Nat Geo isn’t hibernating — er, sleeping — on Bear Grylls. In addition to having the wilderness-survival expert host and narrate its upcoming “Hostile Planet,” the cable channel is also taking over his now-former NBC show, “Running Wild With Bear Grylls.”
The new season of “Running Wild” is currently in production, Nat Geo executives said Sunday at the Television Critics Association press tour. It will premiere in December on National Geographic Channel.
Grylls’ “Hostile Planet” debuts on Nat Geo in April. Throughout 2018, National Geographic aired reruns of the NBC “Running Wild” episodes.
The new season, which includes a new celebrity lineup of adventurers, will transport viewers across remote locations in the US and around the world, including the jagged cliffs of Sardinia; a massive glacier in Iceland; the deep jungles and remote islands of Panama; and the deserts and canyons of Utah. These celebrities will push beyond their limits to see if they can endure the harsh wilderness in their high-octane, action-based, fear-tackling journeys. The intrepid cast members will face their deepest fears and tackle everything from wild animals to rock repelling as they will journey through some of the world’s most unforgiving wildernesses.
“I’m so proud to have joined the National Geographic family, whose brand is synonymous with adventure,” Grylls said on Sunday. “Sharing an epic wilderness journey with these world-renowned celebrities and getting to know the human side of them along the way is the magic of this show. Ultimately, we aim to inspire people to break free from their comfort zones and embrace the adventurous spirit that we all possess.”
“Bear is the perfect fit National Geographic, and we’re fortunate that he’s not only the face of the upcoming ‘Hostile Planet,’ but that he’s also brought home his high-adrenaline series ‘Running Wild with Bear Grylls,’” added Geoff Daniels, who is executive vice president of global unscripted entertainment for National Geographic Channels. “This season has the DNA to be the most action packed one yet with bigger and bolder physical challenges, more of Bear’s totally innovative, spur-of-the-moment survival tricks and plenty of gut-wrenching and unforgettable field-inspired ‘dining’ experiences. In addition, we’re creating the most visually immersive, exotic, harrowing and downright beautiful looking season to date.”
“Running Wild with Bear Grylls” was developed by Grylls and Delbert Shoopman. The series is produced by Electus, a Propagate Company, and Bear Grylls Ventures.
For Electus and Bear Grylls Ventures, Grylls serves as executive producer along with Chris Grant, Drew Buckley, Ben Silverman, Howard Owens, Rob Buchta and Delbert Shoopman. For National Geographic, Bengt Anderson is executive producer. Geoff Daniels is executive vice president of global unscripted entertainment for National Geographic Channels