CHICAGO, IL — In a new television special, survivalist icon and TV host Bear Grylls was set to embark on his most daring survival challenge yet as he attempts to survive a weekend in Chicago.
“The city skyline is beautiful, but when you’re down on the street, it’s one of the most dangerous environments on earth,” Grylls said in a teaser for the episode. “Everything — and everyone — is trying to kill you.”
The former host of Man vs. Wild has conquered jungles, summited Mount Everest, survived temperatures of up to 122° F in the Sahara Desert, and even spent a grueling day with Barack Obama — but nothing could prepare him for the harsh urban jungle of Chicago.
For the episode, Grylls was reportedly dropped off on the shores of Lake Michigan at Loyola Beach and forced to trek inland as he made his way to the southern edge of the city, crossing the wild Chicago River, and sneaking through the South Side toward freedom in the outlying suburban landscape. “It is imperative that I keep my wits about me as I avoid street gangs and an ever-present homeless community. Not even tourist centers are safe,” Grylls narrates on the teaser to footage of himself diving out of traffic and running from armed muggers.
The large rat infestation within the city also presented a problem for Grylls’ food supply. “Nearly everything in Chicago is contaminated,” he said. “But you must adapt and overcome.” Spoiler-filled reviews of the special told of how Grylls eventually resorted to drinking his own urine and using sculptures out of human feces to throw predators off his scent.
Early fan reaction was mostly positive, with many planning to tune in out of morbid curiosity. “I never watched his shows before because sleeping in a forest is so boring, but I can’t imagine how he survives even one night in Chicago,” said local TV viewer Hannah Waltz.
At publishing time, the TV special was canceled after Bear Grylls was critically wounded in Chicago’s South Side.
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