Bear Grylls fans only just learning how he got the name – and what he's actually called

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

He has been involved in numerous survival television series in the UK and US - but many fans still have no idea how Bear Grylls got his iconic name.

Born Edward Michael Grylls in Donaghadee, Northern Ireland, he entered the spotlight after securing several world records in hostile environments.

Following this, he starred on TV series Man vs. Wild in 2006 to 2011 - cementing him as a household name. But despite his decades-long popularity, some of his fans have only just stopped to question how he became known as Bear, with Made in Chelsea's Spencer Matthews, from the Big Fish podcast, asking: "When did you become Bear Grylls that we all know?" In the TikTok video, Bear shared how his moniker isn't at all related to outdoor adventure, but actually has a more humble meaning.

He said: "Everyone always thinks it’s some butch story of how I wrestled a bear at the age of four. The truth is, I had an older sister who thought ‘that’s a really boring name’. "My mum had had three miscarriages and my sister was eight years old and I was a little toy." He later explained how his fans usually expect him to have a "butch" persona - but this is far from his real personality.