Bear Grylls Returns to Discovery Channel with Mission to Everest Special and All-New MAN VS. WILD Adventures

Bear Grylls Returns to Discovery Channel with Mission to Everest Special and All-New MAN VS. WILD Adventures

-- Fridays at 9 PM (ET/PT) Beginning November 9 --

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Fresh from his latest challenging adventures, Bear Grylls is back with a new one-hour special and the second season of MAN VS. WILD, airing Fridays at 9 PM (ET/PT) beginning November 9. Bear travels to the Himalayas for BEAR'S MISSION EVEREST, where this past spring he attempted to fulfill a dream to fly a powered paraglider higher than Everest, and takes MAN VS. WILD to the intense climates of the Sahara, Panama and Patagonia, where he shares invaluable knowledge for surviving in the extreme wild.

"We continue to seek out new exciting and daring adventures for Bear, and he continues to do what he does best -- as exemplified in these two different types of shows," said Discovery Channel President and General Manager Jane Root. "From an expedition documentary to hands-on demonstrations of life- saving tips for viewers, Bear Grylls brings out the adventurer in all of us."

In 1998 at age 23, Bear became the youngest British climber to ever complete a summit and descent of Mount Everest. This spring, Bear returned to the Himalayas to chase a new dream -- flying a powered paraglider higher than Everest. As a special companion piece to the second season of MAN VS. WILD, Discovery Channel will premiere a one-hour observational documentary that follows Bear, his close friend Gilo Cardozo, and their team as they attempt their dangerous feat -- raising money for a children's charity through their efforts. BEAR'S MISSION EVEREST, which premieres Friday, November 9, at 10 PM (ET/PT), follows the team during their meticulous preparations, recording their personal thoughts about motivation, hopes and fears that arise just before and during the flight -- and the drama of the flight itself.

The second season of MAN VS. WILD, beginning first on Friday, November 9, at 9 PM (ET/PT), focuses on three geographic areas visited by Bear. Each region will be the subject of two consecutive weeks. From the barren deserts of the Sahara (November 9 and 16), to the mist-filled jungles of Panama (November 23 and 30) and the isolated plains and glaciers of Patagonia (December 7 and 14), each epic program illustrates the variety of landscapes and presents a wide range of possible survival challenges for Bear.

Followed by a camera crew, Bear tackles these different scenarios, using his training and adventurous spirit for everything from climbing out of crevasses and scaling waterfalls, to scavenging and eating raw insects, fish and goats' testicles. Prior to production, Bear meets with local experts, guides and rangers and shares the knowledge he gains with viewers through action in the wilderness. Viewers will venture deeper into these forbidden landscapes alongside Bear as he encounters dangerous situations and meets nomadic tribesmen while filming.

Coming soon to http://www.discovery.com/manvswild, visitors will find an exclusive behind-the-scenes interview from Everest with Bear discussing what he missed while living at that altitude, what safety precautions he had to take, and whether he'd ever return to Everest for a third time. Other new online content will include video mash-ups of Bear's grossest and most

frustrating moments, "in Bear's shoes" survival quizzes, top 10 lists from Bear, picture puzzles and more.

Bear Grylls is a seasoned adventurer who served with the Special Air Service, a special forces unit of the British army, where he was trained as a survival expert. He has channeled his daring spirit into feats such as the highest-ever dinner party at a table suspended below a hot air balloon at 24,500 feet, and the first unassisted crossing of the frozen North Atlantic Ocean in an open rigid inflatable boat.

MAN VS. WILD and BEAR'S MISSION EVEREST are produced for Discovery Channel by Diverse Productions. For MAN VS. WILD and BEAR'S MISSION EVEREST, Jane Lomas is executive producer for Diverse. For MAN VS. WILD, Peter Lovering is executive in charge of production for Discovery Channel. For BEAR'S MISSION EVEREST, Mary Donahue is executive producer for Discovery Channel.

About Discovery Communications

Discovery Communications is the number-one nonfiction media company reaching more than 1.5 billion cumulative subscribers in over 170 countries. Through TV and digital media, Discovery's 100-plus worldwide networks include Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, The Science Channel, Discovery Health and HD Theater. Discovery Communications is owned by Discovery Holding Co. (NASDAQ:DISCA) (NASDAQ:DISCB) , Advance/Newhouse Communications and John S. Hendricks, Discovery's founder and chairman. For more information please visit http://www.discoverycommunications.com/.

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Source: Discovery Channel

CONTACT: Elizabeth Hillman, +1-240-662-2664,
Elizabeth_Hillman@discovery.com, Katherine Nelson, +1-310-975-5975,
Katherine_Nelson@discovery.com, or Jill Bondurant, +1-240-662-2927,
Jill_Bondurant@discovery.com, all of the Discovery Channel

Web site: http://www.discovery.com/
http://www.discoverycommunications.com/
http://www.discovery.com/manvswild

NOTE TO EDITORS: High-resolution photography is available for download at http://www.press.discovery.com

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Profile: International Entertainment