The eighth series of Channel 4's gruelling reality contest, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, has descended into chaos after a staggering five celebrity recruits withdrew from the competition, unable to cope with the show's notoriously brutal conditions.
Wave of Withdrawals Hits SAS Selection
The latest series, which returned this month, began with 14 famous faces from the UK and Australia. However, the lineup has been rapidly depleted. The exodus began earlier this week when Married at First Sight Australia star Jessika Power quit after breaking down in tears during a punishing task.
Sunday night's episode then saw a further four departures. Neighbours actress Natalie Bassingthwaighte, 50, was the first to go, nearly fainting during a challenge. She was swiftly followed by 25-year-old influencer Jack Joseph, who quit after being forced to climb 27 flights of stairs, admitting, "I'm not physically fit enough, to be honest. I'm done."
Fellow social media personality Cole Anderson-James, 28, also surrendered, stating, "I just don't think I'm mentally strong enough." Finally, Home and Away actor Axle Whitehead, 45, was sent home on medical grounds after losing feeling in his arm. A show source summarised the situation starkly, telling The Sun: "The celebrities were dropping like flies."
Breaking Point: Tears, Terror and Tensions
The intense pressure was vividly displayed when Jessika Power reached her limit. During a late-night drill where recruits were ordered from their beds into a press-up position, staff member Chris Oliver warned, "If you don't want to be here, do us a favour and leave." After being commanded to perform 20 burpees, a distraught Jessika confessed, "I can't do this," before handing in her armband and fleeing.
In a separate, harrowing challenge, celebrities faced a deep-water evacuation drill, being submerged in a plane fuselage 260ft underwater. Love Island's Dani Dyer was visibly petrified, telling instructors, "I'm really scared," before cutting the task short, leading Chief Instructor Billy Billingham to declare it a "catastrophic fail."
Camp Tensions Boil Over
Beyond the physical trials, interpersonal friction added to the strain. Neighbours star Ryan Moloney, 46, adopted an assertive leadership role early on, ordering fellow recruits about camp duties. This came to a head when the Directing Staff punished the group for not having full water bottles—a rule Ryan had emphasised.
An angry, expletive-laden confrontation ensued, with Ryan shouting at the group, "Fill up your f***ing water bottles first!" His outburst irritated other contestants, with Gladiators star Toby Olubi muttering, "He runs this place apparently," and Gabby Allen sarcastically adding, "Nice way to talk to everyone isn't it?" Viewers predicted this tension would cause further clashes as the series progresses.
The dramatic series continues to test the remaining celebrities, with the high dropout rate underscoring the extreme nature of the SAS selection process. Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins continues on Channel 4 on Sundays at 9pm.
