What is the show?
Man vs. Wild — also known as Born Survivor: Bear Grylls — follows Bear Grylls demonstrating survival techniques in remote environments while trying to make his way back to civilization. Discovery describes the premise as putting Grylls in the position of a stranded tourist. Locations ranged from Utah's Moab Desert and Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula to the Scottish Cairngorms, the Sahara and Iceland. The series ran for seven seasons on Discovery between 2006 and 2011.
- Network
- Discovery Channel
- Premiered
- November 10, 2006 series premiere (Wikipedia), after a separately dated pilot — sources disagree on the pilot's broadcast date (March 10 vs October 27, 2006)
- Seasons
- 7
- Episodes
- 73 plus 4 specials (Wikipedia); epguides lists 66 — sources conflict
- Production
- Diverse Productions (Bristol)
- Regions
- Moab, Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, the Cairngorms, the Sahara, Iceland and more
Seasons
- Season 7 — 2011, 6 episodes
- Season 6 — 2011, 6 episodes
- Season 5 — 2010, 7 episodes
- Season 4 — 2009, 14 episodes
In the news
- “Man vs. Wild” star Bear Grylls fired by TV network — Reuters
- Grylls apologises for “fake” show — BBC News
- Grylls series “to be transparent” — BBC News
The cast
All 7 seasons
Bear Grylls
Host and survivalist
Grylls demonstrates survival techniques in remote environments while attempting to get back to civilization; Discovery describes the premise as putting him in the position of a stranded tourist.
Photo: Kalei Brooks, Alaska National Guard, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Shows Bear Grylls.
2007–2008
The 2007 transparency controversy
Reported allegations, and Discovery's response
Consultant Mark Weinert alleged Grylls stayed in a Hawaiian motel during filming and that crew assembled a raft for him to rebuild on camera. Discovery acknowledged “isolated elements” were not natural to the environment and promised greater transparency. In 2008 Grylls apologized, explaining the team returned to a base camp or lodge after night filming.
Photo: Unsplash, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons. Shows the region, not the person.
All 7 seasons
Diverse Productions
Production company, Bristol
The British production company behind the series, named by Wikipedia and in the BBC's 2007 reporting.
Photo: Rosa Cabecinhas & Alcino Cunha, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Shows the region, not the person.
When & where to watch Man vs. Wild
Man vs. Wild ended its original run in 2011; Discovery ended its relationship with Bear Grylls in 2012.
No new season or weekly slot — episodes stream on demand.
Stream it on
- Discovery+
- HBO Max
- Discovery+ (Prime Video channel) — channel subscription
- HBO Max (Prime Video channel) — channel subscription
- Philo
- Buy episodes: Amazon Video or Apple TV
Availability checked October 22, 2026; services and schedules change, confirm with the provider.
Man vs. Wild FAQ
Is Man vs. Wild still making new episodes?
No — the original series ended in 2011 and no revival has been confirmed. Bear Grylls went on to other shows, including Running Wild with Bear Grylls.
How many seasons of Man vs. Wild are there?
The series history lists seven seasons, while JustWatch organizes its streaming catalog into eight — streaming folders don't always match production seasons.
Where can I stream Man vs. Wild?
In the US it's listed on Discovery+ and HBO Max (including their Prime Video channel versions) and Philo, with episodes for purchase on Amazon Video and Apple TV.
Wild10 is an independent fan hub and is not affiliated with Discovery Channel or Bear Grylls. Facts checked October 22, 2026; videos are embedded from the official YouTube channel. Like survival TV? See our Running Wild with Bear Grylls hub.