Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins

Some reality shows suffer for the addition of celebs. Gogglebox, for one – the purpose of that show is to hear what everyday folk think of the telly, not what TV stars think of their mates.

However, with some formats, the addition of celebrities is sheer genius. These are mostly programmes which involve some level of discomfort and, frankly, situations we are glad that we’re not in ourselves.

Now on its fourth series, Celebrity SAS welcomes its biggest-ever line-up of famous and familiar faces, so if you’ve ever wondered how well AJ and Curtis Pritchard would hold up under enhanced interrogation techniques, then this is the series for you.

There are 14 celebs in all this time around, but how many will be equal to the tasks? They also include the actors Maisie Smith and Jennifer Ellison, entrepreneur and TV personality Calum Best, Olympic gold medallists Jade Jones (taekwondo) and Fatima Whitbread MBE (javelin), reality stars Pete Wicks and Ferne McCann, former footballer and philanthropist Ashley Cain, influencer Amber Gill, Olympic sprinter Dwain Chambers, professional boxer Shannon Courtenay and Paralympic high jumper Jonathan Broom-Edwards MBE.

Some, you would think, are better suited than others. All the Olympians and Paralympians for example possess a rare level of focus and single-mindedness that can only be a benefit in an SAS training scenario. Meanwhile boxer Courtenay didn’t get the nickname ‘the Baby Face Assassin’ for nothing.

One imagines that, if the day job is an indicator of ability and nerve, that the reality TV contingent might be among the least likely to thrive under this particular brand of pressure, but if there’s one thing we have learned it’s that people are constantly able to surprise viewers and defy expectations.

For example, AJ Pritchard said of his experience: “It was enlightening. Everything about the show is so positive. Even in the most dangerous scenarios there’s always a positive to take from it. This was a massive life goal ticked. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.”

Ferne McCann, meanwhile, had decided that “…it just felt like the right time in my life to be challenged.

“I had no idea what to expect but I wanted to see how tough it really is. You’re stripped of everything, broken down to the point you have no choice but to build yourself back up again. It was the opportunity of a lifetime and I’m so glad I’ve done it.”

As Jade Jones explained: “After losing at the Olympics I wanted to figure myself out, I wanted to see just how tough I really am because I think I’m a bit of a baby when it comes to anything other than fighting! But I had no idea how tough it really is, they make it look easy on TV but when you’re in it, it’s brutal!”

We’re not sure which episodes Jade has been watching, but “easy” isn’t a word which springs to mind!