SAS Australia star Ant Middleton reveals why he left UK version
SAS Australia’s Ant Middleton says the new season of the show will be tougher than before, after he parted ways with the UK version.
Confidential
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SAS Australia Chief Instructor Ant Middleton is not about to start whining about spending the next two weeks in hotel quarantine.
Middleton arrived in Sydney late Monday night ahead of filming the second series of the Channel 7 reality show and says unlike some tennis players and their partners, he’s not going to complain about the situation.
Especially because it means continuing his work on SAS Australia.
“Life is good and the positive side is I’m coming out to a beautiful country that is Australia and I’m working and doing what I do best.”
It comes after rumours suggested the best selling author and television host wouldn’t return to the popular show after he parted ways with the UK version recently. While the UK’s Channel 4 released a statement saying they’d dumped Middleton because “our views and values are not aligned” after an old Black Lives Matter tweet resurfaced, Middleton told Confidential he left the show because the production had started to water down the challenges.
“It’s unfortunate and disappointing but when something has run it’s course and you’re forced to change to someone you’re not, it’s time to move on,” he said.
“I’ve always said the moment I lose full control of my work, then it’s time for me to move on and that’s what it got to on the UK version. The way I do stuff is maybe a bit too tough for society these days, but, I stay true to my values and who I am.”
Middleton, a dad of five, also praised the Channel 7 production of the show, saying, “The beautiful thing is that we have full control of the course. It’s why it was so successful because you let the experts get on with their field of expertise. The experience is as authentic as it will ever be in Australia.”
The 40-year-old adds this new course, with names such as Michael Clarke, Kyly Clarke and Sam Burgess rumoured to participate, will be even tougher than last years.
“We are looking at some really big tasks. I would say we went normal last time, but this time we are really going to be upping the anti. We aren’t holding anything back.”
Middleton is also set to become an expert at hotel quarantine. After filming SAS Australia he will return to the UK before coming back to Australia in July for his just announced, national speaking tour.
“With Australia, they see me for this straight talking, no nonsense individual who refuses to fit into a box. And I think that’s a huge appetite for that,” he says. “My message is about bringing people together and making people aware of what they are capable of. My message is about positive change. Yes it’s done in a tough love and brutal way but it’s an honest approach.”
Tickets for Ant Middleton’s Mind Over Muscle Tour go on sale 11am, Friday 26th March from tegdainty.com
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