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Grylls…Bear Grylls. He’s perhaps the suavest man on television, despite favouring cargo pants over Saville Row suits and preferring his own urine to martinis.

When he was born Edward in 1974 to proud parents Sir Michael and Lady Sarah, who could’ve guessed he’d grow up to become the preeminent insect-consuming adventurer of the 21st century? On paper, it would’ve made sense for the Eton-educated Grylls to pursue a career in politics, like his father, or perhaps host Antiques Roadshow.

It was not to be. Instead, he spearheads the show Man vs. Wild, an offering from Discovery Channel that sees Grylls subjected to a brutal environment from around the globe each week.

The show’s enduring popularity stems largely from Grylls. He revels in physical challenges, like climbing sheer rock faces and sliding down glaciers, that would bring the average person to tears. He is resourceful; possessing the ability to make a raft from three twigs and a shoelace (possibly an overstatement) and, once aboard said raft, giving himself an enema. Most impressive of all, he eats creatures you wouldn’t even step on. Highlights have included raw zebra meat, yak eyeball and goat testes.

Grylls’ childlike enthusiasm and affability makes the show a joy to watch. It boasts almost 1.5 million Facebook fans, with Man vs. Wild-inspired mugs, t-shirts and a video game available online. He obviously possesses stellar star power.

British bushman Ray Mears is a detractor. He calls Grylls a “showman” and has criticised his survival cred in the past. True, the show is far more refined — and choreographed in some instances — than those of Les Hiddins (the Bush Tucker Man), the recently departed Malcolm Douglas and Survivorman’s Les Stroud, but Grylls was a survival instructor in the SAS and has led numerous expeditions. In short, he’s qualified enough for us.

The adventures of Bear Grylls have been televised for five years. Men want to be him, women want to get lost in the wilderness — and his frosty blue eyes — with him, kids think he’s Tarzan 2.0. Let the wild times continue.

The details: Man vs. Wild (it’s a repeat, sadly) airs on SBS tonight at 8:30pm. New episodes are available to (illegally) download online.