Celebrity Bear Hunt Episode 1 Recap: Contestants join the show as they race against Bear Grylls to reach the lodge

Netflix competition series Celebrity Bear Hunt premiered on February 5, 2025. The reality show features 12 celebrity contestants, Bear Grylls and host Holly Willoughby.

The debut episode featured contestants divided into two teams: Red and Green. They were supposed to reach the lodge, i.e., the base camp, without getting caught by Bear Grylls.

However, four participants were caught, including Laurence, Leomie, Steph, and Mel. The rest of the eight players made it to the base camp, where they met the caught contestants and the host, Holly Willoughby and Bear Grylls.

The celebrity contestants featured on the competition show were:

1. Mel B - Spice Girl
2. Boris Becker - 3x Wimbledon Champion,
3. Big Zuu - TV Chef and Rapper,
4. Shirley Ballas - Ballroom Champion and TV Judge,
5. Joe Thomas - Actor,
6. Danny Cipriani - Ex-international Rugby Union Player,
7. Una Healy - Singer and Songwriter,
8. Leomie Anderson - Model and TV Host,
9. Lottie Moss - Model (Kate Moss’s sister),
10. Steph McGovern - TV Presenter and Journalist,
11. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen - TV Interior Designer,
12. Kola Bokinni - Actor.

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Celebrity Bear Hunt Episode 1 Recap: 12 Celebrities joined the competition series

The debut episode of Celebrity Bear Hunt, titled Let the Hunt Begin, started in Costa Rica, Guanacaste Province. Soon, Bear Grylls, arriving in a helicopter, confessed that he had done "many wild things" but had never "hunted celebrities."

Soon, 12 celebrity participants arrived in the jungle, where the host, Holly, shared the first challenge:

"Your challenge is to get from these mudflats...to base camp, your home for the next 18 days. So get yourselves into two groups and grab your bags."

The Celebrity Bear Hunt participants were divided into Green and Red groups.

• Team Red: Leomie, Mel B, Boris, Danny, Una, Big Zuu,
• Team Green: Kola, Shirley, Laurence, Joe, Steph, Lottie

The host explained that there were three ways to exit the mudflats. They were by boat, jeep, or helicopter. Celebrity Bear Hunt participants had to locate "special tools" scattered across the jungle for that.

While both the teams were on their way, Bear Grylls landed with a parachute and laid trip wires across various points. Leomie from team Red went to get more bungs to seal the holes in one of the boats and was caught by Bear Grylls.

Soon, her teammates learned about Leomie, and they took off in boats, where Mel's boat was sinking. Seeing the boat about to sink entirely in the crocodile-filled river, Bear went to help her in his boat and saved her. As a result, Mel B was also caught.

On the other hand, Celebrity Bear Hunt's team, Green, was split into two groups. Half of them (Kola, Shirley, and Laurence) were going for the helicopter exit, while the rest (Lottie, Joe, and Steph) chose to go with the jeep. The latter three had to find three keys that would unlock the jeep before they could take it.

While they were searching for keys, they later found the jeep. Bear was right behind them, and they were observant about it. Steph jumped in the driving seat while the rest tried to unlock the chains; Bear caught her while the other teammates ran away.

The rest of the Green team, Shirley, Kola, and Laurence, each had to set off a flare in the landing zone to notify the helicopter. The flares were hidden in different boxes scattered around the mudflats.

Celebrity Bear Hunt star Shirley found the first flare. While looking for the rest, Kola set off one of the trip wires. Bear found the teammates when they found the second flare, but he kept his distance. Soon, Laurence was caught by Bear. After he warned Kola and Shirley, they set off their flares, and the helicopter arrived for them.

The rest of the teammates continued on their paths via their boats, jeeps, and helicopters. Eight of them who managed to escape Bear Grylls reached the lodge.

"There are no phones, no TV, and no air-con here," the host shared.

The Celebrity Bear Hunt host welcomed eight participants at the base camp. Soon, Bear arrived with the celebrities he hunted and caught. It included Leomie, Steph, Laurence, and Mel B.

While Bear Grylls explained to the participants to stay "amber" alert and "deer," the host told them that various challenges would be designed to "test" them.

She mentioned that contestants who lost or could not finish the challenges would be sent to the Bear Pit. Bear Grylls mentioned that there would be snakes, crocs, ravines, caves, and himself, hunting them.

Laurence, Leomie, Steph, and Mel - were caught by Bear. Hence, they would be sent to the Bear Pit the next day.

"It looks like something from Jurassic Park. The-end-of-the-world-esque vibes. It looks scary as hell," confessed Lottie.

The participants enjoyed their time on the first night at the base camp, where Big Zuu cooked food for them all.

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Celebrity Bear Hunt: First-ever Bear-pitters Laurence, Leomie, Steph, and Mel went to the "Bear Pit"

Celebrities including Laurence, Leomie, Steph, and Mel were the first to face the Bear Pit after being caught on day 1. Soon, the host arrived and shared with them:

"The first ever Bear-pitters...this will be a proper baptism of fire. Your goal is to either escape the Bear Pit or to avoid capture. You're gonna be in there for 60 minutes. There are three exit points in play today."

Each of the exit points can be used only by one player. So, only three participants, the ones to find the exit, would be leaving the Bear Pit. She also mentioned whoever was to be caught by Bear or in any of his traps would be in danger of being eliminated.

After entering the Bear Pit, the contestants found a map that showed exits, including a tunnel exit, dig-under-fence exit, and cliff climb exit. To use any of these exits, they would need special tools, which were hidden there. Along with them, there were some decoy tools equipped with traps.

Celebrity Bear Hunt star Laurence aimed for the nearest exit, i.e., digging under the fence. Steph was going for the tunnel exit. Mel B was heading towards the cliff exit, for which she had to use the raft with the correct tools and cross the crocodile-filled water before climbing the cliff. Leomie was also going for the same exit as Mel B.

Soon, Bear Grylls rappeled down to the Bear Pit from the helicopter. After this, the contestants had an hour to reach the exit and get out of there. Bear swiftly tried to find them as the participants tried to reach their exits.

The first episode of Celebrity Bear Hunt ended with Leomie finding a shovel with a red flag. While she wasn't sure if it was the right tool, she wanted to collect it. However, she was unsure if it was a trap, which it was. Even though she checked the surroundings, she was caught in the trap, and the segment ended.

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Netflix is now streaming all the episodes of Celebrity Bear Hunt Season 1.