CELEBRITY SAS: WHO DARES WINS SERIES 6 PRESS PACK

20 September 2024

TX: Stream or watch live on Channel 4: Sundays and Mondays at 9pm, from 22 September

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. Taking part in this year’s condensed version of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives - Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his team of Directing Staff (DS) – Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver 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).

This course, run by the four intimidating ex-Special Forces soldiers 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!

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? 

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.

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.

ENDS

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

 

Gail Davidson gail@gaildavidsonpr.co.uk

Picture Enquiries to:

Carl Palmer  CAPalmer@Channel4.co.uk  / picturepublicity@channel4.co.uk

INTERVIEWS WITH THE CELEBRITY SAS: WHO DARES WINS SERIES 6 RECRUITS

ELLIE DOWNIE MBE – RECRUIT NUMBER 1

 

Age: 23

From: Nottingham

Occupation: Former Olympic Gymnast

Ellie Downie MBE is a retired gymnast who has represented Great Britain and won twelve medals at continental and world level.. She is the all-around 2017 European gymnastics champion, the first gymnast to win a major all-around title for Great Britain and a four times medallist at the 2014 Summer Youth Olympics.

She was also the first British woman to win an individual all-around medal at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships, with a bronze in 2015.  In the same year, she was also part of the team that won Britain's first global team medal, a bronze, at the 2015 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships.

In 2015 she was also named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.

She wanted to take part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins to prove to herself that she’s still mentally tough after leaving gymnastics.

Why did you want to take on this challenge?

When I was approached about the idea, I was a little bit nervous. It wasn't a show I ever saw myself doing. And then I just kind of thought, why would I not take this opportunity and try it? The idea of taking part in this series was completely out of my comfort zone. I've heard it's really hard, but I thought it would be cool to find out how difficult it would actually be. I hadn't really watched the show before so I kind of went in a little bit blind. Everyone kept telling me how difficult it would be, that the challenges are really hard and the DS are really strict but I kept thinking it can't be that bad, surely. I was wrong. It was!

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I just wanted to see how much I could challenge myself because I had retired from gymnastics at the start of last year, so I hadn't really put myself through anything that intense since then. I wanted to see how mentally tough I still was and how much I could handle.

Did you do any preparation before starting the course?

Not much because I only got confirmed about three weeks before we flew, so I really didn't have much time to prep. I like to keep fit anyway because it’s what my job is now. I'm a PT and teach pilates, so I'm pretty fit. But I kind of wish I knew what was in store because then I would have definitely tried to train a bit harder than those three weeks because I found the course was very, very tough.

What was it like filming in New Zealand?

So cold! But the scenery was just out of this world, it was really, really cool. I loved getting to spend time with all the other celebrities and getting to know them and their background was really cool.

Who would you say you bonded with the most out of the other recruits?

Definitely Cherry Healy. She was like my mum in the team.  We just got to know each other really well and ended up getting partnered together on the show. So she was like my buddy, but we didn't know that was going to happen. And when it did, it just felt like we just worked together really well. We can both get quite anxious and really worried and overthink things quite a lot. She would instantly know if I was having a moment and she'd come over and calm me down. We were a really good pair.

Did you all work well as a team or was there any tension between people?

No, I actually thought we all got on really, really well. When we got there, I think we were all a bit nervous because obviously everyone comes from such different backgrounds and we didn't know how everyone was going to gel together.  But, no, I think we all got on really, really well as a team. Whenever we were doing challenges, everyone was looking out for each other. Every time someone finished a challenge, we all wanted to give each other a round of applause and hug each other, which you're obviously not allowed to, so we were constantly getting punishments for stuff like that!

Did you learn anything from the DS?

Not from them but I learned a lot about myself and how quick I can bounce back from being low, if that makes sense. After the first day, I really felt like I didn't know how long I could stay in it. I didn't sleep well at all, and then I managed to stay. So I think it kind of showed me that I still am mentally tough.

What was the hardest part of the course?

I would definitely say the hiking challenge was the worst for me. I'm one of those people, I want to know how far we've got to go and when we're going to get to the top. And we didn't have a clue. I just felt like we were walking and walking for ages. Me and Cherry were together, so we ended up coming up with a strategy where we would just count to 20 with our steps, so each time we’d reach 20, we’d feel like we had got to an end and then we would just start again.  Every time we got to 20, it just felt like we made progress, so that helped us power through.

So would you say the mental side of the course was more of a challenge than the physical side?

Yeah, I would probably say the mental side was harder because physically I can push myself quite a lot, even when I'm tired. But I know as soon as I get tired and I'm mentally tired, that's when I start thinking irrationally and I kind of spiral. For me, that was definitely the hardest part.

What was the first thing you did after you left camp?

It's kind of weird when it's over, you’re running off adrenaline and fear for days and then when you’re out, it felt really odd. So I had a massive cry and just felt really relieved that I could chill out for a bit. I ordered a load of food, rang my family, and just chilled out, really.

Did the experience live up to your expectations?

Yeah, definitely. It exceeded my expectations. Going in, I knew I was one of the lower level celebrities, and it was nice that I had Chris Robshaw there because we bonded really well because we'd never done any kind of reality TV before. We were the most nervous about how we were going to get on with everybody else but everybody got on so well. I think that made the experience better. Every time someone left, we were really sad that they were leaving.

Would you do it again if you had the chance?

So many people ask me this! I don't know. I think I would to see if I could do better. I guess I probably should have watched some more episodes before I went in becuase I didn't think it looked that intense! But it's very different when you live it compared to watching it!

RACHEL JOHNSON – RECRUIT NUMBER 2

 

Age: 57

From: London and Exmoor

Occupation: Journalist

The sister of one of the most famous people in the country, following in the family tradition, Rachel is not afraid to speak her mind. Having been the only girl boarder at a traditional English, all-boys prep school, she is no stranger to male company, where rules and discipline were a staple.  This has perhaps set her up and prepared her for her future Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins experience.

A highly respected journalist, Rachel started her journalism career as the first female graduate trainee at Financial Times in 1989. Now, Rachel is a weekly columnist for Sunday Telegraph, Daily Telegraph and Evening Standard and as someone who doesn’t shy away from sharing her opinions, she is a frequent panellist on political debate shows such as Question Time.  She was also the ninth editor of ‘The Lady’ from 2009-2013.

Joining her brother, Rachel was a member of the Conservative Party from 2008-2011 but defected to join the Liberal Democrats in the run up to the 2017 General Elections because she disagreed with the Conservative support of Brexit. In 2019, she was the lead candidate for Change UK for South West England constituency in the European Parliament Election.

Rachel has chosen to take part in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins to see if she can survive being completely stripped back. She agreed to take part after taking former recruit, Matt Hancock’s advice, having told her it would be “brutal but amazing!”

Why did you agree to take on this show?

Why did I say yes? I don't know! I've never watched any reality TV before. So I said yes just because it sounded so challenging and mad and out of my comfort zone that I thought, “You know what, when am I ever going to get this opportunity again?” And I didn't know it was going to be in New Zealand when I said yes, either. But as soon as I was asked, I did look at the previous series and I saw just the most magnificent scenery, and I thought, “wow, that looks epic”. And so I thought, "Well, to hell with it. I'll do it.”

What did you hope to get out of the experience?

Adventure, just a rugged, kick ass adventure!

Did you do anything in preparation for it?

No, I winged it! Honestly, when I got there, I found out Shazia, who I adored, had been carrying around a weighted vest, and Bianca had been to some boot camp. I think Georgia had been to a boot camp too, and I was like, “I've just been at work, I've just been walking around my garden.” I was so underprepared!

What did you make of being in New Zealand?

I was worried about the cold, but for me, I just found the whole thing incredible. The glory of just being in that part of New Zealand. And I thought it was an incredible production. The food was really good. It was just amazing. It was a really, really amazing experience. And I'm really glad I did it.

Who would you say you bonded with out of the other recruits?

Oh, I just love Georgia, and I loved Bianca, too. And I've also become friends with Shazia. They are three of the greatest women. They really are. I know these people are good people, you know.  They're strong, kind, honest sisters.

Did you operate well as a team or was there tension?

I mean, I was a shit team leader when it came to the task where we had to carry a boat because I simply couldn't carry it, and I didn’t know what else to say other than carry the boat! Also, I was made camp leader at one point and I had no idea what I was supposed to do, what that meant, and everyone else knew but I'd never watched the show before! When they said to go in the Mirror Room, I was like, “What's that?” I really hadn't watched it. We had some sports stars like Ellie and Chris too.

What did you learn from the DS?

I think I learned about being organised, keeping to time, being ready. You know, that whole kind of thing, just being ready to move was interesting. It's made me a bit more organised in terms of knowing where my stuff is.

What would you say was the hardest part of the course?

The first day we were driven to the task where we had to walk across bars suspended in the air. That task was properly frightening, a horrific thing to do. Then we got to camp and we had to dive into the trough of ice and then get undressed in front of everybody. So nothing was as bad as the first day. The first day really was not nice. I thought, if it's going to be like this, that's really not cool.

 

What's harder, the mental or the physical side of the course?

Physical. There was no mental side to it for me. None. No, it was all physical. I'd look over and I'd see somebody sobbing and I'd go, why? Bobbie had fear of heights and Ellie had fear of whatever, and I felt for them, but I didn't have those phobias, so I was able to do the challenges as far as I was physically able. I wasn't mentally ill equipped for them. I was mentally fine with it all.

What was the first thing you did when you left camp?

