Bear Grylls, the adventurer and star of the survival show 'Man vs. Wild', has been sacked by the Discovery Channel. Grylls has presented the show since 2006 and delighted audiences with his fearless approach to surviving in the wilderness - he is known for eating insects and drinking animal urine.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Discovery have been embroiled in a contractual dispute with Bear for some time, which ultimately led to them terminating all current productions involving the star. His publicist Heather Krug confirmed the axing, saying both parties were unable to reach a mutual agreement on future programming. She added, "Bear's goal has always been to make life-empowering shows for his many fans around the globe, and he has taken great risks to bring Discovery such award-winning programming over seven seasons". Krug noted that her client "disagrees" with Discovery's decision to end his contract. 'Man vs Wild' - known in the UK as Born Survivor - follows Bear as he is dropped into remote parts of the world, showing the audience how they could survive using only materials found in the wild. The show is now broadcast in nearly 200 territories and Hollywood actor such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Will Ferrell have tagged along on Gryll's adventures. Back in 2008, he was forced to apologise for misleading viewers after it emerged that Bear stayed in the comfort of a local motel despite the show suggesting he had been abandoned in the wilderness.