Discovery Channel - Bear Grylls: Escape from Hell Series 1 (2014)

Bear takes his survival expertise one step further as he reveals the incredible stories of ordinary people stranded in devastatingly dire situations. Coupled with archival footage and interviews with the survivors, Bear will pit himself against the very same dangers and scenarios. He will re-live their journeys through first-hand experience, and show viewers how to survive in some of the world's most desolate landscapes. Bear Grylls Escape from Hell is a revealing insight into the human spirit under intense pressure. From avalanches to dangerous river crossings to ferocious sand storms, Bear will risk his life by trekking in the shoes of these survivors, analyzing and dissecting the survival techniques they employed and providing expert advice and tips for the best possible survival strategy. Bear travels the planet to give a complete picture of survival, from the scorching Saharan desert to the snow covered mountains of North America. Each landscape presents its own unique set of challenges, but they also share universal themes of survival: hydration, shelter, warmth, food and navigation.
Part 1: Jungle
Bear enters the Guatemalan jungle to relive the experiences of three groups of jungle survivors. Mexican archaeologist Armando Anaya tells how his team were attacked by bandits as they excavated Mayan ruins, then stripped of their belongings and forced across a dangerous river. In Malaysia, British microbiologist John Gillat had only set out on a short walk from his hotel when he got lost in the jungle. It was soon clear he would have to stay in the jungle for the night. Two Frenchmen, Loic Pillois and Guilhem Nayral, went on an expedition into the Amazon rainforest which turned into a gruelling 52 day ordeal. Bear experiences their toughest challenges and demonstrates the survival skills they used to stay alive – from river crossings, to tarantula hunting and lighting signal fires.

Part 2: Snow
Bear heads to Canada’s snow-covered Pacific Coast mountain range to explore incredible real life survival stories in this hostile, unforgiving terrain. He throws himself into mini avalanches, jumps into freezing cold rivers and leaps from a cliff ledge into a tree top as he retraces the steps of three remarkable men – S�bastien Boucher, Eric Le Marque and Charles Horton – who all found themselves in the ultimate battle for survival. They faced freezing temperatures, life threatening injuries, severe dehydration and extreme exhaustion but showed courage, ingenuity and sheer determination to escape from hell.

Part 3: Desert
Bear travels to Morocco’s searing Sahara Desert where he recreates the brute force of a Saharan sandstorm, scales crumbling desert cliffs, drinks the blood from a snake and his own urine for vital rehydration, as he retraces the steps of three remarkable men – Mauro Prosperi, Ed Rosenthal and Merritt Myers – who each found themselves in the battle for survival. They all faced scorching temperatures, the constant search for water, severe dehydration and heat exhaustion, and accepted that death was inevitable, before pulling back from the brink and surviving despite the odds.

Part 4: Canyons
Bear heads to a dramatic canyon in North Africa and white water in Italy to explore three extraordinary stories of survival. He experiences the terrifying climb that four base jumpers, including Jace Ramsey and Johnny Strange, were forced to attempt after they jumped into the Grand Canyon and realised there was no way back out. Bear then plunges into fierce white water to relive the story of Polish explorer Maciej Tarasin, who lost his canoe and paddling partner Tomek Jedrys, in a remote river canyon in Colombia. Back in the scorching desert canyon in North Africa, Bear relates to the trauma of Merritt Myers, who went through hell when he got trapped a high ledge under a beating sun and with no water.

Part 5: Mountains
Bear explores the stories of three young men who all self-rescued from mountain ranges and impenetrable forest. When nineteen year old British backpacker Jamie Neale got lost in the mountains for a staggering twelve days, he had to learn how to make camp and stay alive. Bear examines how he walked out to safety unaided. Bear also meets his namesake – a brown bear – to experience what happened when sixteen year old William Parven came face-to-face with a black bear in California. Like William, Bear negotiates a steep waterfall to illustrate the dangers that befell the teenager when he slipped and fell. Bear also demonstrates the skilled techniques of Eagle Scout Dan Stephens, who fell and knocked himself out in Quetico Provincial Park, Canada. He escaped from his own personal hell by navigating his way out using star light.

Part 6: Compilation
In this special episode, Bear examines the most dramatic, entertaining and surprising moments from the series to give viewers a complete picture of survival.