Jesse Tyler Ferguson has revealed descending a frozen waterfall was the “hardest thing” he’s ever done.

The Modern Family star joined adventurer Bear Grylls for a 48-hour extreme survival adventure challenge – a snowy trek across the Italian Alps – which features in the new series of Running Wild With Bear Grylls.

“Looking back at it, it probably was more terrifying than the last. When I was actually doing it, it didn’t seem as terrifying as when I saw the shot with the drone,” the 39-year-old actor explained.

“It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. The physicality of it was very hard – coming down and not falling over. It was much more of a rush, it was truly exhilarating.”

Jesse – who embarked on their adventure in April, after filming ended on the latest series of Modern Family – said the only injuries he suffered were to his feet and his ego.

“I stabbed my own leg a few times with the grips we had on our feet. I definitely saw my ego bruised a few times but beyond that, it was very cold. And I couldn’t always keep up with Bear.

Bear Grylls and Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Bear Grylls and Jesse Tyler Ferguson (Discovery)

The actor decided to sign onto the show for a challenge.

“It was a lot of fun,” he said.

“My initial instinct was, there was no way in hell I would do it. It’s not anything I would want to do, and I’m not an outdoorsy person.

“People who only know me as Mitch from Modern Family or from my theatre work would never expect me to do something like this. I wanted to surprise myself and people who don’t know much about me.”

Jesse also revealed how he and Bear indulged in heart-to-heart chats while they were in South Tyrol.

“He’s such a warm, kind person who is genuinely interested in the people he picks for his adventures. He picks you at a moment when you have your guard down. You’re totally out of your comfort zone, and I enjoyed getting to know the most, and our chats,” he recalled.

He also admitted: “He didn’t seem to (watch Modern Family), or have any point of reference as to who I was, and I liked that.”

Fellow screen stars Kate Winslet, Kate Hudson, Michelle Rodriguez and Michael B Jordan will also appear alongside Bear in the second series of Running Wild With Bear Grylls, which begins on Discovery on September 9.