SAS: Who Dares Wins S5: Interview with Owen #22

6 January 2020

Age: 42

Profession: Postman

Hometown: South Shields

Background

Owen grew up in a council estate in South Shields. He achieved 9 GCSE passes and went to sixth form hoping to be a barrister-but as fate would have it ended up needing the services of one instead. At age 16, he began stealing cars and burgling shops to impress a girl. This eventually led Owen on a path of self-destruction. He openly admits to “destroying” himself with drugs and alcohol but feels now like he’s found an inner strength and wants to make his family proud.

Tell me about your experience on SAS: Who Dares Wins? 

Singly the hardest, most enjoyable, brief and yet seemingly never ending thing I have ever done.  It was intense from the start of my journey to the end. 

Did you find it difficult? Was it more difficult than you expected?

Yes. I expected it to be more difficult than the show portrays, but still caught cold with the brutality from the off. They started it this year harder than they have ever done before.

Were you surprised to find out this course was taking place in the home of the SAS – Scotland?

Yes. Surprised, disappointed excited. I was in Scotland a few weeks before so initially I was disappointed it wasn’t somewhere overseas.  Rasaay was beautiful, seeing a golden eagle and having porpoise swimming along the boat was breath taking.

Once I realised what they were doing taking it back to where it all began with the SAS.  Instead of disappointment, I felt excited and privileged as knew it was a big deal. Of all five series so far, if I had to pick one to take part in, I am glad I went on this one, in the home of the SAS where it started, in what was clearly also the toughest course the DS had prepared!

How did you cope with the harsh Scottish weather conditions? Did the weather conditions play a part in how hard you found the course?

I live in the North East, it is standard – it is my ideal habitat. These are the surroundings I was hoping for, feeling the loneliness and solitude of nature at its most powerful and beautiful.

I have grown up placing myself in extreme conditions and extreme environments, so it was right up my street.  I was the only fella to turn up in shorts – the cold doesn’t bother me.

Did spending so much time in freezing water make the course more difficult for you?

No, I love being in and around freezing water and I have spent a lot of my youth and continue to spend time in the North Sea.  It’s a mindset thing as long as you stay focused on a different train of thought, you can remove yourself slightly from the full aggression the water is taking on your body.

Have you ever done anything like this before?

Only in my spare time; I constantly, throughout my life, have tended to seek out extreme activities. If there is something to climb, I will climb it.  If there’s open water, it needs to be dived into. I’ve never felt closer to being alive.

What made you sign up?

It’s by the far my favourite television programme and after watching every series from the start, I’ve always thought I would excel in all the tasks.  From climbing, submersion, to jumping off things, hanging from things, carrying and holding things – it’s just what I do.

What training did you do in preparation for this course?

Nothing different.  The gym.  I didn’t run or anything other than normal gym work.

Now that you have this experience, would you like to join the real Special Forces?

Ever since trying to join the marines as a troubled teen I have always felt I should have had a career in the forces. Since returning I have applied for the parachute reserve regiment.

What was the best part of the series for you?

My favourite part was the feeling I got after the first few details. The initial intrepidation I had felt when sizing up the calibre, strength, fitness and youth of my fellow recruits and thinking this is a talented bunch, I hope I can keep up. It was the realisation I was more than capable of competing with these machines…in fact I might just give them a bloody good run for their money.

Were you surprised to find one of your ‘fellow recruits’ was a mole?

Well, I suspected Jay was forces from the off, but convinced myself because the previous series had had a mole, they wouldn’t pull the same stunt this series – how wrong I was!

Since learning of Jay’s illustrious past since leaving the show, I now feel somewhat bemused at the fact I tried to assist Jay up a small hill, since he has summited Everest twice!

What were Ant, Foxy, Ollie, Billy and Jay like? 

Ant spent first couple of days giving me grief for my lack of discipline – but I am sure he smiled and called me ‘dude’ at the end so I may have broken down some barriers.

Foxy is pretty much what you see - easy going, doesn’t waste energy on anger.  He reminds me of myself. I like him a lot.

Ollie is very knowledgeable and straight shooting.  I know he thought I was a bit erratic, but he was cool!

Billy labelled me pretty quickly from my boat disembarking exploits and through further efforts in the details as a bit of a ‘fucking idiot’, I love that! Overall though, he was exactly what I expected..no frills no bullsh*t!

Jay was a sneaky little monkey, I think he was bemused by my age and maybe thought I also wasn’t quite as I seem. I liked him and think he may have a future in acting.

Would you ever do it again?

I would do it again today, tomorrow and on a monthly basis henceforth! I loved it and it’s something I’m very proud to have done. I said to myself before I went in I would push myself past my limits. I’m also happy I was myself throughout.  My close family and friends tried to tell me to tone down my usual  character on the show but what fun would that have been!