Toowoomba former soldier, coach Glenn Azar, female boxer Taylah Robertson compete in Channel 10 reality TV show Hunted

Two highly competitive stars in the sporting world, one of whom is from Toowoomba, have opened up about their experience on a popular reality TV show.

He’s served as a soldier in the Australian Army, coached some of the country’s best boxing talent and is an active businessman, but now Glenn Azar can add fugitive to his growing list of titles.

The 51-year-old, who grew up in Oakey, was part of Channel 10’s second season of reality show Hunted, which follows a group of 20 ‘everyday Aussies’ who go off the grid and attempt to escape a team of expert fugitive hunters to win a major cash prize.

Teamed up with one of the world’s top female boxers Taylah Robertson, 25, who Mr Azar coaches, the pair’s involvement with the show came to a dramatic end on Sunday’s episode, when they were captured in Victoria.

Coach Glenn Azar and one of the world's best female boxers Taylah Robertson were in Channel 10's second season of reality TV show Hunted. Picture: Supplied

According to Box Rec, Robertson is ranked number one in Australia and number six worldwide, however Mr Azar said the female athlete was on her way to winning a world title.

Just five weeks after participating in the show, which was filmed in February, the pair had to travel to Canada for a boxing match which Robertson won.

When the pair were not on the run, they were training for the competition and would even complete hill sprints in the early hours of cold Bendigo mornings.

“Reality TV is not something I ever thought I’d get into but Tay asked me to take part,” Mr Azar said.

“(The producers) were really engaged with us because we have such a unique and close bond – it’s a bit like a father-daughter relationship.

“With Tay being a female athlete in a male dominated sport, we’ve had to battle together to try and get her paid appropriately for her skill level so riding the lows and highs has really brought us closer together.”

Taylah Robertson, 23, of Brisbane, is a professional boxer, trained by Glenn Azar. Photo Mark Cranitch.

A former soldier with more than 17 years’ military experience, said he went into the show with the intention to excel but knew his competitiveness and skills would make him a target.

“The army set me up to remain calm in the chaos, so I work really well under pressure and I’ve been in much tougher situations in my life,” he said.

“I expected we would be public enemy number one and have since been told the hunters put 70 per cent of their resources on us from the beginning.”

Describing the two-week long experience as “intense – but in a fun way”, Mr Azar said there was a lot of content left on the cutting room floor.

Taylah Robertson, 23, of Brisbane, is a professional boxer, trained by Glenn Azar (left). Photo Mark Cranitch.

“I’ve seen a lot of people talking on social media fan forums about it (being rigged),” he said.

“From my point of view, we weren’t part of the act – the hunters were genuinely trying to find us and we were genuinely trying to get away.

“But if I’m really honest, there are still things that don’t make sense to me and in some situations there was no real way they could have known where we were so I do question that.”

The father of four, who has lived in Toowoomba for most of his life, said he hoped to inspire other young people living in regional and rural parts of Australia.

“Growing up as a kid in a small country town, you think you need to move to the big city to achieve something, but this just isn’t the case,” he said.

“Toowoomba is always going to be home for me and one day I plan to move back.”