Bear Hunt

When I first heard about Bear Hunt, it was billed as Netflix’s answer to I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here, promising a grander scale, bigger-name celebrities, and challenges that would truly push participants to their limits. But did it live up to the hype? Honestly, I was a bit underwhelmed after the first half of episode 1.

The concept felt thin, with Bear Grylls almost carrying the weight of the entire show, and there was a distinct lack of excitement or danger — I never had any “I wouldn’t want to do that” moments. But everything changed once the group reached base camp. Suddenly, the stakes were raised, and that shift came with the introduction of the Bear Pit, where we watched Spice Girl Mel B, journalist Steph McGovern, interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, and model Leomie Anderson tackle challenges that felt straight out of The Hunger Games. Brutal. From that moment on, I was hooked.

The celebrities became increasingly likeable, gradually revealing more of their personalities as the series unfolded. As the challenges ramped up, we were treated to those classic, nail-biting moments where celebs overcame adversity — keeping us on the edge of our seats. We all have our favourites in a show like this, and for many, Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas is a standout.

It’s also great to see Holly Willoughby back presenting after the Philip Schofield scandal. She and Bear have an effortless chemistry, with Holly excelling in both tense moments and lighter, comedic relief. Her ability to balance the two seamlessly is a highlight throughout the series. As for Bear himself, he’s as incredible as ever — watching him in his natural habitat is like watching Batman in Gotham City take out baddies.

The only concern I have for the show is whether the formula of challenges followed by the Bear Pit will start to feel a bit repetitive. Time will tell.