I went back to a divine hotel we were all in which was an amazing resort in the mountains. Absolutely beautiful. I had a big drink! I was well looked after. I can’t remember what I ate but it was just great being back in luxury, that's the main thing.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

I think maybe I could do more things than I thought. I was tougher than I thought. And also I was worried about the cold and the sleep, but when it comes down to it, you just get through it, you know? You know there will be something to eat in a few hours or, you know, you're not going to be sitting in the cold forever. So just try and get through it.

Did it live up to your expectations?

Oh, yeah. Much more than what I was expecting. I mean, given how ghastly reality television can be, this was top notch. Really top notch.

Would you do it again?

Now I know what it is, it wouldn't be the kind of incredible adventure and surprise that it was for me. Imagine not knowing what you're in for and then doing Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.  That was what I went through. I had no idea about the punishments, the  beastings, the marches, the endurance challenges. I mean, I had no idea. I just tried to take it in my stride.

BIANCA GASCOIGNE – RECRUIT NUMBER 3

 

Age: 36

From: Hertfordshire

Occupation: DJ and Reality TV Star

Bianca has many strings to her bow.  She is a professional DJ, who also ran a chain of London strip clubs for six years but is also a glamour model, whose portfolio includes FHM, Maxim, Zoo and Loaded.

No stranger to reality TV, Bianca was the winner of Celebrity Love Island in 2005 and runner up on Dancing with The Stars in Italy, in 2021. 

Her latest job is being mum to her year and a half old daughter, Blake Sunshine.

Bianca really wanted to take part in this course because she wants to make her daughter proud.

What made you say yes to this show?

It was so up my street. I'm such a tomboy, so I’ve always said I’d love to do Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, because I'll show everyone that obviously I can do it. I think that this was a chance for me to really show people what I'm made of.

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I think it was to just show how tough I am. But I didn't realise how much I absolutely hated the cold! It was horrendous. I just didn't realise that I didn't like the cold that much. Now an ice bath gives me massive PTSD! I'm just never getting back in one again!

Did you do any preparation?

Well, I only found out two weeks before I flew, so I was like, "Oh shit, I need to go running. I need to try and get my stamina up.”  I'm naturally quite sporty, so for me I thought I could be strong in that show.” I'm quite physically strong, naturally, so I always thought that it would be perfect for me. But then obviously, I was kind of at my weakest because I’d recently been pregnant and I hadn't picked up my fitness again, so it was the worst time for me to do it, fitness- wise, as well.

How did you find filming in New Zealand?

Oh my God, I get goosebumps just thinking about it, it was so cold! Honestly, I didn't know how much I hated the cold. When I first looked it up, I was like, "Oh, this is going to be lovely. 16 degrees, perfect; not too hot, not too cold." Little did I know I would be shivering the whole time. Even when you're in bed, it's so cold, you just don't sleep. Sleep is so important, to me anyway. I need my sleep. And I was up all night just shivering my arse off! I did a Tough Mudder the other day, and I actually had to get in ice-cold water. And I was like, "That was nothing like the waters in New Zealand." That was so easy!

Who did you bond the most with out of the other recruits?

Well, I knew Pete from years and years ago, so it was nice to have a friendly face there, and Marnie too. It was the first time meeting Georgia, but apart from Rachel, Georgia's actually the one that I probably have kept in touch with the most, and still do now. But literally, I'm so obsessed with Rachel, she was like my spirit animal. I was like, "Oh, what's your favourite drink," she was like, "Tequila. I love tequila." I had to share a bed with her, and it was just lovely to have chats with her because obviously she’s someone I never thought ever sit next to or lie on a bed and have chats with.

Did you work well as a team or was there any tension?

Oh my God, I loved them all. I literally cannot wait to see them again and just give everyone a cuddle, because I really do miss them. You go through an experience like that and you become a family, especially because you're going through your hardest moments with them and they're comforting you. It was just a lovely experience with the group that we had, definitely.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

They told me I was a curveball because they didn’t expect me to do well. And that gave me an inner belief. I've learned to have more faith in myself, or confidence maybe.

What would you say was the hardest part of the course?

Just missing my baby. You're going through the worst time, and you're like, "I'm not with my baby." So that was the hardest thing for me. And apart from that, it was the cold.

Is the mental or the physical side of the course the hardest?

When you've got the long tasks, like there was one where we were in teams and we had to carry equipment up the mountain, I thought I was a goner then. I was just like, "I can't carry on." But the only reason that made me carry on is because I was in a team, I was like, "I can't let them down. If I quit, then they fail too." So that was the only thing that pushed me. I kept thinking I've just got to put myself through it. So it was the long tasks that were the hardest. I liked the short ones, like jumping off stuff.

What was the first thing you did or ate when you left camp?

I got a glass of wine. When I came out, I said, "Take me to the bar. I need a little glass of wine." And then I just wanted to see everyone else that was out. So yeah, I definitely had a little drink after that, for sure, because it was so needed. Then I rang my mum. But as soon as I got back to the hotel base, I was straight in the bar!

Has the experience lived up to your expectations?

Oh yeah, massively. It was literally life changing.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

I think it’s showed me how strong I am, how resilient I can be, especially with the mental state I was in at that point, because obviously I was finding it really, really tough being away from my baby. I was battling with myself.

Would you do it again?

I would actually love to do it again, because it was the ultimate experience. It's right up my street!

MARNIE SIMPSON  – RECRUIT NUMBER 4

 

Age: 31

From: Newcastle, lives in Bedfordshire

Occupation: Influencer

 

Marnie decided to take part in the course so she could push herself out of her comfort zone and gain confidence.

 

As an influencer, Marnie has gained 5.7 million followers.  She is known for being a Geordie Shore cast member from 2013 to 2016 and for making fourth place in Celebrity Big Brother.

 

With reality TV such a big part of her life, it’s no surprise that she met her husband on the set of one series she starred in – MTV’s Single AF.

 

Marnie is currently a columnist for OK Magazine.

Why did you want to do this show?

I feel like when I signed on, I didn't realise how tough it was going to be. I don't think I really thought about it too much. It was such a last minute decision, I didn't really have too much time to think about it. But all I know is, I definitely didn't comprehend how tough it would be!

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I just thought it would be good to do something different and I would just give me a bit of confidence. I just wanted the challenge, but I never in a million years thought it was going to be what it was. It was really tough, it was not like any other TV show I've ever done. It was very raw and very real, it was just a very different concept to anything I've done before with regards to TV.

Did you do any preparation for it?

No! I think that's where I went wrong a little bit! My son was about one so I was still kind of in that postnatal type of era. I just should have trained a bit more. I should have taken it a bit more seriously when I was going there, but I didn't. And I definitely paid the price! It was very tough on my body. I'm not gonna lie.

What did you think about filming in New Zealand?

It was freezing! And that's another thing that really took us by surprise. I've never experienced coldness like it. And you would never really think that the cold could take you out like it did me, genuinely. I couldn't even think straight it was that cold. So that was surprising about New Zealand. I didn't realise it would be that cold, but it was such a beautiful place. It was absolutely stunning and I was just so thankful that I had the opportunity to go and see it.

Who did you bond with the most out of the recruits?

I bonded with everyone. I think everyone was really different and unique in their own way. And it was nice to just chat and get to know so many people from different walks of life, I enjoyed everyone's company. It was a really, really good cast. I loved them all.

Did you work well as a team or were there any arguments?

I don't think I would have got as far as I did without them. We were just constantly helping each other, supporting each other, and I think that's what keeps you going.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

I have mixed emotions about it. Us as humans, we like to be praised for doing our best, but in that situation, you are almost constantly being put down for trying your best. So it was a very unusual strategy, you know. But it did kind of make us realise that you can do anything that you put your mind to, and you always are stronger than you think.

What was the hardest part of the course?

I was caught off guard. I didn't realise I was that frightened of heights until I did that. I've not really been in that situation. I feel like now that I'm older, when I was in my early twenties, I used to just do all that type of crazy stuff. On Geordie Shore, we used to do all that type of stuff and I never really used to think about it, but now I do.

What were you telling yourself in that moment so you didn’t quit?

It was Billy, his confidence was radiating through me. He was like, “you can do it. You can do it”. So I was just kind of going off what he was saying, if I'm honest. I was so scared, I wasn't really thinking about anything. I was focusing on what was right in front of me.

What was harder, the mental or physical side of the course?

For me, it was the cold. I couldn't cope with that. I guess that’s the mental side of the course. I've never felt cold like it. I'm naturally a cool person anyway. I'm the person who would have the heat on in summer, I'm always so cold. So that was definitely the worst climate that it could have ever been for me. I would rather have done it in 40 degree heat!

What was the first thing you did when you left the camp?

I went straight to my hotel room and I ran a bath and I literally had it scolding hot. I literally sat in it for an hour and it was boiling hot. It was like Marnie soup. I kept thinking I didn't want to ever leave this bath. I was so tired!

Did the whole experience live up to your expectation?

It was 1000% harder than I thought. And I think your mind has a big role. And I feel like because I wasn't mentally prepared, that had an effect on me, you. I didn't prepare mentally for the physical challenges or for how hard it was going to be. And I didn't prepare for the mental challenges of how hard it was going to be. I think if I'd had three months to really prepare, then I would perhaps have had a better experience. But I did my best.

Did you learn anything about yourself during the show?

Yeah, I definitely learned through the support that I had from everyone that you can rely on your teammates. That was really nice. I am a bit of an introvert, so I feel like that was just so nice, meeting everyone and having their support. Everyone in there knew I was struggling and they were really, really nice and just there for me and would always talk to me and I really enjoyed that aspect of it. It was really nice.

Would you do it again?

