Grylls grins and bears it
Bear Grylls is dreaming of a bug infested jungle. Or a blistering desert. Anything but a day of press interviews, writes Todd Florance.
Nothing personal, insists the adventurer. "I'll take the jungle any day," laughs the 34-year-old.
"Those places are my home turf. They're what I've been trained to deal with and am familiar with. I'm much more nervous facing interviewers."
Hard to believe from a man who's thought nothing of biting off a snake's head and eating it for breakfast.
"I just thrive in those high pressure moments," he clarifies. "Whether climbing a mountain or if something's going wrong in a jungle, it's about how you react in the moment.
"When I get into those big moments I come alive a bit and I like it. It's time to shine when the chips are down."
That's not to say he doesn't appreciate a little quiet time at home as well.
"No one appreciates the comforts of home more than me, I like being cosy and cooking with my boys," he smiles. "When I'm working I get into the zone, but drop it pretty quickly at home.
"I don't talk about it much and the kids are too young to watch it. I just get into normal life. I like having the distinction between the two."
At five and two, Jesse and Marmaduke may be too young to see the tight spots he gets into, but wife Shara isn't.
"I work on minimal information. I'm not sure she enjoys seeing what we do," admits Bear. "And with some of the things I eat, I wouldn't be allowed back into the marital bed if she knew!"
Soon, there'll be three little Bears in the Grylls home, with another son due in January.
"It'll be real troop of little lads," says the proud dad, who concedes it's a matter of time before they start following in his adventurous footsteps.
"Jesse and Marmaduke are starting to love it a bit too much. I'm always catching them trying to dig up ants and worms and things," he smiles.
"Half of me thinks 'that's brilliant', but the other half thinks 'no, they're going to have normal jobs!'"
Before the new arrival, Bear's got to fit in another series of Born Survivor - and an expedition to Antarctica.
"I'm leading a team to try to climb a remote, unclimbed peak down there," he explains. Feeling any nerves about it?
"Of course, but it's there to sharpen you," he says. "I've got no lack of enthusiasm and excitement - my problem is I need 10 lifetimes to do it all."
Born Survivor, C4, Sundays, 5.45pm