UK Christian adventurer, writer and TV host Bear Grylls will remain Britain’s “Chief Scout” until 2020, the country’s Scout Association announced this week.
Mr Grylls was appointed Chief Scout in 2009 – the youngest the organisation has had – and the Scout Association said he had since “proved an outstanding figurehead for scouting, spearheading a period of strong membership growth”.
Writing on Twitter, Mr Grylls thanked the scouts for inviting him to stay on, saying it was “the greatest honour in my life to support & serve u all”.
UK Scout Association Chief Commissioner Tim Kidd said that by “championing our values, improving public perception and inspiring our members, Bear has helped Scouting go from strength to strength, valued by parents and respected by the public at large, attracting more young people and adult volunteers”.
“We thank Bear for his tireless support of our work, both locally and nationally.”
The news came as the UK’s Scout Association named five new ambassadors to serve as positive role models for young people. They include Paralympic gold medallist Ellie Simmonds, Olympic gold medallist Helen Glover, TV presenters Anita Rani and Steve Backshall, and adventurer Megan Hine.
