Joe Thomas Exposes Shocking Truth About Bear Grylls After Grueling Show Experience
Ever pondered what it really takes to survive a reality show in the wild? Spoiler: it might just be a steel stomach—and a strong nose. Imagine being dropped in the Costa Rican jungle, surrounded by snakes, spiders, and the unmistakable, ahem, “natural” musk of Bear Grylls himself. Joe Thomas, the beloved star of The Inbetweeners, didn’t hold back when he revealed his odorous ordeal on Netflix’s now-defunct “Celebrity Bear Hunt.” Forget camo and bug spray—as Thomas would say, pack a peg for your nose, because apparently Bear’s strategy for stalking celebrities includes reeking more than the local wildlife. The question is: if survival means enduring a scent so pungent it could double as insect repellent, would you still sign up? Or is being hunted through the jungle just low-hanging fruit compared to the aromatic assault wafting from your host? Some shows challenge your courage, others your dignity… this one, apparently, your sinuses. LEARN MORE
Anyone taking part in a show with Bear Grylls ought to bring a peg for their nose, according to The Inbetweeners star Joe Thomas.
The actor and comedian, best known for his role as Simon Cooper in the hit sitcom, appeared on Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside celebrities such as Mel B, Boris Becker and Una Healy, who were among the dozen stars who ‘became prey’ for Grylls in the competition show.
The Netflix series, which was axed after just one season, saw a host of famous faces navigate the Costa Rican jungle while aiming to evade being captured by the survival expert.
Thomas, 41, reckons that Grylls went to extreme lengths to ensure he could creep up on contestants, such as ‘not washing at all’ for camouflage purposes.
Joe Thomas’ main takeaway from starring on the Netflix series was that Bear Grylls is ‘very smelly’ (Netflix)
Branding the 51-year-old adventurer ‘very smelly’, the actor described the ‘disgusting scent’ he claims he was forced to endure in vivid detail.
“He is very smelly,” Thomas told The Sun. “There was a bit where he blindfolded me using the thing he’d have around his neck, I mean that sounds quite kinky, and genuinely he was like the f****** smelliest thing I’ve ever…I mean, disgusting.
“I genuinely think he might not wash at all because he’s trying to camouflage himself, and he’s like, if you smell nice, that’s when the animals smell you.
“So I genuinely think he might not have washed. That was the smelliest thing I’ve ever smelled.
“It was like it’d gone beyond like old sweat. It was into a whole kind of new spectrum of smells, so that was a moment.”
Although it might be the most savage description of Grylls’ pungent scent that we’ve seen so far, it’s not the first time that a celebrity has commented on the TV star’s ‘intense’ aroma.
The outdoorsman hosted Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside Holly Willoughby (Netflix)
Rapper Big Zuu also appeared on Celebrity Bear Hunt alongside Thomas and won the competition series, beating out the likes of Ted Lasso actor Kola Bokinni, presenter Steph McGovern, and model Lottie Moss.
Grylls rewarded his victory with quite an unusual trophy, which he claimed stunk to the high heavens.
The 30-year-old was handed a rope by the explorer, which was said to be a ‘symbolic’ prize to mark his triumph.
Speaking to Metro about what he thought of with the bizarre honour he had been awarded, Big Zuu said in February: “Well, the rope smells like Bear Grylls, but be warned: that’s an intense flavour.
“He wore that rope through the entire final, so when he gave it to me, I was like, ‘This smells like BO’.
Big Zuu, pictured next to Thomas, also claimed that Grylls had an ‘intense’ smell (Netflix)
“The rope was hung up in my house, and it’s like a weird little mantlepiece.
“People will say, ‘Brother, what’s that rope?’ But for me it represents strength, knowledge, integrity, and unity but also…why not get a trophy? I want a trophy.”
It sounds like Grylls will be getting a sh*tload of Lynx sets this Christmas…and perhaps a book on the importance of proper trophies from Big Zuu.
LADbible has contacted Grylls’ representatives for comment.
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