Meet Grady Powell, an Ex-Green Beret and the New Host of 'Forged in Fire'
Updated March 10 2021, 12:12 p.m. ET
Much like Wil Willis, the old host of Forged in Fire, Grady Powell comes from a long line of men who served in the military. And, just like Wil, Grady too joined the U.S. Army at a young age.
As loyal fans of the show will likely tell you, Wil started out as a U.S. Army Ranger. Meanwhile, Grady served as a Green Beret before embarking on a new career as a TV survivalist. So, what else do they have in common? What's there to know about Grady, the new host of Forged in Fire?
Grady Powell became a Green Beret in his early 20s.
A talented cadet with a freakishly strong mindset, Grady rose through the ranks in the U.S. Army shortly after he ditched his studies at the University of Missouri. Grady studied graphic design on a full-ride scholarship for three semesters before making the u-turn.
"My heart wasn't in it," Grady said in an interview with OFFGRID. "What I wanted to do was go join the war effort and put the hurt on some bad guys."
Shortly after submitting the enlistment test, Grady was offered a place in the 18x program, which allows candidates to enter the U.S. Army Special Forces.
"I ended up blowing my knee out and had to go through a longer selection. Man, I've done training with broken bones. I had MRSA twice. But it was all about just the will to succeed. My mindset is that you'll never know what you're capable of until you do something you can't," Grady said.
Grady's dad served as a Green Beret in the Vietnam War.
Grady was awarded a Green Beret in 2009 when he was still in his 20s. As Grady told OFFGRID, he was far from the only person in the family to receive the distinction. His father served as a Green Beret in the Vietnam War.
Following a tour in Iraq and another one in Mali, Grady returned home ready to take on new challenges. He landed one of his first TV roles on Stars Earn Stripes in 2012 and he hasn't slowed down ever since. Grady joined the cast of Dual Survival in 2016, and he also appeared in American Grit in 2017.
Grady and his wife, Megan, welcomed their first son in January 2021.
Grady and long-term girlfriend Megan got married in the fall of 2019. They welcomed their first child, a baby boy, in January 2021.
A keen foodie, Grady often takes to Instagram to share snapshots of his latest culinary adventures. He frequently shares photographs capturing his and Megan's hunting and fishing sessions, alongside romantic dates, family hangouts, and the like.
Catch new episodes of Forged in Fire every Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on Discovery Channel.