Bear Grylls has defended his decision to baptise Russell Brand, stating that his Christian faith compels him not to judge others, even as Brand faces new rape and sexual assault charges. In an interview with Metro, Grylls addressed the controversy for the first time in two years, reaffirming his commitment to compassion over condemnation.
Grylls' Faith and the Baptism
The 52-year-old survivalist, known for his TV series 'Running Wild', baptised Brand in the River Thames in 2024, just five months after Brand was first accused of sexual assault—accusations he denies. The baptism, which also involved a third person, was widely publicised when Brand posted a photo on Instagram with the caption: 'Me, Bear Grylls, The River Thames and of course, The Holy Spirit.'
Grylls faced significant backlash for the act, but he initially told the Daily Mail that 'it is a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness and strength from above.' A year later, he reiterated his stance to The Times, saying he 'tries to live in a way that I never judge and I always try and love.'
Doubts and Evolution of Faith
Now, two years on, with Brand having admitted to having sex with a 16-year-old when he was 30, and weeks after pleading not guilty to a string of new rape and sexual assault charges, Grylls was asked if he still stands by his ethos. He responded: 'I think all our faith changes and evolves, and I'd also say I have many doubts as well. I really struggle with so much of it.'
He continued: 'But I don't know, I think at heart, my faith says we're connected together and we need each other, and not to judge people and to love people.' Grylls also shared that the phrase 'What would Christ do?' remains a steady mantra for him, shaping how he approaches 'relationships and your own life and risk and adventure and all that stuff.'
He elaborated on his daily spiritual practice: 'I really try and keep that as that compass in my life. I don't know. It's like I say, I'm not super religious, but I do try and just start the day as a discipline on my knees and to say sorry, and to say thank you, and then to say help for the day ahead, and then I crack on with it.'
New Series: 'The Chosen in the Wild'
Grylls' comments come as he promotes his new Amazon Prime series, 'The Chosen in the Wild', which premieres all six episodes on August 9, 2026. The show takes the main cast members of the hit series 'The Chosen'—Jonathan Roumie (Jesus), Paras Patel (Matthew), Elizabeth Tabish (Mary Magdalene), Noah James (Andrew), and Luke Dimyan (Judas)—on wilderness adventures. 'The Chosen' has amassed hundreds of millions of viewers across five seasons, and Grylls himself is a fan.
Grylls said he has never experienced such raw emotion from actors: 'I don't think I've ever had so much emotion across so many episodes, such consistent, honest vulnerability and heart from actors as I have in Chosen in the Wild, because these roles really have changed their lives, and that surprised me. It really did.'
A Dream Fulfilled
The series also fulfils a lifelong ambition for Grylls. 'I was nervous because my secret dream would be to do Running Wild with Jesus, and this was about as close as I was ever going to get,' he revealed. Having previously featured guests like President Obama, Narendra Modi, Julia Roberts, and Ben Stiller, Grylls noted that this project stands out: 'We'd done President Obama and Modi and Julia Roberts and Ben Stiller and all these people, but this was just special. I was nervous beforehand. I wanted to do it justice because I knew that so many people would be excited about this one.'
He added that the show has generated 'the most fan anticipation' of any he has done, with an estimated 280 million viewers of 'The Chosen' eagerly awaiting a glimpse into the actors' real personalities. Grylls praised Jonathan Roumie, who has 4.2 million Instagram followers, for being 'incredibly honest about his battles and struggles with playing Jesus on a personal level.'
Faith in Nature
For Grylls, his faith is deeply connected to the outdoors. 'Even if I lie on the grass a little bit with the dogs or put my feet in a stream or connect with the earth again, for me that is my spirituality,' he said. 'Those two things actually shape my faith: friendships and the outdoors. Chosen in the Wild, as a show, brings those two things together beautifully, and in a way I didn't anticipate.'
