“Drinking Your Own Urine on TV Pays Well” — Bear Grylls Owns Private Island off Coast of North Wales

Bear Grylls has carved out an uber-specific niche for himself in the survivalist genre of reality television. While most viewers would probably know him from Man vs. Wild, he's also regularly appeared in a slew of other spin-offs and programs involving roughing it, braving the elements, and informative programs educating folks how to persevere through Mother Nature's gnarlier elements.

And all of his work has helped the TV personality and former British Army trooper secure a sizable net worth. Enough for the man to purchase a private island all to himself.

Wales Online UK reported that Grylls took ownership of the property, Saint Tudwal's Island West, in 2001 for approximately $129,000. The property measures 0.43 miles long and 0.12 miles wide, and he, along with his family, regularly spends time on the secluded land mass when they aren't in London.

Photos of Grylls's island reveal that it has sharp cliffs, and its geography proved to be a source of controversy for the famous outdoorsman in 2013. At the time, Grylls posted a picture of a custom water slide he had installed off a sheer rock formation, culminating in an 80-foot drop.

"New slide attached at home on our island! You hit the water very fast!!!" Grylls mentioned.

Once word broke out that Grylls created one of the coolest water slides in existence, local governing authorities took notice. And concerns were expressed over the safety of the slide, along with whether or not Grylls broke any building ordinances for having the water slide installed.

For one, the slide reportedly could only be used for approximately two hours a day, when the tide was high enough. And then there was worry that the slide disrupted the scenic beauty of the Welsh shoreline. An investigation was launched into the legality of Grylls's slide, and later, the TV star would have the slide removed from his property.

While Grylls cooperated with local officials, he didn't stop seeking to improve access to the island. In 2015, he submitted plans to have a slipway installed, which would allow easier transportation and docking of ocean vessels to St. Tudwal's West Island.

Grylls stated that the slipway would allow for 24/7 access to the island's lighthouse. However, construction on the slipway didn't begin immediately. The celebrity survivalist would then go on to reapply for the slipway in 2019 with amended plans. In 2021, Grylls announced that the slipway was indeed being built.

Hello! also covered the unique living situation that awaited Grylls once he took ownership of the island. In addition to sporting a 200-year-old lighthouse, it also had two cottages for lightkeepers. The homes were devoid of any power or running water, and they were rife with rats.

While Grylls stated that he converted the lighthouses to a familial home, he mentioned that it isn't exactly a luxurious living arrangement. Despite that, he is grateful for the family memories he's created with his wife, Shara, and their three sons, Jesse, Huckleberry, and Marmaduke.

"It is my favorite place on the planet," Radio Times quoted him as saying. To reach the island, Grylls uses a "30-foot, high-speed ex-lifeboat, with two 300-horsepower engines behind it that can tackle any sea it needs to," he said.

Getting DoorDash out there must be pretty annoying.