Stephen Bear

{{Short description|English former television and convicted sex offender (born 1990)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Stephen Bear

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Stephen Henry Bear

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1990|1|15|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Walthamstow, London, England

| occupation = Television personality

| years_active = 2011–2023

| television = {{Plainlist|

}}

| criminal_charges = {{hlist|Voyeurism|disclosure of private sexual photographs}}

| criminal_penalty = 21 months imprisonment

| criminal_status = Released on licence on 17 January 2024

}}

Stephen Henry Bear (born 15 January 1990) is an English former television personality and convicted sex offender. After appearing as a contestant on the E4 reality series Shipwrecked in 2011, he went on to appear on the MTV reality show Ex on the Beach, as a cast member in the third and fifth series respectively. He won the eighteenth series of Celebrity Big Brother in 2016, and subsequently went on to appear in various other shows including Celebs Go Dating, Just Tattoo of Us, and three series of The Challenge. In March 2023, Bear was jailed for disclosing private sexual photographs and films of his former girlfriend with intent to cause distress.

Early life

Stephen Henry Bear was born in Walthamstow, London, on 15 January 1990, the youngest of four children born to Stephen and Linda Bear (née Simons).{{cite web |title=Reality TV star guilty of posting 'revenge porn' |url=https://www.cps.gov.uk/east-england/news/reality-tv-star-guilty-posting-revenge-porn |website=Crown Prosecution Service |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Stephen Henry BEAR |url=https://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?r=285913381:7689&d=bmd_1695680319 |website=freeBMD |access-date=25 October 2023}} He has two brothers Daniel and Robert, and a sister Hayley.{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear's brother is multi-millionaire who has a business with Priscilla Presley |url=https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/showbiz-tv/stephen-bears-brother-multi-millionaire-26433318.amp |website=Birmingham Live |date=9 March 2023 |access-date=25 October 2023}}Matt Lee and Ellis Whitehouse, [https://www.essexlive.news/news/essex-news/live-updates-stephen-bear-sentenced-8209049 "Live Updates as Stephen Bear Will Go to Prison for Uploading Revenge Porn of Ex Georgia Harrison"], EssexLive, 3 March 2023. Retrieved 3 March 2023. According to his own testimony, he worked as a labourer and then a roofer before he began undertaking work in television.[https://news.sky.com/story/stephen-bear-found-guilty-of-sharing-sex-tape-featuring-georgia-harrison-on-onlyfans-12767342 "Stephen Bear found guilty of sharing sex tape featuring Georgia Harrison on OnlyFans"], Sky News, 13 December 2022. Retrieved 3 March 2023.

