Bear Grylls on why he embraces the bridges he’s ‘burned’

Speaking to Fox News, “Man vs. Wild” star Bear Grylls said writing about Jesus was the “hardest thing” he’s ever done, harder than climbing Mount Everest or sailing across a frozen sea.

“This was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but it was also the best thing I’ve ever done,” Grylls said on “My Interview with Lara Trump.” “My faith has always been like a quiet and strengthening presence throughout many adventures.”

British-born survival expert’s book “The Greatest Story Ever Told: An Eyewitness AccountReleased in June, “” chronicles the life of Jesus as, in its own words, a moving, faith-filled thriller.

BEAR GRYLLS JOINS STEVE DOOCY ON A MORNING WALK IN NASHVILLE

“The true story of Jesus is so mind-blowing. It’s a story of true courage, true friendship, true love, and I thought no one had ever written this as a thriller, I’m just going to write this story,” he said.

Grylls said his curiosity and desire to discover a truer version of the story inspired the project.

“I was never raised knowing the true story of Jesus,” the survivalist explained. “I always grew up with this sanitized version of it, I didn’t really like it.”

Grylls has hosted more than a dozen survival shows since 2006 — some of which were on the Discovery Channel — that he said were approached after his successful climb of Mount Everest.

AN EXTRAORDINARY 1,200-YEAR-OLD BREAD WITH THE IMAGE OF JESUS ​​CHRIST UNCOVERED BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS

“Everest will always be in my heart because we had climbers who lost their lives there. Two died from the cold, two fell, and I think that mountain shaped the future of my life in a big way. Discovery Channel eventually approached me and we watched ‘Man vs. Wild’ and that turned into ‘Running Wild’ and all these shows,” he said.

The adventurer said that the reaction to his book surpassed anything he had experienced on television.

“I think I got more response from this book than anything I’ve ever done, more than any TV show,” he said.

Bear Grylls attended the screening of Netflix series “Celebrity Bear Hunt” on February 4, 2025 in London, England. (Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

Beyond his career and faith, Grylls also talked about the importance of getting outdoors.

“For me, the outdoors has always been such a beautiful, healing and grounding place,” Grylls said. “That’s where I go to reconnect.”

He is worried that modern life is alienating people from nature.

“I think everyone is afraid of the sun these days,” he said.

“Try to be disciplined about the time you spend on your screen. It’s not a bad thing, but try to exercise some self-control,” Grylls suggested.

Bear Grylls sits by the bonfire with NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal during the filming of ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls’. (Photo: Ben Simms/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FOX NEWS APPLICATION

For Grylls, adventures are not always about the thrill of success, but about living with intention.

“It doesn’t need to be the highest mountain in the world,” he said. “What matters is how you live, how you approach risk, relationships, family, work, everything.”

“And it’s a life he has no intention of changing,” he admitted.

“I have burned many bridges in my life,” he reflected. “I have no choice but to do what I do and I like it.”