I probably would, yeah. I think knowing what I'd be going into, I would try it again and I would obviously be more prepared. I would do it again just to try. Just hopefully it would be in a hot climate! I would take the trench foot over frostbite any day. I would definitely recommend people to do it though because I think life's about trying new things and challenging yourself. But I would just let them know that it's extremely tough. And people aren't just saying that. It is actually really tough so just mentally and physically prepare yourself.

PETE WICKS – RECRUIT NUMBER 5

 

Age: 35 From: Essex Occupation: TV Personality

Pete Wicks was a Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins recruit back in series 4 in Jordan, in 2021. At the time, he was devastated because an injury meant he  had to be medically withdrawn.  He always felt he had unfinished business with the course and was determined to return, to succeed and reach his potential through the course. Between 2015 and 2021, Pete appeared in The Only Way is Essex. He has also starred in several reality shows including Bear Grylls Celebrity Island, Celebs Go Dating and The Circle. He hosts a weekly celebrity news podcast, Staying Relevant, alongside his close friend Sam Thompson, he is an ambassador for The Dogs Trust and RSPCA and he has racked up 1.3million followers on Instagram.

Why did you want to put yourself through the course again?

That's a good question, actually, one I'm probably still trying to answer myself, because the time before I was medically withdrawn, 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.

Were you nervous about attempting it again?
 

No, I don't think it was about being nervous this time. It was just about just going as far as I personally could, which I didn't get an opportunity to do the first time. So I was more excited, I think, than nervous.

What were you hoping to get out of the experience this time?

The same as I was hoping to get out of the first one, I think, which is a life experience. And to kind of test myself.  I think that's why a lot of people do it, to test yourself and to see what your limits are.

Did you do any preparation this time?

No, I didn't. Last time I was in the desert. This time it was New Zealand, with snow. I think it’s quite hard to prepare for. A lot of people were already quite fit, but my lifestyle isn't like that. I probably should have done more prep than I did.

New Zealand is very different from the desert, how did you find the conditions this time?

Yeah, from the desert to the snow. I couldn't have got two more different environments. It was really, really cold. Such a contrast between the two and, you know, people always said, which do you think is harder? But they were both hard in their own kind of way for different reasons. I don't particularly like either! I mean, it would have been nice if we could have done something in Spain! That would have been lovely!

What else did you find new this time compared to last time?

There’s a new DS. Chris wasn’t there last time. He’s amazing as well. Really, really lovely guy. And again, he's got so much experience and advice to offer.  I've spoken to them all since leaving, and they're honestly just really, really great people, Rudy included. They're all great.

What did you make of the other recruits and who would you say you bonded with the most?

Yeah, another really nice group from lots of different kinds of backgrounds. I knew a couple of them already, so it was quite nice to see some familiar faces, but similarly to the first one, I made friends again. There are people from the first series who I still speak to now and have become really close with. So that's kind of one of the nice things about these shows is you meet people from different backgrounds and different walks of life that you wouldn't ordinarily spend time with and you kind of go through an experience together that no one else kind of really understands. It was a great bunch this time as well, I got on with everyone.

Who surprised you the most?

I think Bobby. I mean, Bobby I know quite well, but he surprised me an awful lot. I think, you know, from his kind of journey from day one to where he finished, is nothing short of amazing. I didn't think he'd make it through the first day, to be honest, after his initial shock reaction to the whole thing, but, yeah, I think he did amazingly.

Did you all work well as a team or was there any tension?

I think everyone kind of pitches in and to be honest, I think it doesn't matter if you're an ex sports star or whatever else when it comes to this, because they've not done that before either. I think it's just whether or not you're a competitive person and I think everyone does the show in their own way. But there’s always tension because not everyone is going to get on with everyone and you’re put in a high pressure situation. But at the end of the day, when it comes down to it, as much as it's an individual test of your own abilities, it's so important to work as a team. I think we did well in the end, all things considered. But of course, part of what you're learning, is to be able to work as a team.

Did you learn anything new from the DS this time?

I think you pick up things from those guys every time you're around them, you know, and it's the bits that aren't shown as well. You pick up what those guys went through and how they lived their lives. It's inspiring. And it's not just stuff that you see on the set, it's the whole time that we're kind of there because you watch an hour of one day and the whole day is exactly the same as what that hour is. There are so many little gems that they come up with and advice that they kind of give you, you learn so much from them every day. There's not one thing I could pick.

What would you say was the hardest part of the course for you?

I've always loved the water, but certainly since last time, it was the water side of tasks I found difficult because what happened once, could it happen again? You know, I mean, there was, the one where we fall in backwards from a bit of a height. That was a nerve wracking one for me because obviously last time I didn't fall properly and that left me unconscious and down and out, you know what I mean? So that was a nerve wracking one, but the whole point of this was to overcome those fears.

So was the mental challenge harder than the physical?

No, the whole thing was a physical challenge until that point because I had prepared myself to get through and finish it. I just wasn't expecting that part of it at all.

What was the first thing you did once you left camp this time?

I called my mum. That was the first thing I did. That's all I could think about and that's the first thing I did. It was nice to be in a hotel room and have a bath. It was just nice to be warm and cozy and have a beer!

Did you learn anything new about yourself this time that you perhaps didn't the first time around?

Yeah, I just needed to address my past, because it was affecting my present and future.

Do you have any regrets doing the course again?

No, absolutely not. And I would do it again! It’s good to challenge yourself with different things and it's good to kind of try and improve them and be better, you know, every day that's part and parcel. You're always learning and trying to improve. It's such a great experience and such a great show. And when you look back on it, as a life experience, the kind of amazing things that you get to do, running down dams etc, it's just great. It's just brilliant.

So if you got the chance to go again, would you have a game plan?

You just can't have a game plan because you don't know what to expect. I don't think I'd do anything differently. The preparation before getting in, I think, is about putting yourself in the right headspace. I think that's the only thing that I would do differently. I mean, it'd be ridiculous for me to do it again, really, wouldn't it?

TEZ ILYAS – RECRUIT NUMBER 6

 

Age: 40

From: Blackburn

Occupation: Comedian

Tez is best known for being part of the BBC3 comedy show Man like Mobeen as well as hosting his own Channel 4 show The Tez O’Clock Show.

He started his stand-up career with his debut show Tez Talks, which earned him a run at the Soho Theatre, as well as a Radio 4 show and Tez is regular performer at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Before bursting onto the comedy scene, Tez gained a Master’s degree and started a career in the civil service.  His debut novel The Secret Diary of a British Muslim Aged 13 ¾ became a Sunday Times bestseller in 2021.

Why did you say yes to this show?

I was asked, and it’s always very nice to be asked to do things, especially TV things. And also, having seen bits of the show online and having watched an episode here and there, I just thought what an amazing experience it would be, a money can’t buy experience. I feel like with my stand up, I travel around and after a while it starts blurring into one. Going to towns and cities and performing and then leaving without properly exploring a place. So wouldn't it be nice to just be in a place for a couple of weeks, if you last that long! Wouldn’t it be nice to be in one place and just really see it, feel it, touch it and smell it and also have a money can't buy experience. I'm not SAS material, so the fact that I got to do some SAS training and exercises was very, very exciting.

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I'm not going to sit here and be like, “I was hoping that I'd win”, because I didn’t expect to win. I was pretty sure that I wasn't going to make it to the end. I was hoping just to experience it, see how much I can take mentally as well as physically, see how much of my own personal boundaries I could push, how much of my comfort zone I can be out of and still be okay and survive and be mentally intact. And I think it did that. It really stretched me, parts of it, and then part of it was just really, really fun.

Did you do any preparation for it?

I mean, I did the best I could in the timeframe that I had because I had five weeks notice at best. I'm not an athlete like some of the guys on it. I can't just go into training camp mode, you know, I'm a civilian. I'm a normal guy. So I did the best I could. I hit the gym as much as I could, but I was probably starting from quite a low bar, so getting to semi normal is probably all I could have done in the five weeks that I had. I probably didn't have enough time to really push myself and get myself into the shape that I would have probably wanted to be in or needed to be in.

What was it like filming in New Zealand?

Well, as a massive Lord of the Rings fan, it was amazing. Beautiful. I mean, where we were staying, the airport is just on the other side of these mountains, so as you fly over to land you're really low.  We were literally skimming over these mountains and it was just breathtaking, the scenery around it. It was cold, obviously, sleeping in those bunks in what was possibly amongst the coldest I've ever been in my life. It was so cold I couldn't sleep. I was too scared to take my sleeping bag out because I was so scared that we'd suddenly be woken up at 6am with ten minutes notice to be completely ready and out the door ready to go on a mission or whatever. I thought, I'm not going to have time because it takes me so long to properly get my senses in the morning that there's no way I'm going to be up and alert. So I slept with a blanket as it was so cold.

Did you form any close bonds with the other recruits?

It was really nice because a lot of them come from different worlds to me, you know, athletes and reality TV stars. A lot of them knew each other, they were from a similar world, similar parties, similar social events. Whereas I felt like I was slightly removed from that. Me and maybe Shazia and Lani were slightly removed because we weren't in the same social circles as those guys. But I got on with everyone, I really liked Pete and even though I knew Shazia from the comedy circuit, I got to know her better, which was really nice.

Were there any arguments or did you think you operated well as a team?

I didn't really notice any sort of tensions or arguments, no one was mega frustrated with anyone. I think Ovie was a bit less patient with some stuff than possibly other people. But I think that was because he's a real go getter, he was really good at everything as well.

What did you learn from the DS?

They were a mixed bag. Rudy and Chris were really nice. It felt like they treated us like people. Billy was slightly more detached, but it felt like he was more fair. But I did learn stuff from them, like their discipline and the fact that they've been through this for real so they really know what they're talking about. The harsh treatment is probably nowhere near as harsh as they probably suffered in the real world. That was quite inspiring in a way, like, wow you really went through this.

