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Bear Grylls reckons Sir David Attenborough is 'a bit dry' as a wildlife presenter

Grylls thinks he's found the recipe for success by adding stunts to his new nature series

Jess Denham
Tuesday 08 September 2015 11:16 BST
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British adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls thinks natural history shows need more action
British adventurer and TV presenter Bear Grylls thinks natural history shows need more action

Sir David Attenborough and cosy Sunday night wildlife programmes may go together like milk and cookies, but Bear Grylls thinks his traditional format is "a bit dry" for modern audiences.

The British adventurer, best known for TV series Born Survivor, is making a move into natural history presenting and thinks he can make the genre a lot more exciting for younger viewers.

New ITV show Britain's Biggest Adventures will see Grylls venture into bat lofts, go in search of grey seals and explore crayfish rearing schemes, while incorporating a heavy dose of heart-stopping stunts including free dives and abseils.

"If it's just natural history it can be a bit dry. When Attenborough was 25 it was totally not dry because it was totally new, but to do something for young people now, it needs that adventure, I think, to inspire them," he told Radio Times, adding that he hugely admires Attenborough and considers him a "personal hero, legend and a humble, great man".

Attenborough and Grylls have very different approaches

Grylls, 41, is confident that he has found the recipe for success with his three-part series, which he describes as a "really smart, simple, uncomplicated combination" of Attenborough's much-loved style and "adventure stuff" he has done in the past. It begins next Tuesday 15 September.

The former SAS man has one famous fan in the form of US president Barack Obama, whom he met in Alaska during the politicians' climate change visit earlier this month.

Bear Grylls and Barack Obama go wild in Alaska

Obama has signed up to receive a "crash course in survival techniques" from Grylls on his US show Running Wild with Bear Grylls". The footage will air on NBC later this year.

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