Bear Grylls has left his Instagram followers stunned after sharing a video of his 18-year-old son Jesse base jumping from a cliff in Italy. The TV survival expert, 47, from London, posted the clip on his Instagram page earlier this week, showing the teenager throwing himself off an enormous cliff in the Dolomites.
In the post, Grylls wrote: 'Jesse is now 18 and his own man, ready for life… He is kind, humble, hard working, original and I can’t stop him jumping off stuff.' He added: 'This is his first big wall BASE jump in the Dolomites. Under canopy by 10 seconds or it’s toast. Stay smart Jesse. As we say: “pull high don’t die.” You’re the best. We miss you here on the island.'
The clip shows Jesse taking a deep breath before launching himself off the cliff, then soaring through the air before pulling his parachute chord. Many followers were horrified, with one writing: 'I would be horrified if my son did that, you are truly a braver man than I.' Another asked: 'Does his mother know he does this??'
This is not the first time Jesse's adventurous behaviour has sparked controversy. In 2015, Grylls faced criticism for leaving Jesse alone on rocks in the sea during a lifeboat training rescue mission in Abersoch, north Wales. Grylls defended his actions in a column for The Times, arguing that children should be allowed to take risks to learn independence and self-reliance.
Grylls, who has three children with wife Shara Cannings Knight, has also previously admitted to taking his sons paragliding without safety helmets, saying he 'knows how to do it safely'. The remarks drew criticism from instructors.
