Endemol Shine Boomdog preps Bear Grylls for Lat Am ‘Into The Wild’

Endemol Shine North America (ESNA)’s Mexico-based production firm Endemol Shine Boomdog is developing a Latin American version of Into The Wild With Bear Grylls.

The format, which follows the survivalist as he takes local celebrities and dignitaries into wild locations, is being produced with Grylls’ firm The Natural Studios (TNS), which was launched as joint venture in 2019 with ESNA owner Banijay.

Grylls and TNS co-founder Delbert Shoopman will serve as exec producers on the Lat Am show, which is yet to have broadcaster/streamer partners attached.

An Indian version of the format aired last year on Discovery, while Grylls appeared with A-listers including former US president Barack Obama on the US version of the show (known as Running Wild With Bear Grylls), which aired on NBC between 2014-18, and more recently on Discovery Channel.

The Lat Am show is the latest development for TNS, which partnered with Banijay’s Asian division late last year to create adventure programming in Asia and also unveiled plans to expand into drama.

Alejandro Rincon, CEO at Endemol Shine Boomdog, said: “Into The Wild is one of the most successful unscripted formats in the world and we are thrilled to be teaming with Bear Grylls to produce a local edition of the series. We are lining up some of the biggest celebrities from across Latin America to go on the adventure of a lifetime.”

Endemol Shine Boomdog is behind shows including MasterChef Mexico for TV Azteca, Nicky Jam: El Ganador for Netflix and Me Caigo De Risa for Televisa. Its Lat Am-focused Bear Grylls show will join a raft of other unscripted and scripted series that the comapny plans to unveil during its first-ever Upfront presentations for buyers on 15-19 February.