What would you say was the hardest part of the course.

Definitely the physical challenges because that was probably my weakness. I wasn't as physically fit as some of the others there because they were athletes. And also reality TV stars, you know, part of their job is to look good and part of looking good is being in the gym a lot. So they were very, very fit and active. Being in shape is good, but it's less important in my career. So my fitness was definitely one of the hardest things to overcome.

Would you say the physical side is harder than the mental side of the course?

Yeah, I think so. But then I don’t have issues with things like heights, so I didn’t have to overcome that. I guess the mental challenge for me was when they're shouting at me and I felt like I was being being singled out a little bit, but you just have to bite your tongue a bit  because if you don’t, you might get everyone else into trouble. That'll be a smart way of punishing you, punish everyone else and then you feel super guilty about it. So stuff like biting your tongue was tough, especially as a comic, you're always used to firing something back.

What was the first thing you did or ate when you left camp?

Oh, there was an amazing burger at the resort we got to stay in. So I got a really nice cheeseburger, and it was halal as well. I’d had it a couple of times before we actually started the course because I thought at that stage what harm could it do? So I had another one when I got out.

Did the show live up to your expectations?

Definitely. I’d even say it surpassed them. It was harder and more fun than I could have possibly imagined. It was uncomfortable. It was awful. It was brilliant.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

Yeah, aside from the fact that I'm physically not a specimen, it’s made me even more in awe of watching Olympic athletes, and not even Olympic athletes, athletes in general, we are the same species but what they can do with their bodies physically, I'm like, wow. But also I now know I have some level of resilience. There are comfort zones that I go out of and I'm able to cope with that. That was nice. Maybe I do need to bring a bit more of the army discipline into my life.

Would you do it again if you had the chance?

Yeah, but I feel like I'd want slightly longer notice so I could get into better physical shape to give it a really, really good go!

OVIE SOKO – RECRUIT NUMBER 7

 

Age: 33 From: London Occupation: Pro Basketball Player

Ovie is a professional basketball player, who has played for teams across the world, including USA, Greece, Japan, Spain, France, and the UK and finished playing for the London Lions in February 2023. He was a contestant on the fifth series of Love Island in 2019 and is a brand ambassador for ASOS alongside his dad Raymond, with further deals for big brands such as Loreal, Hugo Boss and Amazon. All this Ovie brand awareness has resulted in 1.6 Million followers on Instagram  Ovie wanted to take part in the course for the mental challenge

What made you want to do this show?

I think Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is a very, very unique show, and I think my background in sports and just that challenging side of it, was something I was really excited about. I've been approached by a couple other shows, but I just don't think any of them are like Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in the way it challenges you mentally and physically, of course. There's only so much that they can put you through, but it’s the closest look to what it could possibly be like for someone that is in that line of work, I just think it's fascinating.

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I really wanted to be pushed, and I feel like for Billy and the rest of the DS, it's their job,  to know how to break you down just to see how tough you are mentally, see what you can endure physically, those kind of things. That was what I just wanted to see. I think it's something that I'm always interested in, knowing where my breaking point is, knowing how far I can push myself or be pushed. I think it's important for all of us to know that.

Did you do any preparation for the course?

No, I mean, physically, I try and stay in shape anyway. I think my sporting background is just a part of my life, to be fair, it makes me feel good, but there's only so much you can prepare for. I've seen highlights of some of the previous shows and some of the people that I know from Love Island who had been on the show prior to myself. I just felt like you can't really prepare for it because you don't know how you're going to react when you're in that situation. And what they show on TV is not the full 24 hours. So what you're going through for that whole 24 hours, you have no idea. There's no way of knowing.

What was it like filming in the cold conditions of New Zealand?

Yeah, it was freezing, but New Zealand was incredible. I want to go back. I haven't been able to because obviously it's a very, very long way away, but it was absolutely incredible. It felt like as soon as you step off the plane, you can feel the freshness of the air, it's just a very, very relaxing place. I think it was a great place to centre yourself. I really, really enjoyed it from the moment we landed off the plane till the day I left. I really, really enjoyed New Zealand.

Who would you say you bonded with the most out of the other recruits?

I got on with Anthony and I feel like because he comes from the sporting background as well there was a lot of ways that he may have seen things and I could sort of see his viewpoint on. Rachel was one of the funniest recruits. I didn't know really what to expect from her because it might be a bit judgmental on myself, but she comes from a different background, a very, very different world than I've probably ever been around. I just didn't really know what to expect from being around someone who comes from that kind of world. But she was so pleasant. It was such a good group of recruits for various reasons. Everyone was very different, but you could see people fighting whatever their thing was. I learned a lot just from watching everyone's struggles around me, you know? I mean, Bobby was a champ, the guy was terrified from day one and I saw him overcome fears.

Did you work well as a team?

Yeah, to see people attacking things that genuinely have rattled them, that’s what’s so deep about the experience. You can't explain it to anyone. Even if I showed you the footage for the full 24 hours, you still wouldn't understand. It's just one of those kinds of experiences.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

I think the biggest thing I learned from them was the necessity for discipline, which is something I've always understood, but I've always understood it just because I've been told that by coaches. But the reason behind discipline and the level of self care and how much you're really looking out for yourself by being a disciplined individual, it just hit home to another level, you know, even as far as how the place must always be kept and everything has to always be in place, because given an emergency, you want to be as efficient as possible in getting from a to b and being able to address the emergency. If you’re not 100% crystal clear where everything is, it slows down that process, which in turn, obviously, in their world, could be fatal.

What was the hardest part of the course?

The hardest part of the course is it's always going to be the mental side, and it's understanding that that's the game. That's the big game that they're playing, because realistically none of the things that we're doing are going to hurt us. You're on a TV show, they're not going to put you in any genuinely dangerous situation. Very, very, very uncomfortable, but not dangerous. But your mind doesn't know that. So when you're looking over a dam or when you're balancing on the trapeze and you're looking down, it's your mind that you have to take control of. That's what this whole thing is. You can control everything outside very easily but it’s your mind you have to control.

What was the first thing you did when you left camp?

I had the longest shower and then the hotel had a restaurant and I got to meet up with some of the others for some drinks.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

I think just the discipline of order and the necessity of order and everything to be where it should be and everything has a home for a reason. But appreciating the layers to that, I think it's definitely helped me with that big time.

Did the experience live up to your expectations?

Oh it blew it 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. From the angle of seeing a new side of the world, somewhere that I think from a nature perspective is very fresh and very revitalising. To push myself physically and mentally, you're staying in shape also, your mind is being tested, but then to have the other side of it where you're seeing people do really well and that’s bringing you joy and you're achieving stuff together as a team. It was just an all round sound experience.

Would you do it again?

Yeah, I had a great time. I would do it once a year if I could, 100%. There’s no doubt in my mind. Everyone should do it at least once.

ANTHONY OGOGO – RECRUIT NUMBER 8

Age: 34

From: Grew up in Lowestoft, Suffolk and currently lives in the United States

Occupation: Ex- Professional Boxer

Anthony competed as a professional boxer between 2013 and 2016. He retired as a professional boxer in 2019 following an injury to his eye.

Registered blind in one eye, he has 78% vision in his left eye.

He was a bronze medallist in middleweight boxing in the London 2012 Olympics and  a gold medallist in Junior Olympics in 2004.

He made his wrestling debut in 2019 and his Strictly Come Dancing debut in 2015.

What made you say yes to this show?

I don't watch a great deal of TV anymore, but I only want to do great stuff and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is one of the best TV shows on telly. I wanted to push myself. I questioned before I went there whether I’d cry, I didn’t think I would. I didn't stop crying! I'm such a baby. But it was life changing. It really was.

What did you hope to get out of this experience?

I wanted to learn about myself and I got exactly what I wanted to get out of it. I honestly had an amazing experience. Each day we were given little books, and every single day there, I wrote a little diary. What we did that day, who was struggling, who was bugging me. It was just to remind me afterwards what I did. I had an unbelievable experience. I got to learn things about myself and I got to meet great people.

Did you do any preparation for the course?

I’m a wrestler now so I’m always in shape anyway, I didn’t think there was much preparation physically that I could do. I did do some but I wasn’t as fierce as I could have been.

What was it like being out in New Zealand?

Obviously it's freezing but I loved it. I remember I got there, landed in Queenstown, and I could not believe the clouds were there. I could almost touch the clouds. It was unbelievable. New Zealand was lovely and where the camp was, up in the mountains, the clouds were so close, it was like you could touch them.

Who did you bond with the most out of the gang?

Cherry Healy. She was my best friend in there. She was so good and we kind of got through it together. She was so good. She's like the mum of the group, she's such a lovely, wonderful lady. It was horrible when she left. I was crestfallen, I thought we were going to make it to the end together. I felt so sad. So she is my best friend on the show and also, she's one strong woman, she's a beast mentally.

What was the hardest thing you did?

I didn't think I was scared of heights. I wouldn't say I’m scared of heights, but I’d much rather my feet are on the ground than be hundreds of feet up in the air on the parallel bars we had to walk across which were 300 feet in the air. I thought it would be a doddle, but then I was watching everyone and they all started falling off. I thought I was going to be the only man to do it. But oh my god, it was so scary. I knew I couldn't die, I was strapped up. I was harnessed in. I knew I wasn’t going die. But bloody hell, I was so scared, that was really tough.

 

Did the mental or physical side of the course challenge you the most?

Well, they challenged me physically. They did challenge me physically. Certain things happened in the show which meant I highlighted myself to the DS and you should never highlight yourself.  You need to be the grey man and just get on with it. So I struggled with that side of the course, having the attention on me, but mentally I was very tough.

