He survived a back-breaking parachute accident and reached the summit of Mount Everest 18 months later at the age of 23, but now Bear Grylls has taken on perhaps his most daunting challenge – converting lewd comic Russell Brand to Christianity.
The Daily Mail can disclose that Grylls, 49, who is Chief Scout and counts the Prince and Princess of Wales among his friends, took part in the baptism of Brand in the Thames last week.
‘I want to thank Bear Grylls and my mate Joe, the two men that stood either side of me and flanked me for the baptism itself,’ Brand confirms on social media.
‘Week one as a Christian has been amazing. The ceremony itself was incredible.’
The anarchic comedian turned conspiracy theorist, who lives in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, says the christening took place ‘at home and in the River Thames’.
Rusell Brand says he was christened at ‘at home and in the River Thames’ after converting to Christianity
The comedian ventured across the Hebrides with Grylls in the former SAS trooper’s Apple TV+ show, Running Wild with Bear Grylls before the adventurer helped the comic with his conversion
The River Thames and All Saints Church in the background in Marlow, Buckinghamshire where Brand lives
Brand, 48, was twice interviewed by police under caution last year over alleged sexual offences brought to light by a joint Dispatches and Sunday Times investigation into him.
Brand denied the allegations, claiming his relationships ‘were absolutely always consensual’.
Eton-educated Bear is the son of late Conservative MP Sir Michael Grylls.
He is one of Britain’s most prominent Christians and has appeared in marketing material for the Alpha course, an evangelical introduction to Christianity that is said to have recruited 29 million to the faith.
It was created by the Anglican priest Nicky Gumbel, of Holy Trinity Brompton, just across the road from Harrods in London’s Knightsbridge.
While it was not known that Grylls was encouraging Brand’s conversion, the pair had become friends through their television work. Last year, the comedian ventured across the Hebrides with Grylls in the former SAS trooper’s Apple TV+ show, Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
During his appearance, Brand opened up to Grylls about his failed marriage to American pop superstar Katy Perry, whom he referred to as ‘an amazing person’, although he described his time married to her as ‘chaotic’.
Other big names who have appeared on Grylls’s show include former U.S. President Barack Obama and Hollywood stars Kate Winslet and Ben Stiller.
During Brand’s appearance on Grylls’s new show, the pair discussed his failed marriage to American pop superstar Katy Perry. He described the marriage as ‘chaotic’ but described Perry as ‘an amazing person’
Brand has been discussing faith more openly on his social media pages and in his YouTube videos and was Christened last week
Next year, the adventurer is due to star in a much-anticipated series for Netflix, Bear Hunt, an I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!-style survival programme which will be hosted by Holly Willoughby.
Brand made his name with his outrageous comedy routines and was notorious for his womanising and drug use.
On BBC Radio 2 in 2008, he and presenter Jonathan Ross called the late Fawlty Towers star Andrew Sachs, leaving three messages on the answerphone, making repeated lewd and graphic claims about his granddaughter, Georgina Baillie.
He since apologised to her and paid for her to undergo rehab for her alcohol and drug addiction.
Grylls has spoken about the difference between faith and religion, as he sees it. ‘I meet so many people who don’t want ‘religion’ as such,’ he said.
‘I get it. I feel the same. And, in fact, so did Jesus, the heart of all Christian faith. Faith and religion are not the same thing.
‘The Jesus I read about in the Bible was fun, free and wild. He loved a party and he always hung out with the non-religious folk. The only people he ever got angry with were the overly religious types.’
Grylls, who is Chief Scout, was invited to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth and also attended King Charles’s Coronation.
He has appeared at several events with the Princess of Wales, who is joint president of the Scout Association.
He has also spoken of his environmental work with the Prince of Wales. ‘Prince William and myself are very closely involved with a conservation society,’ he explained in 2022.
‘And I know that is something that is really close to Prince George’s heart as well, he loves all of that.’
Grylls recalled being introduced to Prince George by Catherine’s mother, Carole Middleton, while taking part in Prince William and Catherine’s charity sailing regatta on the Isle of Wight, where he said they ate ‘live ants together’.
Last night, Grylls told the Daily Mail: ‘Faith and spiritual moments in our lives are really personal, but it is a privilege to stand beside anyone when they express a humble need for forgiveness and strength from above.
‘Friendships when we go through tough times are worth so much.’
