Sir David Attenborough criticises Bear Grylls for killing animals 'just to get a shot'

Bear Grylls faces criticism from that last person you’d ever want to be scolded by: Sir David Attenborough.

The adventurer is under fire for Channel 4’s The Island, a reality show which has televised contestants killing caiman crocodiles, pigs, and turkeys as part of the show’s survival challenges.

Attenborough told The Sun: “We’ve never killed an animal. Bear Grylls will have to answer for himself. But I wouldn’t willingly kill an animal just to get a shot.”

The show has faced heavy criticism from both viewers and animal welfare groups. During last year’s celebrity spin-off of the show, Made in Chelsea star Ollie Locke, encouraged by fellow contestant Karen Danczuk, jumped on the back of a crocodile before stabbing it through the back of its neck.

At the time, Alan Knight, of International Animal Rescue, said of the incident, “I feel it is totally unacceptable to kill or abuse animals for entertainment.” The charity spokesperson claimed the animal “suffered unncecessarily”, as Locke would not have the right knowledge to kill the animal “humanely”.

5 show all Most controversial Bear Grylls moments

1/5 The Island contestants kill and eat rare species of crocodile. Male contestants accidentally killed and ate a rare species of crocodile on The Island. Channel 4 apologised for the 'genuine and regrettable error' and replaced the animal. Awkward...

2/5 Producers found to be shipping in animals for The Island The contestants need to hunt and kill something, but viewers were left feeling cheated when it was revealed that extra drinking water, coconuts, caiman, pigs and iguanas were brought on to The Island before the show began. Channel 4 defended the move, saying that of course it was necessary to ensure that there was enough to eat and drink so long as the competitors found it.

3/5 The Island with Bear Grylls criticised for sexism The first series of Grylls' desert island survival contest excluded women by only featuring a group of men, leading to a public outcry and the inclusion of 14 female adventurers in subsequent runs. They were still put on a different island to the men, mind.

4/5 Starving contestants slash pig's throat on The Island Some 500 people complained after contestants crept up on a sleeping pig and slashed it's throat for food. The pig could be heard squealing throughout it's ordeal. Viewers accused Channel 4 of 'killing animals to boost ratings' and displaying a 'callous disregard for life'. Channel 4 defended the scenes.

5/5 Bear Grylls criticised for caving without a helmet Grylls was accused of a 'total disregard for safety' by a cave rescue team after scenes from Britain's Biggest Adventures saw him backflip into rivers and explore caving systems without a helmet, headtorch or protective suit.

However, Channel 4 responded to the incident with: “The premise of the series, in aid of Stand Up to Cancer, is to see if when stripped of all the conveniences of modern life, celebrities have what it takes to survive and feeding themselves is a fundamental part of this. Those on the island all received training on how to kill animals humanely and this was utilised properly in each instance.”

The show had also been criticised in the past after male contestants on the show accidentally killed and ate a rare species of crocodile, killing an American crocodile while mistaking it for a common caiman.

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