SAS Australia 2021 guide: Sam Burgess, Erin Holland among contestants
Eighteen celebrities taking on SAS Australia were issued a stark warning by chief instructor Ant Middleton ahead of their brutal training course.
Confidential
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Expect the unexpected is the tip from Chief Instructor Ant Middleton as the second series of controversial reality show SAS Australia is set to premiere.
Eighteen ‘celebrities’, ranging from Olympic greats to actors, a socialite and a musician, will be put through their paces in a gruelling special forces course.
Three contestants – Merrick Watts, Sabrina Frederick and Nick Cummins – passed selection last year.
“These recruits think they know what’s coming, so we have to up our game and make sure that they’re always second guessing,” Middleton said. “We work just as hard as the recruits in order to give them an experience that is true to the selection process; that realness and authenticity of what it’s like to step into the shoes of a Special Forces operator.”
Middleton is supported by his team of ex-Special Forces soldiers – Mark ‘Billy’ Birmingham, Jason ‘Foxy’ Fox and Ollie Ollerton – with celebrities undertaking various physical and mental challenges.
“Don’t take the piss, don’t disrespect the process,” Middleton said, advising contestants on how to tackle the challenges. “Go in with an open mind, knowing that we’re going to strip away all of your facades and expose you for who you really are. That takes courage, a lot of people don’t like that. But a lot of people will look in the mirror, grit their teeth and be honest with themselves and think, ‘this is what I needed, this is why I’m here’.”
Here, Confidential takes a look at the 18 contestants vying for 2021 SAS Australia glory:
ALICIA MOLIK – TENNIS CHAMPION, 40, PERTH
I do tend to over think many things, it’s in order to try and get things as right as I can. I like to be prepared as best I can, weigh up my options, and make a plan. This didn’t always help in the course that’s for sure. The less you think, the better. Just do. Nothing was a favourite, it’s all torture. But before the course, a highlight was being so focused and dedicated to something again. I felt like I was back in training as a professional tennis player in the off season. I was completely preoccupied and said no to a lot of social stuff because I wanted quality rest for training each night. Kind of wacky really.
BONNIE ANDERSON – SINGER/ACTOR, 26, MELBOURNE
My experience on SAS was mind blowing, I felt a lot of highs and lows. Achieving and overcoming fears I didn’t even know that I had and also pushing my mind and body beyond my means. It was an extreme experience, physically and mentally, and for me I felt that it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done emotionally. It really stripped me down and forced me to deal with emotions I have suppressed in the past. I am far more capable, stronger and wiser than I give myself credit for and I doubt myself far too much. I also learnt that it is so important to deal with things in life and not push them aside and think it’s okay. I’ve been through low times and I feel like this course brought all those emotions back up and has forced me to deal with them. I find it a positive outcome and I’m in such a good place.
BRYNNE EDELSTEN – SOCIALITE, 38, MELBOURNE
If I was ever going to do a show like SAS, this was the year to do it. I had the worst year of my life in 2020 and it forced me to rebuild and put myself back together. After going through tough times, I had become so much stronger, both mentally and physically. I was in the best and most healthy place of my entire life, since finally putting myself first and focusing on my fitness. This is definitely the toughest thing I have ever attempted. I thought I was in pretty good shape until that first day when I realised that physically, I don’t stand a chance of completing the course.
DAN EWING – ACTOR, 35, SYDNEY
I am obsessed with growth and chasing the best version of myself. I sought to not only test that state of being in the ultimate pressure cooker, but to take my perspective on life to a whole new level. I learnt that I am capable of so much more than I ever thought and that it’s OK to unleash that competitive edge I possess when I need it. There is no true growth in comfort.
Interesting concept as most of us will seek comfort rather than face discomfort at every turn. But is “comfort” or things being “easy”, really going to make us better versions of who we are?
EMMA HUSAR – FORMER POLITICIAN, 41, PERTH
It felt like a way of overcoming the issues I faced in 2018 at the end of my Parliamentary career and ‘prove to Australia’ that I am not what I was accused of. I also had some experience of the ADF as a Member of parliament and have enormous respect for what our armed services do. This experience offers the ordinary Australian some insight into training and life in the Special Forces, and showcases the skills and dedication required to serve the nation, which can sometimes be hard to understand. I learnt that I don’t have to prove anything to the outside world, they can think of me however they like. I know my truth and I am brave enough to stand in that fire. I am worthwhile. I am enough.
ERIN HOLLAND – TV PRESENTER, 32, SYDNEY
I absolutely cannot say no to a challenge or a life changing opportunity, and this was the ultimate test. How can you say no to an experience that you know one hundred per cent will help you grow as a person, no matter how difficult it is? It was a no-brainer. I never ever thought I would survive a gassing, swing out of a helicopter, tightrope 20m above a coal mine, learn to abseil or make friends for life. I am very much a people person and getting to work among a team in this kind of environment was a real thrill for me.
HEATH SHAW – AFL STAR, 35, MELBOURNE
It was the toughest, most positively rewarding thing I’ve ever done. It’s the best experience you will have but train the mind as much as the body.
