Bear Grylls, the host of Running Around with Bear Grylls, has been on many adventures throughout his life and he’s gladly taken his fans and several celebrities on his crazy journey. However, in a special episode airing tonight, Bear will show his viewers something they’ve never seen before — a different side of President Barack Obama.
Yes, you read that correctly. With about 50 secret service agents and snipers, President Obama decided to join Bear on an adventure through the Alaskan Wilderness to have a little fun in the outdoors and take a look into the real effects of climate change. Oh, and to eat some fresh salmon. Yum!
Check out the promo for “A President in the Wild” below and read our Q&A with Bear about how he prepared for his trip with President Obama and what he thought about him as just a regular guy!
The special edition of Running Wild with Bear Grylls airs this Thursday, December 17th @ 10PM ET on NBC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glru2N3Pkvw
CS4U: Okay. So can you talk a little bit about your impression of him and what kinds of things did you guys do together?
Bear Grylls: “Well, my overriding impression was just he’s really humble, family-centered, lovely guy, you know? I mean, of course, the times along the route I have to kind of pinch myself and think actually, you know, this is the president of America, you know? And I think there’s a connection when you’re out in the wild with someone. I always say it’s the ultimate learning, you know, and he’s a dad and I’m a dad and, you know, he cares about preserving.
You know, the reason – one of the big reasons he wanted to do this, that he wanted, you know, to see some of the effects of climate change close up, you know, and he’s a dad and he wants to preserve, you know, the planet for his children’s future, you know, and I feel exactly the same way, you know? I spend all of my life charging around the world and all of these wildernesses and I see the harsh reality of climate change close up.
And, you know, as you would say as well, we want to protect this incredible planet. It’s the only one we got, you know, and we want to make sure our children get to enjoy these, you know, wonderful wildernesses. So there is a great connection there.
But also, you know, as I said, my overriding thing was actually what a really lovely guy. And he was excited to be there and he was, you know, he was, you know, fun to be able to kind of pull each other’s leg a little bit, you know, in a way that if you just sort of meet someone in the White House with interview situation, it’s difficult to do, you know, but you’re out there and, you know, you kind of light fire together and climb up trees and, you know, half eaten salmons and, you know, talking about flatulence and the berries and all of that gets out, you know? That is as you come at the great moments with, you know, the connections always come. So huge privilege but definitely a fair side of the president you never see before.
You know, I watched the other day the final cut with just some friends and family at home and they were just silent at the end. They go “Oh my god, you’ve done it.” I have no idea he was going to be quite like – quite that intimate and quite that fun and revealing, you know, him talking about his – you know, what he really fears and, you know, what he’s learnt and what he struggles with and talked about faith and family and all of that stuff. So it’s been a huge privilege.”
CS4U: How did you advise the president to prepare for this trek either mentally or physically?
Bear Grylls: “I think I was the one that needed the preparation, you know. I think one of the things I learned is he is incredibly confident that (diving into these) different situations, you know, and, you know, I said to him right after we just lit the fire, I said, “Annoying president, you’re good at everything. You just, you know, normally people take hours doing this. You’re just naturally good at it.”
But I suppose it’s no surprise you got to be (clued up) and you got to be sharp and a quick learner and a good listener if you’re president. So he didn’t have any problems with that. Of anything, you really just wanted physicality and to go and to get up and work hard and he’s really out for everything.
So all I said is come along, you know, come with a smaller team as possible for the president to come with and, you know, trust us to look after you once we’re out there in the wild and we’ll have fun, you know, and I think he’s definitely got that sort of feel that he just wanted this to be a really fun day and that’s why, as I’ve said, it was so lovely hearing him say at the end that it’d been one of the best days, you know, of his presidency.”
CS4U: Can you talk a little bit about your impression of him and what kinds of things did you guys do together?
Bear Grylls: “Well, my overriding impression was just he’s really humble, family-centered, lovely guy, you know? I mean, of course, the times along the route I have to kind of pinch myself and think actually, you know, this is the president of America, you know? And I think there’s a connection when you’re out in the wild with someone. I always say it’s the ultimate learning, you know, and he’s a dad and I’m a dad and, you know, he cares about preserving.
You know, the reason – one of the big reasons he wanted to do this, that he wanted, you know, to see some of the effects of climate change close up, you know, and he’s a dad and he wants to preserve, you know, the planet for his children’s future, you know, and I feel exactly the same way, you know? I spend all of my life charging around the world and all of these wildernesses and I see the harsh reality of climate change close up.
And, you know, as you would say as well, we want to protect this incredible planet. It’s the only one we got, you know, and we want to make sure our children get to enjoy these, you know, wonderful wildernesses. So there is a great connection there.
But also, you know, as I said, my overriding thing was actually what a really lovely guy. And he was excited to be there and he was, you know, he was, you know, fun to be able to kind of pull each other’s leg a little bit, you know, in a way that if you just sort of meet someone in the White House with interview situation, it’s difficult to do, you know, but you’re out there and, you know, you kind of light fire together and climb up trees and, you know, half eaten salmons and, you know, talking about flatulence and the berries and all of that gets out, you know? That is as you come at the great moments with, you know, the connections always come. So huge privilege but definitely a fair side of the president you never see before.
You know, I watched the other day the final cut with just some friends and family at home and they were just silent at the end. They go “Oh my god, you’ve done it.” I have no idea he was going to be quite like – quite that intimate and quite that fun and revealing, you know, him talking about his – you know, what he really fears and, you know, what he’s learnt and what he struggles with and talked about faith and family and all of that stuff. So it’s been a huge privilege.”
CS4U: Was there a moment that you impressed with the most when you are spending time with Barack or was there something that really stands out in your mind as a memorable moment from filming?
Bear Grylls: “I’d say the kind of – if I look back in the whole thing, for me, the two moments. One was stood beforehand on the riverbank, you know, and we have this big journey to get in there, the shot down the airspace, you know, we’re on helicopter filming so far and then was on foot for the last. It was all quite frantic, you know? Just flying out from the UK the night before and straight in there. Suddenly it all went still and I was waiting at the riverbank and I can see, you know, all the Secret Service and the snipers positioned all around this mountain with the helicopters and it was like “Wow, I am really genuinely nervous.”
As soon as he arrived and, you know, he was just saying “Hey,” you know, “I’ve been a big fan of the show and it’s great to meet and let’s go and do it.” It was like, you know, awesome and let’s just, you know, let’s just go for it.
But I think at the end of it that really stood out for me was the little thing we did right at the end where we prayed together and it’s funny because it’s like sort of such an intimate thing to do but we talked about faith on the journey and how he’d said that one of his heroes is President Lincoln have said this quote that if you’re not a religious man when you take off, you know, you will be by the end. It brings you into your knees.
And I said right at the end I said, you know, “It’s been such a privilege. I’d love just to praise you.” And, you know, he’s a man who everyone is always taking some, you know, everyone wanting something whether it’s, you know, (poking him in the chest) about this or that or what is he going to do to solve this (problem) and, you know, for eight years, that’s all he’s had.
And I think one of the reasons he said to me this seems to be one of the best days of his presidency all of eight years and he said “You didn’t want anything from me. We’re just, you know, sharing a little bit of our world.” And, you know, so nice to be able to lay hands on him and just say a little prayer to, you know, pray for protection of all the work he’s doing and it was just for ten seconds, you know, and he gave me a big hug at the end of it and I thought (you know, this is a real) special moment actually and a moment I’ll never forget.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzBNV6r31bc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gwh3cGlKmbI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DslPYTrQhO8
Photos: Delbert Shoopman/NBC
