Bear Grylls

Bear Grylls interviewed in the Herald. He became a Christian through the Alpha course many years ago.

As for faith, Grylls is an enthusiastic Christian. "Faith is a big part of my life," he says easily. "A real backbone. It's easy not to care when everything's going well, but there are not many atheists in the death zone of Everest."

He and his children say prayers together at night. But even with divine inter vention, would he encourage them if they wanted the same sort of life he's had? Grylls looks sheepish.

"They're my kids," he laughs. "They can do anything they want ... just not dangerous things! No, I hope they'll have far more sensible jobs. My job's a great job for me, but I really don't want them to ... I'm so covered in scars and injuries, and I've been really lucky."....

..."I do believe that life is short and you've got to live it boldly. But it's also precious and you've got to be careful. And kids are so reckless. Like Jesse - I found him yesterday, abseiling with a rope round his body, about 12 feet down the cliff. And I said, 'Stop! You've just wrapped this around your chest, it's not strong enough. What are you doing? What's your back-up plan?'

"I really drum that into them ... They watch me on TV doing this stuff, but I say to them, 'Papa always has a back-up plan. If that vine breaks, I always have a handhold. If I hadn't had back-up plans, I would have died a long time ago.' And they do get it." He laughs again. "Well, they sort of get it. Of course, now they've started saying that their back-up plan is Jesus."