What did you learn about yourself?

I thought I was going to get on really well. I’m really big, really strong, fit enough to do this, strong enough to do this. Actually, I learned lessons that maybe I'm not, maybe I'm not as good as I thought. Maybe I'm not as adept at certain areas of my life where I thought I might have been beforehand. But I guess the whole thing about life is you learn, you grow, you put yourself in positions where you learn. I've learned so much from that.

What did you learn from the DS?

It's not to get emotional, especially when they're trying to press your buttons. In life, people always try to press our buttons and often it's a trick or ploy, the key is to not get emotional. They are a lot nicer than they come across on TV. I really liked Chris. I really love Rudy. I learnt a lot from Rudy. I wasn’t involved in the conversation but I heard him talking to Cherry about masculinity. He’s a machine of a human being, looks a million dollars and you might stereotype him to be a certain way. But he was speaking to Cherry about stuff she’s done in her career and genuinely wanted to learn from her. He’s a lovely man. It makes you see soldiers in a different way, they kill people as part of their job and they've got to become detached from that stuff, I guess. That's really, really hard. They’re real men, to be able to go there and do that, you must not have real emotions, that’s what I thought, but listening to him I realised they are human too. They have emotions. I think it's fascinating. So I learned a lot from actually thinking about that and learning from him.

What was the first thing you ate when you got out?

We went back to the hotel and had a big cheeseburger. I'm not really normally much of a cheeseburger guy, but that’s what I wanted. And we had a few drinks, Bianca led the way on that!

Did the show live up to your expectations?

I think I surpassed it. It was harder than I thought it was going to be, which is good. I'm glad it was harder than I thought it was going to be. It wasn’t just the tasks, everyone's a little bit nervous, tired, usually you get wet, cold and miserable. Then it's two hours back to camp and you’re wet, cold and miserable. That's what makes it hard.

Would you do it again?

If I got the chance to I really would love to. Life's all about growth, is about being exposed to things you're not very good at or even if you think you are good at, testing yourself. Life’s about learning, making mistakes and growing from that.

LANI DANIELS – RECRUIT NUMBER 9

Age 34

From: New Zealand

Occupation: World Heavyweight Champion Boxer

 

Lani is of Maori descent She is from the Iwi Ngāti Hine which is part of the wider Ngāpuhi. And also belongs to the Hapū  Te Orewai.

She earned her International Boxing Federation World Heavyweight title in 2023.  She also holds an Australasian Heavyweight title and is the fourth boxer of Maori descent to win a world title.

She is named ‘The Smiling Assasin’ in the boxing world and is also a trained mental health nurse.

Lani took part in the course to find out who she really is!

Why did you sign up to this show?

I just wanted to take on the challenge, to be honest. I love challenges, and I think it really was just pushing me outside my comfort zone. I thought it was a great opportunity to do that, also, I think I’m quite scared of danger. I feel like I'm quite a wuss, but when push comes to shove, something comes out of me. I'm like a fighter, but I will try and avoid it at all costs.

What were you hoping to get out of this experience?

To be honest, I don't know. I was just going in it to see what I got, just pushing myself to breaking point. I wanted to push myself as far as I could push myself. And to be fair, I didn't think it was going to be as hard as it was. It wasn't until I was in it that I started to question myself, whereas watching it on TV, it doesn't give you the full effect of what it actually felt like being in it.

Did you do any preparation for the course?

Well, physically, it was more like a fat camp than a fight camp because I was not quite 100% physically, as I was on a weight loss journey at that point. And I guess that was a lot of the thoughts that I did have. I’m supposed to be this athlete world champion but I’m on a weight loss journey. I was actually surprised how well they fed us!

You’re from New Zealand so what did you make of the camp and the terrain you were in?

To be fair, I didn't feel like I was in New Zealand because it's completely different surroundings to where I'm from. I'm from the upper north island where it doesn't snow at all. And the landscape and everything is so different to what it is down there. So I'm not used to that surrounding. I'm used to the bush where it's a lot greener, and there are a lot more animals. I'm used to living off the land, so it made me realise I didn't know New Zealand as well as I should.

 

Who did you bond with the most out of the other recruits?

Well, I didn't know any of them because I'm not really a TV person and I didn't really grow up watching it. Where I'm from, my mum never allowed us to be inside. So we were always outside playing in the bush. So I didn't really know the celebrities, and just being surrounded by them, I felt a bit awkward and uncomfortable because they felt like real celebrities, just the way they spoke, the way they held themselves. I felt out of place in that sense. I was thinking, “Why am I even here?” But then Cherry was the person that I was able to connect with a lot. And when I got to speak to everybody, I realised that actually they're all just human. It was almost like I was starstruck a bit and just fascinated by the way they live.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

I learned that they were really, really hard on us and they took no nonsense! I was so scared of them and I didn't know how to behave because I would try and listen to everything they said. I just thought they were like robots, they had a job to do, and they were just so good at doing it. I just was trying really, really hard to do the right thing.

What was the hardest part of the course for you?

I actually enjoyed the challenges themselves. But I went into the challenge with five weeks to go to my next fight which was defending my heavyweight title. And so I had strict instructions, don't get hurt. And the first task that we did, we had to walk across these poles in the air. People were falling and hurting themselves and in my mind, I just had it stuck in my head that I can't get hurt and that impacted how I performed. But it was then that my train of thought changed, I was like, “I'm here now, and I need to focus on what's in front of me. I failed this task because of the fear of getting hurt.” So I made that conscious decision and I just let go of the fear of hurting myself and forgetting about the fight and focusing on what was in front of me.

So would you say the mental side of the course was more of a challenge than the physical side?

Well, physically, I think they would only push you as far as you could go. So I think the mental aspect of it was a lot harder. But I feel like that was what saved me, my mind. I actually feel like physically I struggled, I feel like I could have done better if I was physically fitter. I wasn’t in training at the time and even though I had just come off a fight, I felt like I had let myself go. So I feel like it was my mental side that got me through the course, for sure.

What was the first thing you did when you left camp?

I had a big meal at the hotel. I ordered as much as I could and then I soaked in the bath, but it was hard because my body was sore and I had big blisters on my hands, it was painful. And my fingers were numb from the cold.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

I’m always learning but I honestly think it’s an experience that I still need to reflect on and I’m still making sense of. There's still so much learning in it that I have to digest. But I think I’ve learnt that I am tougher than I thought I was. I think I’m more confident now and I trust myself more.

Did the whole experience live up to your expectations?

Oh, definitely. 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.

Would you do it again if you got a chance?

Oh, definitely. I wish I could do it again, because there's so much that I would want to be better at. Like the physical challenges, I wanted just be better at everything that I did.

GEORGIA HARRISON – RECRUIT NUMBER 10

 

Age: 29 From: Essex Occupation: Love-Islander and Campaigner

Georgia is an advocate for women’s rights, working with the charity Refuge.  She has also campaigned at Parliament for specific protections for women and girls to be included in the online government safety bill and uses her 1.2 million Instagram followers to spread the word. She starred in The Only Way Is Essex in 2014 and was a contestant in the third series of Love Island. She as presented the ITV Documentary Revenge Porn: Georgia vs Bear.

Why did you say yes to going on this show?

I think for me, firstly, I've done certain resilience challenges before, but I don't think it's something much of the public has ever seen me do. So it was a really good opportunity to do a show that was going to show my resilient side, rather than be about comedy or dating or most of the opportunities I've had in the past. It was something that was going to really challenge me.

 

What did you want to get out of the experience?

I just wanted to survive, really! When I found out where it was, I was just petrified that it was so cold. I just wanted to go there, do my best, meet new people and really see how strong I can be. But I wasn't sure how far I'd get along. I'd just like to think that no matter what, I wouldn't quit, unless I had something physically that meant that I had to quit.

Did you do any preparation for the course?

Yeah, I did actually. So I am one of those people when doing something, I love to try and put my all into it. So I bought one of their backpacks and I would fill that up with all different weights and stuff like that and I would be running with it. And I had this trainer called Gary and he's ex-military, but I've known him for years. He's all in, I'll put it that way! I could see him working on SAS: Who Dares Wins, because he's such a brilliant character. He is very funny, but very tough. And he would have me outside in the garden literally army crawling through duck poo. I also went to No1 Bootcamp for a week or two before, just to try and get my physical fitness up.

What was it like filming in New Zealand during winter?

I'm going to be completely honest, I've been a fan of the show, so I've watched almost all of it. And it tends to usually be in hot destinations. They had a stinker in Wales, but that was during COVID. I remember actually saying to my agent, "I can't do it and I'm not going to do it if it's in the cold." And he was like, "Well, should I just tell him you're not doing it then?" And I was like, "No, I still want to do it. Just let me come to terms with the fact that I could be frozen in some sort of a glacier somewhere cold." But yeah, it was a shocker to me and it really did scare me!

Who did you bond with amongst the other recruits?

I mean definitely Bobby and Bianca, but I ended up having a really strange bond with Rachel Johnson. We ended up getting paired together in a couple of things and I just really loved her. She's such a strong inspiration, doesn't care about anything, sort of female. And I found her so entertaining. So that was my unlikely friend pairing, I think. But me and Bianca as well, I look at her as a big sister now and she's someone that will be in my life forever after this.

Did you operate well as a team or were there rows?

Yeah look, there were definitely some fall-outs along the way, but I think if you are in that sort of a high intense situation that's just naturally going to happen. And I think, say you were actually to be in the army or the SAS for instance, there's no way you are ever going to avoid some form of a conflict or some form of a disagreement when you're living together in those scenarios. I think a real proper soldier is someone who can be emotionally intelligent throughout those situations, overcome them and work together regardless of your differences or how you annoy people in a living situation.

