Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins challenges fifteen celebrities to survive extreme winter warfare

9 September 2024

Fifteen celebrities from the world of entertainment, sport and journalism have signed up to take part in this year’s unique version of Special Forces selection, in the LONGEST ever series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.  This course, run by the four intimidating ex-Special Forces soldiers - Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his team of Directing Staff (DS) – Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver - is the hardest yet.  Not only are the DS taking the celebrities FURTHER AWAY than ever before - halfway across the world - for winter warfare training in the south islands of New Zealand, they have also got a trick up their sleeves to turn up the heat.  Instead of whittling out the weak and culling the weakest recruits, this year, the DS want all of the celebrities to suffer optimal punishment by staying through to the end of the hellish eight day course, far, far away from home comforts, families, agents and social media! Series six of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will air on Channel 4, every Sunday and Monday from 22 September at 9pm.

The New Zealand landscape might look breathtaking but looks are deceiving for this year’s group of celebrity recruits who will experience the brutal mountain environment and weather conditions used to prepare the UK military for winter warfare operations.  There will be no glamour and no luxuries for these privileged celebrities. Across an epic EIGHT one-hour episodes, these famous faces will abandon their glamourous lifestyles and will be exposed to constant cold and wet in a punishing one stop shop of Special Forces training environments. 

This year’s course will be physically demanding and psychologically gruelling; all but a few who take part will fail but who will make it to the end and eventually pass?  Taking part in this year’s condensed version of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives are; Actor John Barrowman, (56), Journalist Rachel Johnson, (57); DJ and Reality TV Star Bianca Gascoigne (36); TV Personality (and returning Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins recruit), Pete Wicks (34); Former England Rugby Captain, Chris Robshaw (37); TV Presenter, Cherry Healey (42); Ex- Professional Boxer Anthony Ogogo (34); Comedian Shazia Mirza (51); Love-Islander & Campaigner, Georgia Harrison (28); Reality TV Star and Radio Host, Bobby Norris (36); Influencer, Marnie Simpson (31); Former Olympic Gymnast, Ellie Downie (23); Comedian, Tez Ilyas (40); Pro Basketball Player, Ovie Soko (32); World Heavyweight Champion Boxer, Lani Daniels, (34).

Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his team of Directing Staff (DS) – Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver will push the batch of celebrity recruits even further and teach them the key skills to survive in this harshest of terrains.  This series they also have a new weapon in their arsenal in former Special Forces psychologist Dr Alia Bojilova, who will provide them with assistance as they attempt to get as many of these celebrities over the line as possible.

There will be no special treatment for any of the celebrities, as they confront surprising truths about themselves, to discover their true selves. Not everyone will have what it takes to make it to the end of this course.  The DS don’t care how famous the recruits are, how many social media followers they have or what they have done before this. As soon as they enter the selection process, their celebrity status and luxuries are stripped away.

Reflecting on their Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins experience, the celebrity recruits commented:

Anthony Ogogo: “Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is one of the best shows on telly. I wanted to push myself…and it was life changing.”

Bianca Gascoigne: “This was a chance for me to really show people what I'm made of… it was literally life changing.”

Bobby Norris: “I've got so many fears and phobias, and I've let them control my life for so long. I decided that if I could try and even tackle one of them, I'd be happy. This was a once in a lifetime experience...”

Cherry Healey: “It's impossible to prepare yourself mentally, physically, emotionally for this. It's more than you could ever prepare for. It was everything.  It was the most amazing, awful experience of my life.”

Chris Robshaw: “I wanted to see how far I could push myself…and how far I could go…it was just absolutely amazing.”

Ellie Downie: “Everyone told me it would be difficult; the challenges are really hard and the DS are really strict. I thought it can't be that bad, surely. It was! It exceeded my expectations...”

Georgia Harrison: “It completely lived up to my expectation. It was like something off a movie...it was just brilliant…and as much as there were times that I had to overcome the challenges I had to overcome, I wouldn't change it for the world.”

John Barrowman: “I'm always somebody who's up for a challenge, and I just really wanted to give it a whirl.”

Lani Daniels: “I think it exceeded my expectations.  It’s been one of the best experiences I've done in my life. It's something that I will forever be grateful for.”

Marnie Simpson: “I definitely didn't comprehend how tough it would be…it was very raw and very real!”

Ovie Soko: “Oh it blew me away. You kind of see what to expect on TV, but you don't really know until you get there. You don't know how bad it is, the bad things that you have to do, you just don't know the reality of it. But it was incredible. Absolutely incredible. I had one of the best experiences I think I've had in my life.” 

Pete Wicks: “After being medically withdrawn in Jordan (series 4), I felt like I hadn't given it my best, and that bothered me. So when I got an opportunity to go back, I jumped in!  And I would do it again!”

Rachel Johnson: “This experience was much more than I was expecting. I mean, given how ghastly reality television can be, this was top notch. Really top notch.”

Shazia Mirza: “On Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins I learned that if I can do this, I can probably do anything…”

Tez Ilyas: “Being on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins surpassed all expectations. It was harder and more fun than I could have possibly imagined. It was uncomfortable. It was awful. It was brilliant..”

No other test asks as much or means as much to the few who make it through and no allowances or exceptions will be made for this group of celebrities.  

Commenting on this year’s group of celebrity recruits, Chief Instructor, Billy said: “As our course progresses, the standards expected will never faulter. From the very first second, the recruits will be expected to give 100%. Anyone not doing so will be gone before they have time to make their excuses. Our time is invaluable - we will not waste it on anyone not worthy.” 

DS Foxy said: " For the celebrities who think they know what they're in for and think they know what they're going to get, their arrogance will be their undoing.   Once these celebrities are dehooded and into the course, they are going to be slapped in the face with uncertainty. They're not going to know what is around the corner, but I can guarantee them it will be pain and suffering.  It's going to be brutal from the onset all the way to the very end and the celebrities this year are going to have to dig deeper than they've ever dug before, if they want to get to the end!”

DS Rudy commented: “We demand the raw materials of toughness, durability and discipline in our recruits.  Just as our Selection demanded of us during our long walk.  The New Zealand terrain, below zero temperatures and finally, the DS ourselves will make this evolution the most severe of schools for these celebrities.  Who has the fire in the heart to combat the brutal cold and pain of winter warfare? We will soon find out.”

DS Chris added: “As a former Royal Marines mountain leader, I know first hand what it takes to operate in a cold weather environment where temperatures plummet below zero in a flash. Even the most basic tasks drain every ounce of your energy, you cannot operate alone.  Teamwork will be essential for survival. New Zealand is like Wales on steroids.  It’s got it all, making this the most challenging course to date. It will truly test the celebrity’s determination to succeed.”

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is a Minnow Films production for Channel 4. The Executive Producers for series five are Liam Humphreys and Joe Wildman, the Series Producer is Freddie Foss-Smith and Channel 4’s Commissioning Editor for Science and Adventure is Jonah Weston.

For further information, interview requests, clips and to view the programmes, please contact:

Gail Davidson gail@gaildavidsonpr.co.uk

ENDS