Career

Bear made his reality television debut in 2011, appearing as one of twelve contestants on the E4 reality series Shipwrecked: The Island.{{cite web |title='Shipwrecked' returns: Meet The Bear and Anna |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a347457/shipwrecked-returns-meet-the-bear-and-anna/ |website=Digital Spy |date=25 October 2011 |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Shipwrecked is back! But what happened to the stars of T4's original run? |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a813455/shipwrecked-t4-classic-reality-show-where-are-they-now/# |website=Digital Spy |date=29 January 2019 |access-date=25 October 2023}} He subsequently went on to appear on the third series of the MTV reality show Ex on the Beach in 2015, and returned for the fifth series in 2016.{{cite web |title=Ex On The Beach season 3 line-up: From Vicky Pattison and Jordan Davies to Kirk Norcross and Cami Li – meet this year's sexy singles |url=https://metro.co.uk/2015/07/31/ex-on-the-beach-season-3-line-up-from-vicky-pattison-and-jordan-davies-to-kirk-norcross-and-cami-li-meet-this-years-sexy-singles-5310163/amp/ |website=Metro |date=31 July 2015 |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Still not sick of Stephen Bear? The CBB housemate returns to Ex On The Beach - and he's just as naughty |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a804932/bears-back-the-cbb-housemate-returns-to-ex-on-the-beach/ |website=Digital Spy |date=16 August 2016 |access-date=25 October 2023}} In July 2016, Bear entered the Celebrity Big Brother house to compete in the eighteenth series.{{cite web|url=http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2016-07-28/who-is-stephen-bear-celebrity-big-brother-2016-contestant-guide|title=Who is Stephen Bear? Celebrity Big Brother 2016 contestant guide|access-date=1 August 2016}} A controversial housemate, he became eternally nominated and faced every eviction from Day 9 onwards.{{cite web |title=Celebrity Big Brother: Stephen Bear is cursed with 'eternal nominations' in eviction bombshell |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a803809/celebrity-big-brother-stephen-bear-is-cursed-with-eternal-nominations/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=5 August 2016}} Despite this, Bear went on to reach the final and ultimately won the series.{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/08/26/stephen-bear-wins-celebrity-big-brother-2016-i-told-you-id-win-i/|title= Celebrity Big Brother 2016 final: Stephen Bear is the most divisive winner ever, plus other talking points|date=28 August 2016|work=Daily Telegraph|access-date=29 August 2016|last1= Power|first1= Ed|url-access=subscription}} In 2017, Bear appeared as a cast member on the second series of Celebs Go Dating.{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear and Ferne McCann are joining Joey Essex on the hunt for love in all new series of Celebs Go Dating |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a819672/stephen-bear-ferne-mccann-joey-essex-celebs-go-dating-series-2/ |website=Digital Spy |date=23 January 2017 |access-date=25 October 2023}} He was subsequently removed from the series during the eighteenth episode for breaking the rules by dating Charlotte Crosby outside of the agency.{{cite web |title=Watch Stephen Bear FINALLY get kicked off Celebs Go Dating |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a822976/stephen-bear-kicked-off-celebs-go-dating-video/ |website=Digital Spy |date=8 March 2017 |access-date=25 October 2023}} Bear went on to front the first two series of the MTV series Just Tattoo of Us alongside Crosby, before leaving the show following their split.{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear admits he's responsible for tearful Charlotte Crosby storming off Just Tattoo of Us |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a824645/just-tattoo-of-us-stephen-bear-admits-responsibility-for-charlotte-crosby-storming-off/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=28 March 2017}} In 2019, Bear competed in the MTV reality competition The Challenge: War of the Worlds, and was eliminated in the tenth episode.{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear, Love Island's Georgia Harrison and Ashley Cain set to star in MTV's new series of The Challenge |url=https://metro.co.uk/2019/03/20/stephen-bear-love-islands-georgia-harrison-ashley-cain-set-star-mtvs-new-series-challenge-8951927/ |website=Metro |date=20 March 2019 |access-date=25 October 2023}} Later that year, he competed in the next series, The Challenge: War of the Worlds 2, in which he fared less well and was eliminated in the seventh episode.{{cite web |title='The Challenge' Alum Stephen Bear Found Guilty of Revenge Porn Against Ex Georgia Harrison |url=https://people.com/tv/the-challenge-stephen-bear-found-guilty-revenge-porn-against-ex-georgia-harrison/ |website=People |access-date=25 October 2023}} In 2020, he competed in The Challenge: Total Madness, which transpired to be his final television appearance prior to his arrest. He was eliminated in the eighth episode.{{cite web |title='The Challenge: Total Madness' Reveals Cast for Season 35 — And a Shocking, Game-Changing Twist |url=https://people.com/tv/mtv-the-challenge-season-35-total-madness-cast/ |website=People |access-date=25 October 2023}} Bear opened an OnlyFans account in October 2020, and began uploading X-rated content.{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear shared sex footage with ex 'for money', court told |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-63878201.amp |website=BBC News |date=6 December 2022 |access-date=25 October 2023}}