 

Did you learn anything from the DS?

Yeah, definitely. I definitely learned ways to try and be more organised and try and think before, preparation and stuff like that. I learned to try and think before I speak. There'll be certain times where you'd be walking up a mountain or something with weights on your back. And I remember one of the DS would always look at me and he'd go, "It's just a moment in time, Georgia. Remember that. It's just a moment in time." You're going to be in pain for this moment in time, but after it you're going to have achieved everything you wanted to achieve and that would be gone. So now if I'm running or doing something like Bikram Yoga or something that's physically tough or I'm a bit uncomfortable I'll always just tell myself, "It's just a moment in time." And I got that from them.

What would you say is the hardest part of the course?

I mugged myself right off on the parallel bars. But I had to go first on them. So as soon as I got there, my hood was off first, I thought, "Of course it is." and then they obviously thought, "This one's cocky, let's get her up on the bars." I thought I was good with heights because I've done quite a lot of heights in the past. But honestly, once I got up there I just couldn't concentrate. My legs were going. All I was thinking was, "If I fall, I'm going to smash my nose on the bar.” I found that really, really challenging. I got off and I was just like, "Oh, you made a tit of myself on that one." But I also had a certain level of sympathy for myself, because I had to go first. Once one person does it, other people are more inclined and they have more belief to think they can too. So I think I actually set the bar for that entire task and that was the reason everyone did really badly. So I am sorry to all of the celebrities for that. Really, really sorry!

When it comes to the challenges, which is harder, the mental or physical side?

I think it's mainly mental. Look, it is physically draining, but as long as you push yourself. You don't have to be at the front physically, you could be at the back and still pass. So physicality is something you can get over on the course, but I think the mental challenge is what got to everyone in the end. Not even just the challenges but the living conditions as well. Having no sleep, being cold, being told you're a failure a lot because everyone at some point is going to fail some of the challenges. To carry on going you really have to be extremely mentally strong and not willing to give up.

What was the first thing you did or ate when you left the camp?

So I got into my hotel suite and I was just beside myself, didn’t know what to do. I couldn't figure out if I was more excited to sit on a toilet and do a wee alone, to get in the bath, or open the minibar and just pop the first bottle of champagne I saw. I did all three! I just can't remember in what order. I also ordered room service. I got a burger and a pizza, all of the food I wanted and I ate it in the bath! And then I went to sleep for 20 hours.

Did the whole experience live up to your expectation?

Yeah, 100%. It completely lived up to my expectation. It was like something out of a movie. The way they picked the landscapes, the places to do the challenges. I mean the nature of the challenges, like running face first down a dam. Meeting the other celebrities, getting to hear their stories, getting to bond with them. Getting to spend time with people like Pete and Bobby, who have been parts of my life throughout my journey anyway. It was just brilliant. And even though it was hard, we laughed so much. Not like you do at home, do you know what I mean? You are in the most bizarre situations with some really strong funny characters, some really inspirational people. So there were times where we was just on the floor laughing, saying "How is this even happening?" We actually got told off a lot for laughing throughout. 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.

Did you learn anything about yourself?

I think my number one lesson throughout all of it is just don't quit, never give up and you can overcome anything. And realistically, quitting always hurts more than pushing through that extra little bit. So sometimes everyone just needs to try their best to push through that last little inch that you've got in you. Even in everyday life, in everyday circumstances. And usually once you get past that bit, that's when you can reap all the rewards of something. So just don't quit and be resilient.

Would you do it again given the chance?

I actually don't know. It was such an amazing experience, you never know, you might go in there and you might have a completely different experience with different challenges and different people. So I don't know if I would.

CHRIS ROBSHAW – RECRUIT NUMBER 11

 

Age: 38

From: London

Occupation: Former England Rugby Captain

 

Chris captained the England rugby team between 2012 and 2015, earning 66 international caps.  He played for the England Seniors team as well as the London Harlequins.

In 2021, he moved to America, where he joined the USA team San Diego legion.

He wanted to do the course to see if as a sportsman he was up to the challenge.

Why did you want to do this show?

Look, I think firstly, it was the experiences. I don't watch a lot of reality shows, but I've always watched this and just thought the challenges look amazing. It was very much about the experience.

What did you want to get out of the experience?

I didn't think I was scared of heights but when you're on a scaffolding ladder 100 meters above a canyon, it's a little bit different! I wanted to see how far I could push myself. I know some other rugby guys who have done it as well, and I knew the stress positions would be tough because we're not the most flexible people. I just wanted to see how far I could go.

Did you do any preparation?

Well, I train, so I was quite fit. Did I do any army specific preparation, no. Did I go to a shooting range or anything like that? No. I didn't do any boot camps or army related stuff but physically, I knew I could handle myself. Those bags they made us carry, for bigger guys like me and Ovie, it was only 20% of our weight. For some of the women it was 40% of their weight. So all of a sudden, that's a much bigger strain on them. So I felt OK going in and I’d done some sled related work in the past so that helped with cross country stuff we had to do.

What was it like filming in New Zealand?

It was cold! But the toilets were pretty! Pretty horrible and pretty cold, but the scenery was incredible. I remember going to the toilet and I've never seen a view from a toilet that good, it was just absolutely amazing in the snowy mountains.

Who would you say that you bonded with the most out the other recruits?

I got on really well with Bobby and Pete, people I probably wouldn't have assumed I would, but obviously going into camp and getting to know them, have those different experiences, it was very enjoyable. But I think everyone in there was good value and good fun.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

Not specifically. I think it's different when you come from sports, you know how to work as a team and I think that's what they're always looking for on this show, whereas it's already inbuilt in you because you're so used to working that way. So I wouldn't say any hidden gems, but they were good guys.

What would you say was the hardest part of the course?

Well, hardest physically, was the cross country stuff just because it was actual, proper fitness, and one which just seemed to keep going on and on. And like I said, I've done a little bit of sled work in my time, which kind of helped. But I feel, for the smaller people, especially the women in that task, to lug the same as me and Ovie were, who were probably twice some of their weight, it must have been even tougher for them. That was tough, but I enjoyed that in a weird way. I enjoyed that type of beasting, and that's almost what you miss when you’re playing. You miss pushing your body to that kind of level.

Is it the mental or physical side of the course that is the most challenging?

I think the physical side, to be honest, I think mentally I'm all right. But there wasn’t really much to test me mentally.

What’s the first thing you did when you left camp?
You get back to a five star hotel an hour later and your head is spinning a lot but I called my wife to tell her what had happened.

Did it live up to your expectations?

Yeah, it was as expected. It was just surreal!

Did you learn anything about yourself?

Yeah, I’m scared of heights now! I don't think I had a big epiphany or anything, I’ve always known what I’m capable of. It was just a good experience to do things that I would never normally get the chance to do. I suppose it taught me more about people because I think leadership and captaincy is very much people orientated. And in that rugby space, people are probably quite like this army lot. They're quite similar characters. So getting to know different people was interesting.

Would you do it again?

No! I'm not doing Pete Wicks, that's for sure! I put up a good account of myself, so it’s all right.

CHERRY HEALEY – RECRUIT NUMBER 12

Age 42

From: London

Occupation: TV Presenter

KEY STATS: Best known for her work presenting documentaries on BBC Three, focusing on issues, including drinking, childbirth, body issues, dating, and money. From 2015 until 2019, Cherry presented the E4 spin-off The Jump: On the Piste. In 2018, she started up a podcast called The Hotbed Collective, along with writer Anniki Sommerville and journalist Lisa Williams.  She is also a journalist, having written for several publications including Grazia, and You Me Baby magazine, She has co-presented eight series of Inside the Factory for BBC Two alongside Gregg Wallace. In 2016, Cherry took part in Celebrity MasterChef on BBC One. In 2017–2018 her BBC series Find My First Love is being syndicated in the US on FYI.

Why did you say yes to taking on this challenge?

Well, it's so funny what the universe does sometimes. I was getting frustrated. I was like, do I do a marathon? Do I do a tough mudder? How do I challenge myself? How do I really see who I am as a person? And then Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins came along and when my agent told me, I laughed because I've been calling to the universe for something like this. Something to push me beyond any boundaries that I'd ever known before. So it was an immediate yes. Well, it wasn't an immediate yes, because I've seen the show! I'm a big fan of the show, so it wasn't an immediate yes. But I sat down in Waterstones when she told me, and I thought, “shit!” But then I said yes quickly because I knew this was exactly what I needed at exactly the right time.

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I've always been really sporty. I've always done exercise. And as I've got older, it's become more and more important to me because it's my daily medication. But I thought, I wonder how strong I really am. You know, going to the gym and going for a run along the river, I just knew I hadn't pushed myself. So I thought, how strong am I, really? How mentally strong am I? And when things are cold and when you're hungry, how much resilience do I have? I just didn't really know.

Did you do any preparation for it?

Yeah, I just went to the gym every single day. And I'm not a natural runner, but I ran and ran and ran. I borrowed my friend's husband's weighted jacket. And he does insane things, like marathons in the Amazon. He's about six foot four but I borrowed his enormous weighted jacket. I must have looked like I had completely lost the plot running around because I went to stay with her, so I was running around this little village in Kent with this enormous weighted jacket, running up and down hills.

What was it like to film in New Zealand?

Oh why god, so cold! But every day was beautiful. I think production were hoping it wold be raining and grey, but it was sunny. I mean, it looks like a movie set, the backdrop for this. I'm quite a spiritual person. I believe in God and I pray. My therapist said to me if shit hits the fan and it's too much, look at something beautiful, take a breath, say a prayer, and just step out of your fear. New Zealand was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. It's been on my bucket list since I was 18, but I've just never been able to get there because it's so far and kids happened and work, you know, life got in the way. Are you going to go to New Zealand in the holidays? No, you go to Greece, you go to Turkey, you go to France. So that was a real treat. It is breathtakingly beautiful.

