Nat Geo Becomes U.S. Cable Syndication Home of Bear Grylls Show

National Geographic has picked up the exclusive U.S. cable syndication rights for the NBC series Running Wild with Bear Grylls, which is produced by Bear Grylls Ventures and Electus.

National Geographic will air the first three seasons of Running Wild with Bear Grylls starting October 26. The network also has the first option to air additional seasons of the series should they be greenlit by NBC. Some of the celebrities featured in episodes that will run on National Geographic include Ben Stiller, Channing Tatum, Kate Winslet and Zac Efron. NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution is the distributor and managed the rights agreement.

“Running Wild with Bear Grylls is incredibly complementary to our pursuit of programming and talent that support the very best of what audiences expect from National Geographic,” said Christian Drobnyk, the executive VP of programming strategy and acquisitions for National Geographic Channels. “No one makes adventure and survival more surprising, entertaining and informative than Bear Grylls, so it’s the perfect marriage of expert talent with one of the world’s most trusted brands.”

“National Geographic is a perfect fit for Running Wild with Bear Grylls, and we are happy to expand the show’s audience to include Nat Geo fans,” added Bruce Casino, the executive VP of NBCUniversal Television and New Media Distribution.