Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen nearly died while filming Netflix show Bear Hunt and ‘had to be resuscitated by Grylls’ after he was dragged underwater during freak river accident

It’s billed as ‘the ultimate survival challenge’ but it can be revealed that interior designer Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen nearly died during the filming of the Netflix show Bear Hunt after a freak accident.

During filming in Costa Rica in May last year, Laurence was among celebrities taking part in a water challenge and was told to leap from a boat into the river.

Sources say that he became entangled in a bungee rope and got stuck underneath the boat. 

He was dragged underwater for several heart-stopping minutes before being pulled to safety by members of the team supervising the stunt, and lost consciousness.

Laurence, 59, was then resuscitated on the shore by survival expert and former Chief Scout Bear Grylls, who is ‘hunting’ the celebrities in the show.

A source told MailOnline: ‘Laurence was very shaken as was everyone. He said that he thought he was a goner.

Laurence Llewellyn-Bowen, 59, nearly died during the filming of the Netflix show Bear Hunt after a freak accident

During filming in Costa Rica in May last year, Laurence was among celebrities taking part in a water challenge and was told to leap from a boat into the river

Sources say that he became entangled in a bungee rope and got stuck underneath the boat. He was dragged underwater for several heart-stopping minutes before being pulled to safety by members of the team supervising the stunt, and lost consciousness

‘It was a very serious situation and at the time we thought that maybe Netflix wouldn’t show what happened because it was that bad, but now it looks as if it will be in the programme.

‘Netflix were very very apologetic about it afterwards.’

The show, which is presented by Holly Willoughby and is streaming from February 5th, sees 12 celebrities taking part in challenges in the jungle, including former tennis champion Boris Becker, Strictly’s Shirley Ballas, Spice Girl Mel B and model Lottie Moss.

In a trailer released this week, Mel B says that the experience is ‘terrifying.’

Earlier this month there were reports of a feud among the celebrities which reportedly escalated to the point where show bosses called a meeting to try and calm tensions.

In the show Bear Grylls hunts the stars down in a ‘game of cat and mouse’ and if they are captured then they are eliminated.

British Victoria’s Secret model Leomie Anderson will be on the show as will retired English rugby union player Danny Cipriani, TV personality Big Zuu, actor Una Healey from The Saturdays, actors Kola Bokinni and Joe Thomasand TV presenter Steph McGovern.

Flamboyant Laurence went to Alleyn’s school in Dulwich, South East London and graduated from the Camberwell School of Arts and Crafts. 

Laurence was then resuscitated on the shore by survival expert and former Chief Scout Bear Grylls, who is ‘hunting’ the celebrities in the show

A source told MailOnline: ‘Laurence was very shaken as was everyone. He said that he thought he was a goner. It was a very serious situation and at the time we thought that maybe Netflix wouldn’t show what happened because it was that bad’

Laurence clutched onto his co-star following the freak accident

He became famous thanks to the hugely successful show Changing Rooms. He’s also appeared as a judge on the ITV show Popstar to Operastar. 

He lives in Gloucestershire with his wife Jackie, their two daughters, their daughters husbands and four grandchildren. He said in a recent interview that the house has been split so that each part of the family can enjoy ‘complete autonomy.’ 

Adventurer Bear Grylls is a former SAS trooper who fronted various wilderness survival formats including Man Vs Wild, Running Wild with Bear Grylls and The Island with Bear Grylls.

Bear Hunt’s presenter Holly Willoughby quit her role on This Morning in 2023 after being alerted to a kidnap rape and murder plotted by ‘obsessed’ security guard Gavin Plumb. 

He was convicted in July last year and sentenced to life with a minimum of 15 years. She has since presented Dancing on Ice and You Bet! And moved house.