Cocaine Cassie to feature in SAS Australia’s Middle East challenge

A shocking new career move has been announced for convicted drug smuggler Cassie Sainsbury, better known as “Cocaine Cassie”.

Cassie Sainsbury, better known as “Cocaine Cassie”, has been announced as a castmate on the new upcoming series of SAS Australia.

The Seven network announced its list of “star recruits” on Monday, with a total of 14 Australian celebrities set to be thrust into the Middle East and “one of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives”.

Cocaine Cassie, who in April 2017, was found guilty of smuggling 5.8kg of cocaine out of Colombia inside 18 headphone boxes, will be joined by a host of other controversial personalities.

Cassie Sainsbury will take on SAS Australia. Picture: Supplied/Instagram

She joins 13 other Australian contestants.

Actor Craig McLachlan will also feature on the show after being cleared in 2020 of allegations he indecently assaulted his Rocky Horror Show co-star Christie Whelan Browne.

He reportedly flew out of Sydney last week for the show, which is set to be his first TV gig in five years.

Former world boxing champion Anthony Mundine has also been named as a contestant, along with Olympians Stephanie Rice, Peter Bol and Matthew Mitcham.

Balinese princess Lindy Klim, Thai cave rescue hero Dr Craig Challen and Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis had also volunteered to undergo a series of physical and psychological tests from the real SAS selection process.

Craig McLachlan will feature on the show.

So will Anthony Mundine.

For the first time on SAS Australia, the group will travel offshore to a secret base in the Middle East, where they will eat, sleep and train together in hot and arid conditions.

AFL field commentator Abbey Holmes, retired NRL star Boyd Cordner, international rugby star Mahalia Murphy, original Bachelor Tim Robards and actor Zima Anderson will also be deployed.

“The celebrities will be pushed beyond their limits like never before, as they’re subjected to extreme physical endurance, sleep deprivation, interrogation and psychological testing in unforgiving, dramatic terrain,” the network said.

“Some will reach breaking point and withdraw.”

Olympian Peter Bol is taking part.

Along with fellow Olympian Stephanie Rice.

SAS Australia has had multiple controversial contestants in the past, including convicted drug smuggler Shappelle Corby, former NRL player Sam Burgess and former gang member Koby Abberton.

Channel 7 also continued to stand by host Ant Middleton after he was dropped by UK’s Channel 4 over comments he made about Black Lives Matters protests and the Covid pandemic.

Middleton later apologised for calling BLM activists “scum”.

Full list of contestants

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