Bear Grylls’ attempt to break the ice with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy did not go as planned as the Ukrainian leader’s security team feared he would try to assassinate him.
The survival expert traveled to Ukraine to meet Zelensky and interview him as they walked through Kiev, but when Bear, 48, tried to offer Zelensky, 45, a piece of Cadbury chocolate, his security team jumped into action.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain about his new Channel 4 documentary Bear Grylls Meets President Zelensky, he revealed the security team turned down the offer over concerns the chocolate could be poisoned.
“One of the ways you thought of breaking the ice was by offering him some chocolate,” GMB presenter Susanna Reid told him. “Let’s just sit on a park bench like two friends and eat a bar of chocolate.”
Bear said he understands their actions, adding: “Usually if I’ve done that before with world leaders, the wilderness does half my job for me, it’s a great leveler, it’s a great icebreaker, you’re out in the mountains.” .
Bear told the story of how he offered 45-year-old Zelensky a piece of Cadbury chocolate, prompting his security team to take action
He spoke to GMB presenter Susanna Reid about the awkward encounter and told her he was hoping it would break the ice
Bear opened up about the unusual experience at GMB while discussing his new Channel 4 documentary, Bear Grylls Meets President Zelensky.
Bear has previously shared food with other world leaders, including some salmon caught by a bear with former US President Barack Obama in Alaska
Bear has previously shared food with other world leaders, including some salmon caught by a bear with former US President Barack Obama in Alaska.
The survival expert also spoke about the Zelenskyy incident in a previous interview with Radio Times.
“When I offered it to Zelensky, one of his guys walked in and said not to eat it,” he said. “I said, ‘Okay, I’m going first to show I’m not out to poison him,’ and we all laughed,” he said.
“I gave some to the security guys because everyone likes a little piece of dairy milk, right?”
Elsewhere in the interview, Bear spoke about a conversation he had with the President about his family. Zelensky has been separated from his family since the beginning of the war; his wife Olena, daughter Oleksandra and son Kyrylo.
The survivalist traveled to Ukraine to meet and interview Zelenskyy as they walked through Kiev
Bear said the show aims to “get to know the real guy behind the podium, actually who he is.” [Zelensky] is like a man’.
British Hollywood star Orlando Bloom visited Ukraine to meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and children and families affected by Vladimir Putin’s invasion
He said the show aims to “get to know the real guy behind the podium, actually who he is.” [Zelensky] is like a man’.
“He said, ‘Like all of Ukraine, we put everything on hold, our lives, our ambitions, our families, our jobs, our futures, our dreams,'” Bear said. ”All for a purpose of defending our country.’
“And that has a power and he’s very clear, ‘I’m doing what everyone else is doing, putting everything aside, we’re defending our home.’
During his visit to Ukraine for the documentary, Bear was able to witness firsthand the destruction caused by the Russian invasion and subsequent war.
He described him as “really humble, down to earth and absolutely focused”.
“Everyone I met in Ukraine, even when I was like, ‘What do you think of Zelenksy?’ and they say, “What I thought before is irrelevant to whether I liked him or not. The whole country is united and we are all behind him.”
Bear is one of several celebrities invited to Ukraine to show their support.
The most recent was Pirates of the Caribbean star Orlando Bloom, who praised the “incredibly stoic nature” of the Ukrainian people and encouraged Zelensky to “win the war.”
The couple were seen on footage at the capital’s presidential palace, where they discussed humanitarian projects and reconstruction efforts to help Ukraine’s children. In addition to Kiev, Bloom also visited Irpin and Demydiv.