Axed SAS instructor Ant Middleton slams UK broadcaster: ‘Desperate and reckless’

He was axed from the UK version of SAS for his “personal conduct” – now Ant Middleton has slammed the broadcaster in a fiery interview.

Ant Middleton slammed “desperate and reckless” UK TV network Channel 4 after his axing from the British version of SAS: Who Dares Wins – and insisted the “inappropriate comments” were just “banter”.

The 40-year-old star appeared live on Good Morning Britain to have his say on the UK broadcaster’s shock statement.

Channel 4 had issued a statement saying they had let Middleton go because “our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again”.

Middleton, 40, who appears on SAS Australia on Channel 7, sparked controversy last June by referring to Black Lives Matter protesters as “scum” in a tweet following the group’s protests in London. He later apologised.

Speaking to hosts Piers Morgan and Susanna Reid, the ex-Special Forces soldier called the announcement “smoke and mirrors” as he revealed he’d already told show bosses he wasn’t coming back because the factual entertainment series had become too “inauthentic”.

Ant Middleton speaks on Good Morning Britain.

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He said: “Channel 4’s statement is very reckless and desperate. I have filmed two more series of SAS since the Black Lives Matter tweets – it’s all smoke and mirrors.

“Since the last episode of SAS: Who Dares Wins it became a half-scripted reality show; full control was taken from me and after that show I said I am not going to film any more, I wanted to part in a positive way and they knew I was going.

“All of a sudden they drop this bomb about me being axed and ultimately what they are doing is protecting their brand. They knew I was going; they got in before me.”

When quizzed on today’s claims that Middleton had received complaints of making “inappropriate comments” to female staff members, the star replied: “You’re on SAS: Who Dares Wins – you say inappropriate things and we do inappropriate things.

“If you get offended by them then so be it, this is a hardcore course – it’s never direct.

“They have obviously seen a bit of military banter or military humour, they’ve seen us talking about a recruit or a production member in the dorm or something.”

Middleton went on to add that when the show first launched he and the other instructors asked Channel 4 to “protect” them from what happens in their DS Dorm – but the “PC Patrol” have ruined that respite.

Ant Middleton will remain on SAS Australia.

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He explained: “Our humour, our composure is different and it allowed us to be us and be true to the military ethos.

“But over the years the PC Patrol have kicked in, the Woke Patrol have kicked in, to the point where we can’t say anything and we can’t be ourselves – we can’t even act on the ground without health and safety taking over.”

He also admitted that he has “butt heads” with production and Channel 4 over the last “two or three series” because he’d had control taken away.

He also said he hadn’t “been easy to work with” because he wasn’t happy with the direction the show was going in, comparing it to reality shows like Celebrity Big Brother instead of factual entertainment.

Middleton added that the first he heard about Channel 4’s statement was through the media the night before.

Channel 4 said Middleton was axed from the UK version of the show due to his ‘personal conduct’.

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A Channel 4 spokesperson said earlier this week: “Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.

“Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.”

Middleton will, however, appear on the second season of Seven’s hit Australian version of the show.

“Ant Middleton and his fellow DS (Directing Staff), Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham, Jason Fox and Ollie Ollerton, will all be returning for the second season of SAS Australia which is currently in pre-production,” said a Seven spokesperson.

This story originally appeared on The Sun and is republished here with permission