Who did you bond with the most out of the other recruits?

We were a really close group. It was so funny. When I got there, I thought, this is a motley crew! It was a funny old mix. But afterwards, the team said we were one of the closest groups they've ever had, which is so funny. I love Pete Wicks. What a layered, kind, lovely, unusual person. Georgia Harrison and I ended up by feeling really close. Ellie Downey, probably the one I was the closest to. She's such a gorgeous, interesting, kind, lovely woman. I love Bobby Norris too. Rachel was fabulous and so funny.

Did you work well as a team or was there tension?

There were a few moments when people clashed a little bit, but that was dealt with relatively quickly. There was a lot of laughing and there was a lot of love and a lot of support and I don't know where that came from or how it happened, but that's just the chemistry of people coming together, isn't it? But it was a really unusual group. We had a boxer from New Zealand who come from this little tribe and the captain of the England rugby squad, and yet everyone seemed to pull together. I think maybe because we were all so different people just decided we were going to make this work.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

Oh God, yes, attention to detail and the importance of it. So when they say you've always got to have your dry kit absolutely bone dry, what they mean is, if you haven't got your shit together, if you haven't got your kit sorted in a real environment, those wet socks could be the difference between life and death. You've got wet socks, you've got foot rot. You can't keep up with the team. You're dead. So attention to detail and discipline isn't boring. It is the best gift you can give yourself. Getting out of bed, even when you don't feel like it, to go to the gym, taking your supplements, even though you don't feel like it, getting that protein in, drinking water. It doesn't always feel like it, but it's the best thing you can do for yourself. Making sure that your house is in order, making sure that you're thinking ahead for the rest of the day. It's not boring. It's where the good stuff is.

What was the hardest part of the course?

We had to abseil and then run down a dam, that was the scariest. It was like a Mission Impossible movie. You go up to it really slowly and then you look over and it's like worse than you could ever imagine. You can't believe that they're going to make you do that and the only way that I could do it was just to swear. I swore non stop! It was Who Dares Swears! That was the scariest, definitely.

What was the first thing you did after you left camp?

I ran myself a bubble bath, I ordered a glass of wine and an enormous burger, and I ate them in the bath!

 

Did you learn anything about yourself?
Yeah, that we are all so much stronger than we think we are. I think we limit ourselves, actually, because we haven't been tested. Then when we do get tested, it’s a revelation. I think people should put things in your life that are going to test you. Sign up for the marathon, sign up for the difficult thing, go for the job promotion, do the difficult thing because you will learn so much about yourself. That’s what I’ve learnt doing this show.

 

Did the experience live up to expectations?

It was everything and more. It's impossible to prepare yourself mentally, physically, emotionally. It's more than you could ever prepare for. It was everything, it was the most amazing, awful experience of my life.

Would you do it again?

Yes, I would. But I think it's the element of surprise and unknown that makes it what it is. It's waking up in the morning and going, “I don't know what's going to happen today”, and the fear of it and still doing what you need to do, that's the exciting thing. So, yes, I would 100% do it. I think everyone should do it. I think it shows you who you are as a person like nothing else, for sure.

JOHN BARROWMAN MBE – RECRUIT NUMBER 13

 

Age: 57

From: Born in Glasgow, now lives in the United States

Occupation: Actor

John is a seasoned actor of stage and screen, having performed on Broadway and in the West End in shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Hair, Sunset Boulevard and Miss Saigon. John was Lawrence Olivier award nominated for best actor in 1998 an has starred in multiple films including Zero Dark Thirty’and The Producers. He has had multiple presenting roles including Live & Kicking, This Morning and The One Show. He also played the lead role on BBC’s Doctor Who and Torchwood and between 2020 and 2021, he was Dancing on Ice judge between 2020 and 2021. In 21014, he was awarded an MBE for his services to the entertainment industry and since 2010, he has been a Patron of CRY (Cardiac Risk in Young) charity.

Why did you want to do this show?

I wanted to do it because for the normal reason I want to do any type of show, which is because I go into something thinking it will be fun and I’ll enjoy it. And also, I've seen the show and I'm always somebody who's up for a challenge, and I just really wanted to give it a whirl. I hadn't done anything in quite a while, so I decided it might be something to delve back into.

What did you hope that you'd get out of the experience?

I don't know that there was a motive to go in. My management at that time said, "It might be something good to do. It'll get you away. It'll take your mind off of things. It's something completely different." And these were their exact words. "You enjoy a challenge, you enjoy doing stuff that takes you out of your comfort zone," and that was partly the reason and the convincing that I had to go and do it.

Did you do any preparation for it?

None whatsoever! There's really no way you could train for something like that in the course of three or four weeks. Some people, I think it was Cherry, she was a runner, so she already ran. And you had people like Ovie, he's a basketball player, he was quite fit in himself. And we had the boxer, Lani. So you had people who were training on a regular basis. But for someone like myself, also I had a life that I had to deal with. I look after my parents, we've got stuff that we do, so I couldn't really go and spend four or five hours in the gym to train for this. And also, it's a TV show!

What was it like filming in wintery New Zealand conditions?

It was freezing cold, but it was beautiful! It was absolutely beautiful.

Who did you bond with out of the other recruits?

I knew of them, for instance, Bianca Gascoigne, I knew of her when she was a little girl because I'd met her dad. He'd been on TV shows that I was on that we'd interviewed and done stuff on, like Live and Kicking and all that kind of stuff when he was younger. I didn't know Rachel Johnson. However, she and I had a laugh together. Although I don't agree with her politics, but in this day and age, you're still able to sit down and have a conversation with somebody and talk to them and laugh and you don't have to agree upon everything, and that's part of the joy of a conversation. You can have an argument and you can still remain friends or talk. Everybody I really got along with.

What was it like taking on the trainasium?

You're in a situation that you're never going to be in ever again in your life. And I can only use the example of other things that I have done in other shows where I've been put on the edge of a cliff or doing whatever. The most uncomfortable part of stepping out on that bridge was not stepping out on the bars, but it was climbing down. Your legs are shaking and you realise that when you climb down, you're on that platform, there’s nothing below you. But I always say to myself in those situations, "I'm never going to be here again. Do it and enjoy it and go with what happens.”

Do you think that the mental side of the course was harder than the physical?

I think the mental is harder. Physical, you can push yourself to a limit, you can do something physical because you can figure out how to do it, but it's getting over that mental barrier.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

I learned how important it is for discipline because in the industry that I am in and the training that I had for musical theatre and for dance and for acting and everything, we are disciplined in a way that you work hard, you develop your talent. You produce the goods at the end of the day, and it's exactly what they're trying to do to the people who are in there because in the military you work hard, you learn your skills, and at the end of the day, you produce the goods, which is to go out and protect a nation with what you do. Mine, on the other hand, is to hone the skills to go out and entertain. So they're very, very similar, and it also reiterated to me as I need to get back into that discipline.

What was the first thing you did after you left?

I went to sleep and then the next day I went up into a cable car and I did a bobsleigh down the mountain and I went and did some things because I had a few days off. I had to wear a hoodie and a cap, they didn't want me to be seen, but I went out and I just enjoyed some time by myself. I had a couple of days of just me walking around town and enjoying the freezing cold of New Zealand.

Would you do it again?

No, that’s the honest answer. I don’t have any regrets about doing the show but I got everything I needed from it. I don’t need to put myself through it again.

SHAZIA MIRZA  – RECRUIT NUMBER 14

Age: 46

From: Birmingham

Occupation: Comedian

As a comedian, Shirza has toured with her stand up shows including Coconuts and With Love from St Tropez across the world.

Cocunuts was nominated in the Channel 4 comedy awards as ‘The Best Stand Up Show.’

Shazia is a writer with published articles in New Statesman and Daily Telegraph and was a  columnist at The Guardian from 2008-2010.

She presented the BBC documentary I’m a Hairy Woman in 2007, and is a regular panellist on The Wright Stuff and is the co-host of the podcast Pale, Male and Stale.

In 2013, Shazia was recognised amongst the BBC’s 100 women.

Why did you say yes to this show?

Well, I didn't, actually. They asked me three times and I said no! I had friends that had done it before, like Zoe Lyons, and they told me not to do it, and so I just kept saying no. And they kept asking. And I asked why and they said, “because we saw you on The Island with Bear Grylls and you were amazing on that and we think you'd be great on here.” But I watched SAS and it was horrific!

What were you hoping to get out of the experience?

Well, I didn't realise how unfit I was. I thought that I was very fit because I do swim every day. I swim in cold water. I run. I thought I was fit, actually, I'm not. What I thought I would get out of it is I know that I'm a strong person mentally, because I've done these kind of things before, like The Island with Bear Grylls. I survived that for a whole month without any food. I did all the fishing and it was a lot longer than this. I just thought, “What can go badly wrong in eight days?” So I wanted to see how long I’d last.

Did you do any preparation for the course?

Yeah, I did. I ran with a weighted vest, a 32 kg weighted vest every day. I used to run in north London. Then I took the vest with me to New Zealand, and I also ran with the weighted vest on for a week before we started. I was also swimming in cold water, which is what I normally do. And I was going to the gym. I was doing weights. So I did prepare for it as much as I can. I mean, they didn't give us much notice to say that we were going to be on the show. It was really a matter of weeks, but in that time I did prepare for it.

Did you speak to Zoe?