Prosecution

Bear was arrested in January 2021, following an investigation into the alleged disclosure of sexual photographs without consent after he had uploaded CCTV footage of himself having sex with his then ex-girlfriend Georgia Harrison to his OnlyFans account.{{Cite news|date=14 May 2021|title=Reality TV's Stephen Bear charged with sharing sexual images|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-57113872|access-date=14 May 2021}}{{cite web |title=Georgia Harrison's £200k damages over Stephen Bear sex tape |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-66319446.amp |website=BBC News |date=26 July 2023 |access-date=24 October 2023}} He was charged on 14 May 2021 with voyeurism, disclosing private, sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress, and harassment without violence.{{Cite news |date=14 May 2021 |title=Stephen Bear: Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear charged with revenge porn offence, police say |work=Sky News |url=https://news.sky.com/story/stephen-bear-celebrity-big-brother-winner-stephen-bear-charged-with-revenge-porn-offence-police-say-12306194 |access-date=14 May 2021}}

Bear pleaded not guilty, but on 13 December 2022 he was found guilty. On 3 March 2023, Bear was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment and began serving his sentence at HM Prison Chelmsford, before being transferred to HM Prison Brixton in August 2023.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-63911965|title=Reality TV star Stephen Bear guilty of sex tape offences|date=13 December 2022|accessdate=13 December 2022|work=BBC News}}{{Cite news |date=3 March 2023 |title=Stephen Bear jailed for sharing sex video on OnlyFans |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-essex-64836055 |access-date=3 March 2023}}{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear: Revenge porn prison sentence 'sends clear message' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-64799815.amp |website=BBC News |date=3 March 2023 |access-date=25 October 2023}}{{cite web |title=Stephen Bear jailed for 21 months for sharing sex video without consent |url=https://theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/mar/03/stephen-bear-jailed-21-months-sharing-sex-video-without-consent-georgia-harrison |website=The Guardian |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=3 March 2023}} He was released from prison early on 17 January 2024.{{cite web |url=https://metro.co.uk/2024/01/17/stephen-bear-released-prison-early-revenge-porn-sentence-cut-20128391/ |title=Stephen Bear unrecognisable as he leaves prison early after 11 months |publisher=Metro |date=17 January 2024 |accessdate=17 January 2024}}

Filmography

class="wikitable"

|+ As himself

! Year

! Title

! Notes

! class="unsortable" | {{Abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}}

2011–2012

| Shipwrecked

| Contestant

| align="center"|

2015

| Ex on the Beach

| Cast member; series 3

| align="center"|

2016

| Celebrity Big Brother

| Winner; series 18

| align="center"|

2016, 2017

| Loose Women

| Guest; 3 episodes

| align="center"| {{cite web |title=Stephen Bear on winning Celebrity Big Brother |url=https://www.itv.com/loosewomen/articles/stephen-bear-on-winning-celebrity-big-brother |website=ITV |access-date=25 October 2023}}

2016

| Ex on the Beach

| Cast member; series 5

| align="center"|

2017

| Celebs Go Dating

| Cast member; series 2

| align="center"|

2017

| Just Tattoo of Us

| Presenter; series 1–2

| align="center"|

2019

| Eating with My Ex

| Guest; 1 episode

| align="center"| {{cite web |title=Stephen Bear – Eating with My Ex |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/eating-with-my-ex-celebrity/stephen |website=BBC Media Centre |access-date=25 October 2023}}

2019

| The Challenge: War of the Worlds

| Contestant

| align="center"|

2019

| Hey Tracey!

| Guest; 1 episode

| align="center"| {{cite web |title=Love Island's Megan Barton Hanson hilariously rejects Stephen Bear |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/a28033025/love-island-megan-barton-hanson-hilariously-rejects-stephen-bear/ |website=Digital Spy |access-date=25 October 2023 |date=15 June 2019}}

2019

| The Challenge: War of the Worlds 2

| Contestant

| align="center"|

2020

| The Challenge: Total Madness

| Contestant

| align="center"|

Bibliography

Bear's Necessities (2017){{citation|last1=Guiltenane|first1=Christian|url=https://www.digitalspy.com/tv/reality-tv/a858005/stephen-bear-interview/|title=Where did it all go wrong for Stephen Bear? Stephen himself sets the record straight|website=Digital Spy|access-date=30 October 2019|date=25 May 2018}}