ISABELLE CORNISH – ACTOR, 26, SYDNEY
Sleeping dirty and always being dirty takes its toll. It would have been nice to have clean underwear every day. Bear crawling through the swamp and rocks was my least favourite task. The rocks were extremely painful and the bruises and cuts on my arms and knees hurt for days. The tear gassing was intense and unexpected, but I’m glad it was the first task. Also, the no privacy thing. I thought there would be a bathroom to get changed in but nope, the boys could see the girls pee.
JANA PITTMAN, DUAL OLYMPIAN, 38, SYDNEY
I wanted to challenge myself physically, particularly after having a baby only months prior. I also wanted to test my mental strength. I was particularly keen to do SAS as I have always wanted to be involved with the Australian Defence Force. I have several family members, including my brother, who have served and I wanted to experience a little of the world they lived in. I liked conquering my own mind on some of the team and partner challenges where your body screamed at you to stop, but the group morale pushed you beyond what you thought was humanly possible.
JESSICA PERIS – SPRINTER, 31, DARWIN
I wanted to see how far I could push myself, physically and mentally. The fear, the anxiety, the sleep deprivation, the hunger, the pain and the fact that I survived … incredible. I accomplished challenges that I thought were not humanly possible for me. I learnt more about myself as a person in 10 days than the 31 years on this earth.
JETT KENNY – IRONMAN, 26, SUNSHINE COAST
Even though the person I am and the way I approach things can be difficult on myself, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I can physically and mentally push myself further than I had originally thought and all I need in life is a small group of people by my side. I went in there with a goal to push myself to either my physical or mental limit, to then try and apply that to my training and life outside of SAS.
JOHN STEFFENSEN – OLYMPIC MEDALLIST, 38, SYDNEY
It was the worst and best experience of my life. I was able to delve back into the mindset I used as an athlete and grow and refine it to help me, post-show, to be a better human. I was surprised at the food. I really thought I would be a lot hungrier. I think I was able to just focus on what I had, not what I didn’t have.
KERRI POTTHARST – BEACH VOLLEYBALL OLYMPIAN, 55, SYDNEY
I couldn’t resist the challenge to push past what I thought was possible and what others thought was possible. I wanted to do something most women wouldn’t do and would think was crazy, especially at my age, to show what’s possible when you let go of your fears and doubts. I wanted to prove that there is no “over the hill”. I think all the recruits would agree that it’s the toughest test, by far. It’s so physical, but then so mental, in that you have to be able to calm ALL the voices in your head that reason with you to be scared and to not do things. You also need to be an ultimate team player, incredibly disciplined and ready for anything, at any time.
KOBY ABBERTON – BRA BOY, 42, BALI
I like easy money and enjoy training. I also like to tease people and have a good time. Fourteen days training in the dirt with celebs and hard men sounded all right to me. Anyone who knows me, knows I always have a good time and that I did. I laughed the whole time and was also scared the whole time. I even broke some personal boundaries, being screamed at and trying not to react. I ended up an angel and my life has changed for the worse. I nodded at policemen last week. I despised myself after it cause my heart remains the same. I really respect what the SAS are trying to do. We’re living in a weak world of sheep and do-good little bitches. The DS are men and they have morals and reason and the world is missing out on this today. I think them boys should be running countries.
MANU FEILDEL – CELEBRITY CHEF, 48, SYDNEY
After watching the first Australian series, I thought it would be a great challenge to put myself through. I did so much preparation for this, such as personal training, walking with weights, walking with a 25kg backpack, runs, boxing, mountain treks, thousands of stairs (even in the middle of the night), ice baths etc. Except I didn’t prepare for the mental challenges, and how could I?
MARK PHILIPPOUSSIS – TENNIS LEGEND, 44, MELBOURNE
The highlight wasn’t one specific thing. I learnt something new from the staff and about myself every day. Also connecting and getting to know the recruits as time passed … I formed some special friendships which I didn’t expect and I am so grateful for that. The first helicopter task. I put so much pressure on myself and never gave myself a chance, knowing that was a huge weakness for me as I didn’t train on bars at all. The toughest thing was not being able to contact my family.
PETE MURRAY – MUSICIAN, 51, BYRON BAY
The beds weren’t very comfortable. I like sleeping on my belly and this was pretty much impossible to do so I wasn’t getting much sleep in there. I had a calf injury which started flaring up on the first day. By the third day, my old knee injury was flaring up too, so I was in a lot of pain.
This made things pretty uncomfortable when running. This was one of the most thrilling things I have ever experienced. It was exactly what I thought it was going to be. In the first task, I felt like I was going to die, but straight after it I was so pumped up with adrenaline that it felt amazing. Nothing you do can really prepare you for what you are about to experience.
SAM BURGESS – NRL STAR, 32, SYDNEY
I just think I took a deeper look at my capabilities and understanding of others and other people’s capabilities. It was a great period of growth. I retired from sport and sport has been my life since I was five years old.
I missed the competing and camaraderie and I wanted to see if I still had that winning mentality. My experience was immeasurable really, something that you can never replicate. It challenged me in places that I never thought I would be challenged.
Pain, fear, the rush you get from competing. It was extremely hard, but I enjoyed it.
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