Overview

• Simon Cowell opted out of participating after friend and recruit Lucy Spraggan warned him the show’s rigours posed serious health risks.
• Cowell was scheduled to call in for a pep talk during early filming, but production staff abruptly ended his remote appearance.
• Filming has begun in the Welsh hills under former Special Forces instructor Billy Billingham, subjecting recruits to authentic SAS first-phase selection exercises.
• The diverse cast includes singer Lucy Spraggan, the first deaf recruit Tasha Ghouri, ex-footballers Conor Benn and Troy Deeney, and former Peru Two member Michaella McCollum.
• Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins premieres August 3 at 9 pm on Channel 4 with episodes also available to stream for free on My4.