Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins has returned to Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm, with twelve new well-known faces who think they have what it takes to pass SAS Selection.
This week Kerry Katona and Saira Khan talk about the experience.
“I honestly thought I could handle the mental torture because I know I’m a tough girl. I’ve been knocked down so many times, I’m so resilient and no one can deny that, I’ve been knocked and knocked and knocked, I’ve got back up every single fucking time. I will decide when I want to or do not get back up again, that’s my decision. I knew exactly what I was getting myself in for. I was nervous about it, but I like the challenge.
“I mean my favourite show as a kid was Private Benjamin with Goldie Hawn. So, that’s what I thought I was going to be like, you know what I mean? But it’s so much more than just walking on scaffolding from one cliff to another. For me, it was a mental realisation of who I am, how far I’ve come, and what I’ve been through. And knowing it’s okay to cry about it.” – Kerry Katona
Each celebrity will abandon their glamourous lifestyles and head into the wilds of the Scottish Hebrides in the remote island of Raasay, on one of the toughest selection courses yet. The new celebrity recruits are writer and TV presenter, Ulrika Jonsson, TV presenters, Saira Khan and Ore Oduba; TV personalities, Kerry Katona, Vicky Pattison and Jake Quickenden; singer, actress and West End leading lady, Alexandra Burke; Olympic Gold medallist James Cracknell; former Premiership Footballer, Kieron Dyer; Paralympic Athlete, Aled Davies; TV star and musician, Wes Nelson and BMX and track world champion, Shanaze Reade.
“I signed up to this show because I was one of those audience members that watches from the comfort of our sofas and goes, “Oh my God, I can’t believe they couldn’t do that!”, and then my kids will go, “Well, why don’t you try and have a go mummy? Do you think you can do it?” And I thought, “Yeah, if it comes along, I’ll do it.” And guess what? It came along. I think I was at the point in my life where I just thought, “You know what? I love a challenge. I come from a challenge reality background, I know this is totally different, but I’m always up for proving myself.
“This is the perfect fit. I think I’m fit enough. I think I’m brave enough. Go on, girl, put your money where your mouth is and give it a go.” It was all of those wrong reasons!” – Saira Khan
Putting them through this condensed SAS selection course is the elite team of ex-special forces soldiers – Chief Instructor, Ant Middleton and his team of Directing Staff (DS), Foxy, Billy, Melvyn and Staz. 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 will be stripped away.
Over eight days, the twelve celebrities will be put through a series of gruelling tasks and interrogations that will test them both physically and mentally. Each will confront surprising truths about themselves, to discover their true self. Not everyone will have what it takes to make it to the end of this unique version of SAS selection. No allowances or exceptions will be made for this group of celebrities.
“I think I was probably one of the strongest mentally. I was going in there with a real life experience. I have been through a lot of trauma growing up. I had a very violent dad who I loved dearly, but he put us through physical trauma, mental trauma, and I would say that I was one of the fittest mentally in there. I think I was asked the question what do you fear? And the thing is, I don’t fear anything. I am actually quite fearless, so that side of things didn’t really worry me too. Somebody shouting obscenities in my face 24 hours is not something I’m afraid of.” – Saira Khan
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Sunday, 9 pm, Channel 4
