A male contestant on the new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins has spoken out, claiming he felt 'betrayed' by producers after being compelled to punch a female contestant during a controversial challenge.
'A Real-Life Nightmare': The Milling Task Controversy
Jack Joseph, a 25-year-old social media star with millions of followers, alleges he was pushed into a psychological 'spiral' after having to strike retired Australian Olympic swimmer Emily Seebohm, 33. Footage from the forthcoming episode, set to air on Sunday 4 January at 9pm on Channel 4, shows Joseph punching Seebohm to the ground during the 'milling' task.
This challenge requires two recruits to exchange uninterrupted punches on command, stopping only when instructed. Joseph told the Daily Mail he had explicitly warned producers during pre-show interviews that facing a woman in the milling task would be his breaking point. 'I think they decided that’s probably a good way to try and kick me off the show early,' he speculated.
'You’re basically forced to do whatever they tell you,' Joseph described. 'They’re screaming in your face... "We don’t care who it is, just hit them." It felt like I had no control over my brain, it was just spiralling... It was like a real-life nightmare.' He insists he aimed for Seebohm's head guard to minimise harm, hoping it would prompt staff to stop the fight.
Equal Treatment or Ethical Line?
In response, a Channel 4 spokesperson defended the show's format, stating: 'SAS: Who Dares Wins is TV’s toughest test. Milling is a long-standing and integral part of the process. Recruits sign up knowing they will be pushed out of their comfort zones and each recruit is treated equally, regardless of gender.' The spokesperson emphasised that contestants can withdraw from any task voluntarily.
However, Joseph countered this, feeling uniquely targeted as the only male contestant instructed to hit a woman. 'I did feel betrayed, because I said I didn’t want to do it and they made me do it,' he stated. The 25-year-old claimed the incident remains unresolved, leaving him to simply 'live with it.'
Emily Seebohm, a four-time Olympian, confirmed the ordeal was deeply upsetting for both parties. 'I knew I didn’t want to fight, and I knew he didn’t want to fight. That’s why it was so uncomfortable for both of us,' she said. She expressed sympathy for Joseph, noting his visible distress and that he repeatedly asked to stop. 'I don’t hold anything against him,' Seebohm added.
A History of Controversial Fights
This is not the first time Channel 4 has faced criticism for airing such scenes. In 2022, viewers saw Pete Wicks from TOWIE left in tears after being pitted against actress Jennifer Ellison. Wicks had expressed similar reluctance, saying, 'I just don’t know if I can fight a bird.'
Former SAS sergeant major Mark 'Billy' Billingham MBE, who oversees the tasks, rejected notions of domestic violence, framing it as a simulation of combat. 'It’s not about a man and woman, it’s about an enemy,' he told the Mail. 'I’ve seen women batter men... we live in a world of equal rights.'
The show has featured mixed-gender milling since 2019, when women were first allowed to compete following changes in Ministry of Defence policy. Past participants have had mixed reactions, with some, like midwife Louise Gabbitas in 2019, stating they were 'thankful' for the experience, while others have been visibly horrified.
As the new series launches, the debate around the limits of reality television and the ethics of 'equal treatment' in physically violent tasks is set to be reignited.
