Main content

Bear Grylls

Kirsty Young talks to adventurer Bear Grylls.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the adventurer Bear Grylls.

His first career was with the SAS, but he was forced to leave after a parachute jump went wrong and he broke his back in three places. As he recuperated, he rekindled his childhood ambition of climbing Mount Everest - he went on to become the youngest Briton to reach its summit. His TV series, Born Survivor, has a global audience of more than a billion people who regularly watch him eating the apparently indigestible and risking his life by pitting himself against nature. Married with three young sons, he says: "The unresolved struggle in my life is the fact that I have a job that has an element of danger to it and at the same time I have a gorgeous family - three young boys that are the pride of my life."

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Download

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 2 Dec 2011 09:00
BBC Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Robert Hardy

Next

Sir Martin Sorrell

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash

    Jackson

    Composer: Billy Edd Wheeler. Jerry Lieber

    • The Legend of Johnny Cash.
    • Universal Music.

  • Brad Paisley

    Whiskey Lullaby (feat. Alison Krauss)

    Composer: Bill Anderson. Jon Randall

    • Alison Krauss:A Hundred Miles or More: The Collection..
    • Rounder.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Chris Hutchison.

      Amazing Grace

      Composer: Trad.

      • Studio production..

  • Nickelback

    Rockstar

    Composer: Kroeger, Kroeger, Peake, Adair

    • Nickelback.
    • Roadrunner.

  • Buddy Holly

    Everyday

    Composer: Hardin - Petty

    • Buddy Holly and the Crickets – 20 Golden Greats.
    • MCA.

  • The Monkees

    I'm A Believer

    Composer: Diamond

    • 25 Years Of Rock 'N' Roll 1967.
    • Connoisseur Collection.

  • Simon & Garfunkel

    Bridge Over Troubled Water

    Composer: P Simon

    • Old Friends – Simon and Garfunkel.
    • Columbia/Legacy.
    • Number 489447 2.

  • Michael Nyman

    The Promise

    Composer: Michael Nyman

    • The Piano soundtrack.
    • Virgin.
    • Number B0001FUHV6.

  • Book Choice

    • Robinson Crusoe - Daniel Defoe

  • Luxury Choice

    • A laminated photo of his family

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Bear Grylls

Broadcasts

  • Sun 27 Nov 2011 11:15
    BBC Radio 4
  • Fri 2 Dec 2011 09:00
    BBC Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast