Bear Grylls has revealed he would walk away from his television career if his wife Shara asked him to, as the couple mark 26 years of marriage. The adventurer, known for surviving extreme conditions from Antarctica to the Amazon, credits his wife's unwavering support as the backbone of his success.
Speaking ahead of their anniversary, Grylls said: 'I married somebody who I didn't know how loyal, smart and kind she is when I married her, because you don't really know when you're 25. But 26 years later, I know that.' He added that marriage is '50% finding the right person and 50% being the right person'.
The 51-year-old, who lives with Shara and their three children on a private island in North Wales, said he prioritises his marriage above all else. 'If she said “enough’s enough” in terms of my TV career, I’d honour that too because it’s no good being successful in life if it’s screwing up your home life,' he explained.
Despite his rugged on-screen persona, Grylls admitted he spends much of his time 'deconstructing that image'. He said: 'Just because you’re good at one thing, doesn’t mean you’re good at everything. I have a niche set of skills that have been useful. But as my family say, “Most of the time, this is not relevant to life.”'
The couple's island home, St Tudwal's Island West, which Grylls bought in 2001, features in his new BBC One series Wild Reckoning. The 16-part show sees him take pairs of people to the island to complete challenges designed to help them overcome relationship issues. Grylls said: 'Time together outside is never wasted. In the sun or barefoot or fresh air or with the dogs. Little building blocks make big cathedrals.'
