“The World is a dangerous place … we, as a country, need to ready … we want to show these celebrity recruits what it is to prepare for war”
Network/Platform: Channel 4
Elite Directing Staff – Mark “Billy” Billingham; Jason “Foxy” Fox; Rudy Reyes; Chris Oliver.
Celebrities (selected) – Adebayo “The Beast” Akinfenwa, Troy Deeney, Conor Benn, Louie Spence, Tasha Ghouri, Harry Clark …
Amazingly, this machoistic sideshow is still going after seven series, with the only difference being that because of a quiet summer at home I have been forced to watch it with my family. The spiel on the Channel 4 website is a little understated – “Celebrities who think they have what it takes to pass the SAS selection are pushed to their limits, and beyond, by an elite team of ex-special forces operators.”
And what a bunch of cynical and aggressive operators they are: Mark “Billy” Billingham – Chief Instructor (Former SAS Sergeant Major and a long-standing instructor on the show); Jason “Foxy” Fox – Directing Staff (Ex-Royal Marine Commando who also served in the Special Boat Service); Rudy Reyes – Directing Staff (Former U.S. Recon Marine, brought in as part of the DS team); and Chris Oliver – Directing Staff (Former Royal Marine Mountain Leader and ex-SBS operator). They may be lovely fellas off camera, yet they certainly do not hold back as they take turns to harass, bully, gee up or question the motivation and determination of the “celebrities.”
All this because the celebs show weakness and fear in the face of seemingly impossible tasks – bungee jump off a 150 ft viaduct anyone? Tick. Launch yourself off a moving speedboat on to a passing helicopter? No worries, lads. Ready to search, find and rescue a hostage from a building whilst being poisoned by CS gas? Bring it on!!
The truth is that anyone, never mind out-of-shape and pampered celebs, would need a six-month training course just to be at the same level as Foxy and his mates. I suppose part of the “fun” then is seeing them set up to fail, which many of them do under the unkind comments of the operators. In the main title, for example, Rebecca Loos says “I’ve had a lifetime of opinions around me… Absolutely no way in hell, I am going to give up.” Yet in the face of the bungee jump challenge, she gives up.
A common complaint, I know, but are these people really “celebrities” or just slightly known people? Did you know who Harry Clark – Winner of The Traitors (UK), season 2 – or Michaella McCollum – one half of the “Peru Two,” former drug smuggler turned author – were? Me neither.
In truth though, they are still people looking to fulfil a challenge, to self-validate or exercise some demons by submitting themselves to this. If they fail a task or underperform, they are blindfolded and “taken in” for questioning by two of the lads. Some of the demons are indeed terrible – a miscarriage here, a prison term there, a child who had an exorcism performed on them – and the lads are motivational and encouraging. Yet we wonder if this is the most suitable environment in which to legitimately voice their past trauma. I’m not so sure.
The critics are divided: The Times offered a balanced, three-star view, recognizing both the emotional weight and dramatic moments, while The Scottish Sun slammed the series for diluted celebrity resilience and sensational casting. Meanwhile, in audience circles—particularly on Reddit and among some IMDb users—the show continues to resonate. Viewers praised its emotional drama and entertainment value, even as others criticized its authenticity and format. IMDb user reviews veered from the sublime: “Best bit of tv ever… I just love this series… the psychological [sic] aspect alongside the laugh out loud moments… just tv gold” to the unimpressed: “The show has really gone downhill. Totally unrealistic selection… Celebrities Lol.”
If you want action and people taking on the toughest challenges on TV (not to mention the basic food, sanitation and sleeping conditions) with grit, determination and some humour, you will have come to the right place. To me, the jingoistic and militaristic tone and nature of the show does not appeal. That’s life, I suppose – now where did I leave that grenade?
Score 4/10