Bear Grylls 'regrets' not thanking his late father Sir Michael for giving him ... trends now

Bear Grylls 'regrets' not thanking his late father Sir Michael for giving him ... trends now
Bear Grylls 'regrets' not thanking his late father Sir Michael for giving him ... trends now

Bear Grylls 'regrets' not thanking his late father Sir Michael for giving him ... trends now

Bear Grylls has tearfully admitted he regrets not thanking his late father for giving him a love of the outdoors during his childhood.

The adventurer, 48, fought back tears as he spoke on stage at Hay Festival about his relationship with his father Sir Michael Grylls, who died in February 2001.

Bear told how one of his biggest biggest regrets in his life is not thanking his late father for giving him a love of the outdoors that went on to launch his career.

He explained how his father brought him up as a fan of the wilderness with boys-own adventures that would catapult him into a life as an SAS soldier, conquer Everest and become a world famous TV star who has written some 80 books.

Fighting back tears, Bear said: 'I don't know - I wish I could have (said to him). I never really articulated to my dad before he died and I wish now I had done. 

Emotional: Bear Grylls has tearfully admitted he regrets not thanking his late father for giving him a love of the outdoors during his childhood

Emotional: Bear Grylls has tearfully admitted he regrets not thanking his late father for giving him a love of the outdoors during his childhood

'Just to say thank you to him more than anything. Because really it was the best gift he gave me as a dad. Because I was never brilliant at school and the reports were never great. 

'But he only cared about "Are you being kind and are you doing your best, and are you having that never give up spirit, that muscle inside which says keep going keep going?".'

As a picture of him as a child with his father Sir Michael flashed up on screen behind him, Bear spoke of his regret not having that all-important heart-to-heart.

He looked back on the quality time he spent with his father going climbing together, saying they formed a close 'connection' through their love of the outdoors.

Bear also told how Sir Michael's death came not long after his Everest climb, adding: 'My dad died not long after I eventually got to climb Everest all those years later. And I see it so much clearer now that what he was teaching me was way beyond climbing. 

'He was teaching me to grab life and go for things. That bad weather is okay. That if you are with the right people, you are always going to get home

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