SAS Star Jason Fox's Secret Plan for England's World Cup Squad
Jason Fox, the longest-serving instructor on the hit television programme SAS: Who Dares Wins, has unveiled a secret strategy to prepare England's footballers for the upcoming World Cup this summer. The former Royal Marine Commando and Special Boat Service sergeant proposes booking the entire squad onto his reality TV show, subjecting them to the gruelling challenges alongside his fellow ex-servicemen.
Brutal Training for Football Stars
"I think it's a great idea," declares Arsenal supporter Jason Fox. "There needs to be a bit of that." He believes that facing formidable opponents like France or Argentina in the United States would become considerably easier for players like Harry Kane and his teammates after enduring the harsh conditions of the SAS programme. Living without luxury vehicles and expensive watches while tackling intense challenges under the relentless screams of special forces veterans would, in his view, forge mental resilience.
"The only issue is that people do get injured," admits the 49-year-old, a smile creasing his rugged features. "It might have to be a five-a-side World Cup after we've finished with them!"
Celebrity Recruits and Disappointments
Jason Fox has been with SAS: Who Dares Wins since its inception eleven years ago, including the celebrity version launched in 2019. When asked about the worst recruit in the programme's history, he points to actor John Barrowman, known for his roles in Doctor Who and Torchwood, who appeared in 2024.
"The person who really let himself down was John Barrowman," Fox states. "He just turned up and immediately went again. He didn't do any of it. Maybe he thought, 'I don't need to do this', but he could have at least done a day. He didn't even do four hours. It was disappointing."
New Challenge: Embrace The Chaos Tour
Meanwhile, Jason Fox, affectionately known as 'Foxy', is embarking on a fresh personal challenge. This spring, he will take his new one-man show, Embrace The Chaos, to theatres across the United Kingdom. The performance will delve into his close calls during military service, his television career, various adventures since returning to civilian life, and his ongoing struggles with mental illness.
"It's more stressful doing the live show than it is getting shot at," Fox confesses. "I'm not as bad now, but when I think back to my first performance in 2022 I was a bag of nerves. I put a lot of pressure on myself, I want to do well, I want people to get something from it. But I learnt to enjoy it and I'm looking forward to this one."
Harrowing Stories and Coping Mechanisms
On stage, Fox will share gripping stories, including an incredible escape from enemy fire. "I don't want to give too much away but there's some hairy moments when I talk about getting shot at and nothing hitting me," he reveals. "It almost felt like there was a perfect outline on the wall behind me in bullet holes, Tom and Jerry style. I talk about how it felt – and how we laughed and joked about it afterwards."
He also recounts his record-breaking row across the Atlantic Ocean ten years ago, covering 3,308 nautical miles in just over seven weeks. "There were times when we thought we were going to die. We were in big seas, we capsized. We did what we needed to do to get ourselves out of that situation, but the minute it's safe we'd have a laugh about it. It's a coping mechanism and it works."
Public Vote for Celebrity SAS
The ex-military men on the show have no control over who Channel 4 selects as participants, but Jason Fox has a novel suggestion for the format. "We should put it to the public vote," he proposes. "Like Strictly, but with fewer sequins? Well, maybe we do it the opposite way, we let the public cast the show. And then people haven't got a choice, they've got to do it, like jury service!"
Mental Health and Personal Life
Fox is candid about his mental health battles, which have included PTSD and suicidal thoughts. "My time in service was a catalyst. I'm not going to say it didn't have any impact, going away and doing stressful stuff. But for me it was all the other stuff that was going on: home life, not holding a relationship together, having kids, getting divorced, no money – all those things I'd never been taught to deal with."
He finds support among his comrades from the show. "Sometimes there's a bit of tough love that comes from them. We're good friends and every now and again when times are hard, I'll phone one up and, I suppose, bleat to them, ask for advice, ask for an ear to listen to my rubbish."
Jason Fox and his third wife, Jules, recently welcomed their son Jack eight months ago. Reflecting on fatherhood in his late forties, he says, "When Jack came along, I said, 'It's easier being older', but it isn't. It's just more fun. I've got an older daughter, and when she was born I was never at home. And she was born ill, it was stressful. I was worried about money. You just worry more when you're younger because you don't really know what's going on."
Jason Fox will tour the UK with Embrace The Chaos from 10 March, while Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins remains available to stream on Channel 4.
