Bear Grylls is taking it up a level by teaching his celebrity guests essential survival skills that they’ll have to master and then prove they can use in a high-stress situation on RUNNING WILD WITH BEAR GRYLLS: THE CHALLENGE.
This season’s celebrity guests include award-winning actor and filmmaker Bradley Cooper, award-winning Marvel superhero Benedict Cumberbatch, award-winning actor and singer Cynthia Erivo, comedian and actor Russell Brand, award-winning actor Troy Kostur, singer-songwriter Rita Ora, The Little Mermaid‘s Daveed Diggs, and She Hulk’s Tatiana Maslany.
This season’s celebrity guest lineup and challenges include the following:
- CYNTHIA ERIVO IN THE BRECON BEACONS MOUNTAINS
Premieres July 23 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear Grylls takes singer-actress Cynthia Erivo to the highest mountains in Wales, where Bear trained in the British Special Forces. Bear teaches Cynthia how to rappel into and navigate a labyrinth of caves before they traverse a frigid and thunderous waterfall. On day two, Cynthia uses the skills she learned on day one to embark on her own, find Bear, and make it to their extraction.
- TROY KOTSUR IN THE SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS
Premieres July 30 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear takes his first deaf guest, Academy Award-winning actor Troy Kotsur, on an adventure in the Scottish Highlands. Bear and Troy must find a new way to communicate as they push themselves to the limits, traversing perilously steep mountains and raging rivers, but it’s the silence that builds their strongest bond.
- RUSSELL BRAND IN THE HEBRIDES ISLANDS
Premieres August 6 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear Grylls takes actor, activist and author Russell Brand on an adventure down the jagged coast of a secluded Scottish isle in search of 16th-century castle ruins to shelter in. Along the way, Bear teaches the brash and bombastic Brand survival skills that dredge up a long-forgotten but highly charged fear he must overcome to reach his extraction.
- RITA ORA IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE
Premieres August 13 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear Grylls takes singer-songwriter, actor and designer Rita Ora on an adventure in the Valley of Fire. The journey launches into high-octane action with the pair skydiving from 10,000 feet, plunging them into the desolate terrain. Bear teaches Rita how to navigate, find water, and rock climb, as he prepares her to earn her extraction on day two.
- DAVEED DIGGS IN THE GREAT BASIN DESERT
Premieres August 20 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear Grylls takes actor, musician and “Hamilton” star Daveed Diggs on an adventure in the Great Basin Desert to teach him to track, climb and eat whatever the desert provides. On day two, Daveed must fly solo and put his skills to the test by using what he’s learned to find Bear and earn his extraction.
- TATIANA MASLANY IN THE LARAMIE MOUNTAINS
Premieres August 27 at 9/8c on National Geographic
Bear Grylls invites “She-Hulk” and “Orphan Black” star Tatiana Maslany on a journey across Wyoming’s Laramie Mountains. Tatiana admits that she’s fearless on the screen, but she can’t tap into that same bravery in the real world. So, Bear challenges Tatiana to conquer massive cliff rappels, menacingly icy cliffs, and a zero-degree cold shock to the body to help her overcome her fears.
