I like his show, and find it entertaining. He does many things I'd wouldn't do but some of the masses watch, which is good.
I could care less he stayed in hotels and had help, after all, it's just a TV show. I guess you like the show, or you don't.

Below are 3 linked sites that mention Bear and British Special Forces. As to there validity, who knows.

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Military
Grylls passed UK Special Forces Selection, serving as a Sabre soldier, trained in unarmed combat, desert and winter warfare, combat survival, medics, parachuting, signals, evasive driving, climbing and explosives.

He served for 3 years,on a part-time basis, in 21 SAS, a reserve regiment of the Territorial Army referred to as the "SAS(R)" or "Artists' Rifles" (not to be confused with the regular, 22 SAS). 21 SAS specializes in Close Target Reconnaissance and attack(CTR). During his time with 21 SAS Grylls served actively in North Africa twice. His military career ended abruptly, however, in 1996, when a routine parachute exercise in southern Africa went wrong. His canopy ripped severely and caused him to spiral towards earth from 16,000ft at twice the normal speed, leaving him with three broken vertebrae and left him struggling to feel his legs.[1] Grylls spent the next 12 months in rehabilitation and, with his military career over, directed his efforts into trying to get well enough to fulfill his childhood dream of climbing Everest.

Grylls no longer serves in the British Special Forces but he was awarded the honorary rank of Lieutenant Commander in the UK's Royal Naval Reserve.[2]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bear_Grylls

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He served three years with the Special Air Service, a special forces unit of the British army. During his service, he broke his back in three places in a parachuting accident over Southern Africa.
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http://dsc.discovery.com/fansites/manvswild/bio/bio.html

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Prior to the Everest Expedition, Bear, also a Karate Black Belt, spent three years with the British Special Air Service (21 SAS).
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http://www.beargrylls.com/biography.html