I did. I spoke to her quite a lot. I know her very well from comedy, anyway, and she said that she got trench foot and it was awful and they were in Thailand and it was horrific. She told me to do the weighted fest. And she said it was going to be mind over matter at a certain point.

What did you think about being in New Zealand?

When they said they were going to New Zealand, I thought, “You know what? I've never been to New Zealand”, thinking that I was going to see the sights. Thinking it's going to be like Lord of the Rings! New Zealand was amazing, the scenery was incredible, it was breathtaking, and it was a really amazing environment, but it was actually as horrific as I thought it was going to be. It was more Game of Thrones than Lord of the Rings, it was awful! But because I do cold swims anyway, but New Zealand was freezing! And it was worse because every time we did something wrong, they wanted us to go into the ice bath head first. You think you might have got used to it after a while, but you don't because you get dry and you get warm, and then you see them taking you near water or you see them taking you near ice, and you’re like, “oh, not again!”

Did you bond with the other recruits?

Well, it was weird because every time we woke up, somebody was missing. Somebody had gone. And we're like, “Oh, where's Rachel? Where's Pete? Where's Chris?”And it's because once they take you out, you can never go in and say goodbye, you know, that's it. Then once they've left, they've left. I have to say the girls were fantastic. The way we really stuck together, truly, me, Rachel Johnson, Cherry Healey, Georgia Harrison, and Bianca. Maybe on paper we will not get on. We're so different. But the girls really stuck together and really supported each other. Ovie was so nice to me. I mean, he was so supportive and helpful and kind and just so encouraging to me, which helped me, I think, stay in as long as I did. He was really just a great support and a really nice guy.

Did you learn anything from the DS?

I learned a lot from them. They fought in Afghanistan, in Bosnia, you know, in these real, proper, dangerous situations. I learned a lot from each of them about keeping calm, about using your brain, not reacting in the moment, but just to thinking things through. They taught me a lot about resilience and never giving up, really, was like, no matter how tired you get, no matter how down you get, just never, ever, ever give up. And that tenacity and that keeping going when all you want to do is give up. He taught us a lot about survival, really, which is what this is about. It's about survival, about keeping going, why you've got to keep going, and how when you think you've got nothing left to give, you always have a little bit more in the tank.

What was the hardest part of the course?

I think it’s mind over matter. Yes, you've got to be physically fit to a point, but there comes a point where it doesn't matter whether you're physically fit, because it is mind over matter and that you are stronger than you think. The mind is way stronger than the body. When the body gives up, the mind can keep going and can really propel you forward.

So was it more a mental challenge than a physical one?

I'm good mentally, for me, it was physically, I felt that I was not that fit. I thought I was not as fit to be in the SAS, you know. I mean, I could have done more weights. That's what Rudy said to me, “You need to do some weights”. And since I came out of there, I've been doing weights. I’ve been beasting the gym SAS style!

 

Did the course live up to expectations?

I mean, it was worse than what I expected. It was worse than what I'd seen because they can only show so much on TV. I mean, it was actually horrific. But, you know, when I think about the women that I was in there with, like Rachel Johnson and people like that, they were fantastic. For a 58 year old woman she outlasted a lot of the young people. And I think from what I saw, women are mentally much stronger than men.

 

Did you learn anything about yourself during the course?

I learned that. Do you know what? If I can do this, I can probably do anything. I say I fear this and I fear that, but if I had to do it, I'd do it. I'm scared of heights. I'm scared of the freezing cold. I'm scared of going really deep under water without an oxygen tank. I did everything. I did them all. I never, ever backed out of a task. I failed at tasks, but I never backed out of a task. That's good.

So would you do it again?

No, there's no need! I know Pete did it twice, but there's no need to keep doing this. If you do it once and you do it properly and you give it everything and you learn something from it, and you feel you did the best you could do, then there's no need for you to do that again.

BOBBY NORRIS – RECRUIT NUMBER 15

 

Age: 36 

From: Essex

Occupation: Reality TV Star & Radio Host

Bobby is no stranger to reality TV, having appeared in The  Only Way  is  Essex from 2012  to  2021, as well as Celebs Go Dating and Celebs on the Farm. He recently campaigned in parliament to pass a law against online trolling and online homophobia and is a speaker on LGBTQ+ rights as well as passionate about animal rights and mental health issues. Bobby hosts his own weekly radio show Access All Areas on Fubar Radio.

Why did you sign up to this?

Do you know what? I've kind of got to a point where I've got so many fears and phobias, and I've let them control my life for so long. I've kind of just got to a point where I want to try and challenge them and see if I can overcome them or even if I can't fully overcome them, put myself out of my comfort zone. I'm kind of going through my challenge myself era. I'm not the youngest of men, but I'm 37, so I'm relatively young. I'm not like an old, old man. And I find it so debilitating, some of my fears and phobias that I thought, you know what? Actually, I'm going to learn something. This is a once in a lifetime experience. If I can try and even tackle one of them, I'll be happy. So when the opportunity come along, I jumped at it.

What else were you hoping to get out of the experience?

I knew it wasn't going to be a walk in the park or the teddy bears picnic. I knew this was going to be hard. But there's one thing taking the call and having the meeting in your car or in the comfort of your own house, speaking to production, speaking about these things, and one thing tuning in every week and watching it on the sofa with a box of Jaffa cakes. When you get out there, things become very real, very quick, shit gets real!

Did you do anything in preparation for the course?

I think not so much in preparation for this, but just my whole lifestyle had changed. I’ve been approached for the show a couple of times but it’s only since lockdown that I ever started to train. I mean, who picks a global pandemic to try and get fit? I wanted to try and get as healthy as I could because I'd given up smoking, so I had all the benefits from that. But I had a bit of a gym fear because I was like Bobby bean sprout. I literally was just up and down scaffold pole. So I found a love and a passion for the gym. So, physically, I was in the best place I've ever been. If this would have been me pre my training, there's just no way on earth that I would have been able to do it.

What did you make of New Zealand?

Well, it's funny you should ask because I kept thinking I was going to South Africa. I spoke to a producer about doing the show and she said it was New Zealand and I went, love it, at least I'll get a tan in between filming”.  And she kind of laughed like I was joking. She went, “Well it’s probably going be winter”. But I went, “winter abroad is always better than winter in the UK”. She was like, “No, you're talking snow and blizzards.” But I kept thinking I was going to South Africa, even to the point when I got to the stopover in Dubai, I was like “How long till I get to South Africa?” But I did get to turn left and it's always nicer to turn left than to turn right! But it was so cold, our base camp was at the top of this mountain, it was the most picturesque view. I've never been to New Zealand before and what a beautiful country. It felt like a movie set. Like a Hollywood studio.

Who did you bond with out of the other recruits?

It really was nice to have Pete and Georgia there. It's like The Only way is SAS!  It was really nice. I knew the majority of the cast, but it was so secret squirrel that even though we're friends, we didn't know each other was doing it. Do you know what I mean? So it was lovely to see them. And Pete, obviously, I've worked with for years, I've worked with Georgia many a time and Marnie is a really good friend of mine. I think I've worked with the majority bar a handful in some capacity. Either I've done TV shows or I've interviewed them on my radio show. They were a lovely bunch. It sounds very EastEnders, very Mitchell-esque, but you become a family and you have to get on. And we were so blessed with the people I was with. We got each other through.

What did you learn from the DS?

I don't know how you can ever fully prepare for something like that because most of us in our lives have never experienced anything like that. I knew very little about the SAS. Well, I knew practically nothing. All I knew was from the TV show, which says a lot about my knowledge. If you are not a Kardashian or a TV show, I don't have a clue. And what I've walked away with, so many things from that show, but my respect for the girls and guys that are in the SAS, like, legit, they're superhuman. The fact that their lives are on the line and the things they deal with and go through whilst we're just going about our everyday life, picking a meal deal in the supermarket, there's people out there literally at war and going through these things. I never gave it much thought, but the respect I've got for them is just unbelievable. They're not there to make you feel good, because it's real to them. If they're screaming at you or they're upset with you or you've messed up. I know it wasn't that they hated me or anyone. I knew it was coming from a good place, so I could rationalise it.

What was the hardest thing about the course?

The parallel bars we had to walk across was terrifying. I think there's a difference between fear and phobia. Unless you've got a phobia, you can’t ever fully explain what that is like. When they took the bag off my head and I saw that, I was like, “We're going balls deep. This is hardcore.” So to even step foot on the bridge, I was shaking like a shitting dog, putting one foot in front of the other. How I got down the ladder, I'll never know. I was so disappointed in myself that I didn't succeed in that, because I knew I was the weakest link. And that made me feel bad for my team because I didn't want to be. I didn't want to let anyone down.

Was the mental or physical side of the course harder?

I'd say the mental. I mean, it's very, very physical. Obviously I'm not Dwayne Johnson, you know what I mean? I'm not at that kind of level of fitness. But compared to where I was before I started training, I’m in good shape. So a lot of it is mental. I've got so many fears and phobias. I mean, it would be lovely if it was going to be all massages and facials, I mean, it'd be a shit show, but that'd be lovely. But when you're doing an element of a challenge, that's actually not just not nice, but it's facing phobias.

What did you miss the most while you were out there?

Do you know what? It's strange, because if you'd have asked me this before I flew out, I would have said my phone, but I didn't miss it one bit. You acclimatise to your new environments really quick and actually, you would have had no signal up there anyway, I imagine.

What did you learn about yourself?

That I'm a lot more resilient than I thought. And when you dig deep, like, behind the 15 layers of fake tan, I’m a lot stronger than I give myself credit for. It's a little bit cringy to say, a bit cheese on toast, but I came away quite proud.

Would you do it again?

Do you know what, I would. I wanted to prove to myself when shit gets tough that I can stick it out. And I did.