The return of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins has sparked outrage among viewers, who have criticised the show for featuring Michaella McCollum, one of the so-called Peru Two drug smugglers. McCollum, now 32, was arrested in 2013 at Lima's airport with £1.5m worth of cocaine and served three years in a Peruvian prison before early release.
Fans took to X, formerly Twitter, to express their displeasure, with one calling the decision 'disgusting' and questioning the message it sends to young people. Another wrote: 'Hey, @Channel4, how come this criminal is being allowed to profit from her drugs mule crime on the celebrity edition of SAS Who Dares Wins?' Some viewers declared they would boycott the series.
McCollum appeared on ITV's This Morning last week, where she faced further criticism. Ahead of the show, she told the Mirror that signing up was a way to take back control of her life, admitting she had been 'stuck in her comfort zone' and wanted to overcome her fear of making mistakes.
The controversy comes as the new series, which also features Rebecca Loos and Conor Benn, airs on Channel 4. McCollum's participation has divided opinion, with some arguing that her past criminality should disqualify her from celebrity status.
