s a dirty trick.’ He said, ‘I’ve seen you a hundred times do it on the TV.’ I go, ‘Yeah but not when I am doing my press ups, come on,” says Bear Grylls on Running Wild Interview

Bear Grylls’ Mom

Sarah (Sally) Smiles Justice Ford is the mom of the Born Survivor.

She’s the daughter of Neville Montagu Ford, a famous cricketer, and Patricia Ford, a Lady Fisher and an Ulster Unionist MP for a short time. 

It was also known that Sally is the stepdaughter of MP Nigel Fisher, a conservative. 

With that being said, it means she’s the stepsister of Labour MP Mark Fisher.

Bear Grylls’ Dad

The late Sir William Michael John Grylls (February 21, 1934 – February 7, 2001) was a top-ranking British Conservative Politician with a not-so-good reputation.

Michael was the son of Winterbourne Zelston House’s William Edward Harvey Grylls OBE. He was an educated lad enrolled at the Royal Naval College because his eyesight wasn’t good enough for the army. 

He became part of the Royal Marines and left in 1955 after years of active service. But his thirst for knowledge didn’t stop there – he tried to learn Spanish at the University of Madrid too. 

Get this: During his time as a Politician, Michael got implicated in a huge political scandal back in the 1990s called “Cash-for-Questions Affair.” 

In an effort to redeem himself, he tried his hand in starting a business venture…that went sour.

It was a wine importing firm called “Costa Brava Co.”

Some of his products were labeled “Spanish Champagne” which provoked the wrath of the makers of genuine champagne and some of London’s Bonafide importers. 

Is that what the Spanish classes are for, Michael? 

In the end, he got prosecuted for trading under false descriptions, in which Michael thankfully won against. 

However, he wasn’t as lucky when he got hammered by another case, and this time it’s for using someone else’s trademark.

Bear Grylls Sister 

Lara Fawcett (Elder Sister) 

His sister gave him the nickname ‘Bear’ when he was one week old. Apart from that, there’s really nothing much written about her.