NBC Looking For Contestants For New Show Hosted By Bear Grylls

NBC has put out a casting call for a new reality show that promises to be quite an adventure. The unnamed show will be hosted by Bear Grylls of “Man vs. Wild” fame and features a large cash prize, although just how large remains to be seen.

The show’s format sounds vaguely familiar with the premise being that teams of two will be dropped in a remote location and will have to learn to exist in the wild while racing against others towards a finish line. The description indicates that the competitors will need to work together as a team, while maintaining their courage and determination, in order to avoid being eliminated. That seems to indicate that there will be distinct stages and challenges for the competition, not unlike CBS’s popular show “The Amazing Race.”

To audition for the show simply email the names of the two people on your team as well as the nature of your relationship, to bearshowcasting@gmail.com. The email should also include brief bios, occupations, contact info, photos and a note as to why you should be picked to be on the show. Contestants must be legal residents of the United States and 21-years of age or older on February 2013. A valid U.S. passport is also a requirement, which seems to indicate that this adventure will take place in a foreign country.

In the press release info that I received, the show is being billed as the “Ultimate Outdoor Adventure Competition.” If that sounds like it’s your cup of tea, than blast out that email ASAP. Now if only we can get a “Team Gadling” into the competition.

[Photo credit: Bear Grylls]

Survivorman Les Stroud returning to televison

One of the Discovery Channel’s most popular programs, Survivorman, is returning to television after being on hiatus for more than three years. The show, which features host Les Stroud demonstrating survival techniques in extreme settings, such as the Kalahari Desert or Alaskan wilderness, will relaunch with a series of special episodes sometime in 2012.

While Stroud’s list of destinations is not yet known, we do know that the format for the show will remain mostly the same. The episodes are filmed by Les himself, who goes out into the wild alone, carrying all of his camera and survival gear. In the past, he would usually spend seven days living in the wilderness, but according to the announcement on his website, he’ll actually be staying out for ten days on these new episodes. Apparently he’ll also begin filming the first new show in just three weeks time.

Fans of Stroud will be happy to hear of his return, as he had garnered quite a loyal following when the first three seasons of Survivorman were being aired. At the time, there were numerous comparisons to Man vs. Wild, the show hosted by Bear Grylls, which often sparked debates as to which of the men best knew his stuff. While Bear is a bit more theatrical and over the top, Les tends to remain more grounded and practical in his approach. Both shows are fun to watch however and I always enjoy seeing the destinations as much as what kind of trouble the two men can get into there.

The new Survivorman specials are set to air on OLN in Canada, Discovery Science in the U.S., and Discovery Channel International elsewhere. No word yet on when we can expect the shows to hit the airwaves however.

[Photo credit: Les Stroud]

Will Ferrell (yes, that Will Ferrell) joins Bear Grylls for episode of Man vs. Wild

Actor-comedian Will Ferrell recently braved some frigid conditions in Sweden while joining Bear Grylls for a taping of the popular Discovery Channel show Man vs. Wild. Ferrell called the experience, which included rappelling down frozen waterfalls and drinking his own urine in the remote mountains of Sweden, “the thrill of a lifetime,” although he notes that he “did get urine-drunk, which is sad.”

So how did Frank the Tank handle the harsh conditions? According to Bear Grylls, pretty well. Said Grylls: “Will did an amazing job in subzero, very unforgiving conditions. He trusted me when it mattered, and we survived. … He should be very proud of how he performed.”

The episode will air in early June, just before the release of Ferrell’s upcoming movie Land of the Lost.

What am I doing on a Sunday afternoon? Watching wildlife videos!

It’s sunny and mild outside, with just the slightest of breeze: the perfect fall day. But I’m holed up in my room, watching Youtube (Man vs. Wild episodes). But there’s a much better way to be anti-social on a Sunday afternoon. It’s called Fancast, a site with completely legitimate full length movies and television episodes.

I just finished a 40-minute documentary on the Serengeti, narrated by James Earl Jones. It’s below. Oh, and those Man vs Wild episodes? Check them out here.

Is Discovery’s Man vs. Wild a hoax? Find out Friday

This past Summer, Bear Grylls — star of Discovery’s Man vs. Wild — came under fire in a NY Post expose which claimed he “appears to camp out in quickly-built shelters deep in the wilderness while battling hypothermia and dehydration. But when the cameras stop rolling, Grylls has actually moved to luxurious hotels.”

When we covered the story, our readers responded with mixed feelings. “I don’t really think its a big deal, bear still does alot of stupid things and has proved his worth with his accomplishments,” wrote Gadling reader Adam. “The fact that he gets to kick back and relax during shooting doesn’t mean the information is any less useful, its not meant to be a documentary, more of a how to.”

Not everyone felt the same. “I see that a lot of people don’t care about the lies,” wrote another reader. “Let’s [not] fool ourselves, that is what they are…lies.”

This Friday, new episodes of Man vs. Wild will air that promise to “have more revelations about Grylls’ survival tactics in desolate places,” which will end up giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how the show is made, according to the AP.

Can Bear save his reputation?

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