Bear Grylls explores past he 'never understood' in moving Who Do You Think You Are episode
EXCLUSIVE: Bear Grylls is best known for his daring adventures and taking on all kinds of seemingly impossible challenges, but a new project saw a different side of him being revealed.
Bear Grylls recalls the moment Prince George ate his first ant
After previously turning down BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? Bear Grylls finally relented as he hoped to learn more about his family and find answers to questions he has had since he was a boy.
He told Express.co.uk: "I think I've always known the military has been a big part of my family going back a few generations.
"I think the Who Do You Think You Are journey really took it to a whole other level."
He added: "For me to actually find out what some of these guys are like and the values that have shaped them...
"And there are so many questions about the natural traits that I feel always in my life, but I've never really understood where they come from.
READ MORE: Dallas cast reunite ahead of 45th anniversary in sweet new pictures
"But I think the military stuff really came from my dad. He was he's been a Royal Marines Commando - I always kind of grew up with that.
"And it was always an aspiration for me growing up that I wanted to join the military. I wanted to try and do it in a different way.
"I wanted to join us as a private at the sort of bottom of the pile just because I thought it'd be, you know, it just felt a more kind of path less trodden route to do.
"My grandfather had been a brigadier in the war and he'd always been quite, you know, he was bespectacled, smoked a pipe and was very quiet, and loved his dogs. And I never really knew much about what he did."
Don't miss...
David Attenborough’s film crew attacked by 15ft tiger sharks [LATEST]
Antiques Roadshow guest set to give necklace back to king after huge valuation [VIDEO ]
Ben Shephard fumes at Just Stop Oil protestor in heated climate clash [DEBATE ]
Bear admitted the BBC had been asking him "for years" to take part in the popular series.
He explained: "But my sister always said, 'You've got to do it for mum. Just do it for her, she's now 82.'
"And it was just the right time to do it. I'm so pleased because it was such a humbling inspiring special week for me, I'll never forget it."
In his exploration of the past, Bear is delighted to end up in the wild, surprisingly through a royal connection.
He learns he is a descendant of Scottish monarch Robert the Bruce.
"My mum loves the royalty bit, but for me, the experience was about being connected to maverick spirits," he remarked.
"Who loved their families, and were dogged, who knew their faith and who were not ashamed of it."
Bear Gyrlls' episode of Who Do You Think You Are? airs on BBC One on June 15 at 9pm.