Bear Grylls has shared a glimpse of what his family life is like during a visit to Wimbledon, revealing that while one of his sons is chasing tennis glory, his older brother is working hard behind the scenes, serving thousands of spectators hot dogs.
Speaking on a panel at the All England Club, Grylls explained that his youngest son, Huckleberry, is a talented “tennis-obsessed” player.
The British adventurer and TV star revealed that the 16-year-old had previously taken part in the Road to Wimbledon competition, which allows young players to compete and potentially play on the tournament’s pristine grass courts.
Grylls explained: “He loved the Road to Wimbledon here. I think that was like a life dream for him.
Reflecting on his son's journey, he continued: “As parents, when you see your children follow something brilliant here, and their eyes are wide open, get a bit of a beating, get back up, still be in the fight.
“They’re learning the key lessons of life - it’s not about the trophies, it’s about doing your best and walking through a few failures along the way. But he’s doing great, he loves it and is still playing.”
Grylls explained that Huckleberry’s skills on the court leave the rest of the family trailing.
“We definitely don’t get a look in,” he said. “There’s a heavy handicap system that is used in the Grylls household when it comes to tennis.”
But while Huckleberry has been making strides on the court, his older brother, Marmaduke, has taken on a very different challenge - serving up hot dogs to hungry tennis fans.
“Up to 5,000 today,” Grylls beamed proudly. “And always with a smile on his face,” he added.
Grylls, who was pictured in the Royal Box on Thursday, also spoke about his ongoing friendship with Roger Federer.
The pair filmed an episode of Running Wild with Bear Grylls together, which included a memorable table tennis match on a snowy mountain.
“Roger’s still a good friend and what a great guy, and that Running Wild we did together was such a highlight for me because I’m such a tennis fan.”
Grylls recalled some of the highlights of the episode, including a particularly competitive match of ping-pong.
“Probably one of the most iconic ping pong matches of my life, on top of that mountain, with my little fold-up table,” the TV star recalled.
He describes the battle taking place in -20C weather, up against 15 knots of wind, facing a sheer drop on either side.
“First to 11, I had a four-point lead,” He said. “Then eventually, we got to about seven or nine all. I started to get the yips... There was only going to be one winner.”
Grylls laughed at the memory, describing the tennis legend as “such a class act,” “a great guy,” and a “lovely family man.”
He also teased that the next series of Running Wild with Bear Grylls will feature another high-profile tennis player, though he stopped short of naming names.
“Well, we actually just started filming the next season of Running Wild,” he said. “I got back late last night from Norway actually — took a great tennis player, but we haven’t announced it yet.”
Ahead of his two-week stint feeding Wimbledon, Marmaduke, 19, had been travelling solo through Asia after saving up by working in a London butcher’s shop.
His father marked his birthday in April by posting a tribute on Instagram. “Happy 19th birthday Marmaduke! Our first one apart as a family and we miss you,” he wrote.
Grylls and his wife Shara share three sons: Jesse, 22, Marmaduke and Huckleberry.
