Bear Grylls: Young people are stronger than ever

The survivalist insists the youth of today are more resilient than you might expect
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Kimberley Bond13 August 2020

Bear Grylls is challenging the perception that younger generations are “snowflakes” - insisting that they're stronger than ever.

It’s been a particularly rough week for many teenagers in the UK, with thousands left bitterly disappointed after their A-Level results were marked down, as they were unable to sit their exams due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Nearly 40 per cent of students have received grades lower than their predicted scores, and now face a wait of at least a week before they can appeal.

But while we’ve seen a sea of sad faces on this unusual A-Level results day, adventurer Grylls, 46, has argued that young people are made of stronger stuff than many people think.

The adventurer often works with young people
Ben Queenborough/Pinpep

“I think with my experience working with Scouts, young people are stronger than ever. They really are,” he told Standard Online. “There’s always going to be exceptions, but it’s been inspirational to see their strength.

“They’re inspirational, full of positivity and determination. My experience is that young people are completely amazing.”

In 2009, Grylls was made the youngest-ever Chief Scout in the UK.

Grylls' latest show seems him head to Fiji

In his latest venture, World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji for Amazon Prime Video, Grylls oversees 66 teams as in a test of adaptability and endurance as they race across Fiji’s rugged terrain.

It was India’s team Khikuri Warriors, featuring young twins Nungshi and Tashi Malik, that he was particularly impressed by.

“They’re young girls, so I was left wondering how they could cope,” he said. “But they’re inspirational.”

Grylls argues lockdown may have sparked a sense of adventure in some
Brian J Ritchie/Hotsauce/Rex

Grylls added that the ongoing lockdown will have most likely increased the nation’s thirst for adventure, and hopes to see more people trying new things in the wake of World’s Toughest Race.

“I think it takes a knock for us to realise how special life is and that you need to grab it,” he said. “In lockdown, people are really hungry for a show like this as it just reminds them how spectacular the world is and it reminds them of the value of it.

“The storms in life don’t last forever. Sometimes you’ve got to dig deep and hang on in there. You’ve got to be quietly brave and resilient and just keep going, and that will be the lesson of the world in lockdown."

“But [coronavirus] has also made us come together. It’s been amazing how the world has come together and that is the heart of World’s Toughest Races – you have to work as a team and come together; you cant finish the race without your team. If you drop a team member, you’re out.

“So the show feels really timely.”

World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji launches on Prime Video on Friday, August 14

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