Seven has announced that SAS Australia will return in October, with a new group of star recruits descending on one of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives: the Middle East.
From being buried alive to launching live hand grenades and chaotic near drownings, this year’s recruits grapple with their biggest fears deep in the desert as they face SAS Australia’s punishing DS team led by Ant Middleton. Ant’s advice to the new recruits is simple: “If you are weak, easily offended or physically unfit, leave now!”
Former world boxing champion Anthony Mundine, ‘Cocaine Cassie’, Olympians Stephanie Rice, Peter Bol and Matthew Mitcham, Balinese princess Lindy Klim, Thai cave rescue hero Dr Craig Challen and Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis are just some of the 14 Aussie celebrities who have volunteered for the toughest test of their lives: a series of physical and psychological tests from the real SAS selection process.
For the first time on SAS Australia, these men and women will travel offshore to a secret base in the Middle East, where they will eat, sleep and train together in punishingly hot and arid conditions, with no allowances or exceptions made for their celebrity status or gender.
The star recruits set to take on SAS Australia in 2023 are:
Abbey Holmes, 32 – AFL Field Commentator
Anthony Mundine, 47 – World Champion Boxer
Boyd Cordner, 30 – Retired NRL Star
Cassie Sainsbury, 28 – Convicted Drug Smuggler
Dr Craig Challen, 57 – Thai Cave Rescue Hero
Craig McLachlan, 57 – Actor
Jason Akermanis, 46 – AFL Hall of Famer
Lindy Klim, 45 – Balinese Princess
Mahalia Murphy, 29 – International Rugby Star
Matthew Mitcham, 35 – Olympic Gold Diver
Peter Bol, 29 – Olympic Runner
Stephanie Rice, 34 – Olympic Gold Swimmer
Tim Robards, 40 – OG Bachelor
Zima Anderson, 25 – Actor
SAS Australia is produced by Screentime, a Banijay Group company, based on a Minnow Films format.
The new season premieres in October on Channel 7 and 7plus.