Emily Bashforth
Published January 11, 2026 5:39pm
Updated January 11, 2026 11:14pm
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Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins has been thrown into chaos (Picture: Pete Dadds/Channel 4/PA Wire)
It’s already proving to be a chaotic series for Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, with a whopping five contestants withdrawing early doors.
The reality series puts stars through their paces, dragging them away from their luxuries to see if they’re capable of passing the notoriously difficult SAS Selection process.
Whether it be an endurance challenge or facing a fear of heights, the recruits have nowhere to hide, as they must push through mental and physical exhaustion under the watchful eyes of Chief Instructor Billy Billingham and his team of Directing Staff, including Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes, and Chris Oliver.
This time around, however, it appears to have all got a bit much, leading to several drop-outs among the 14-strong lineup, which comprises celebs hailing from both the UK and Australia going head-to-head.
Earlier this week, Married At First Sight star Jessika Power, 31, threw in the towel after just two episodes, breaking down in tears following the staff’s relentless demands.
First forced to do press-ups and burpees in the dark, the celebs then had to jump into freezing water and complete a gruelling circuit.
Jessika Power was the first recruit to drop out in tears (Picture: Channel 4)
‘If I catch anyone cheating, we will do the whole thing again,’ Mark shouted, to which Jessika admitted: ‘I can’t do this; I’m going to have to withdraw. I can’t do this. I’m sorry, I can’t do this.’
While defeated, having initially said she’d feel ‘disappointed in [herself]’ should she hand her armband in, it appears the TV personality started a trend.
Sunday night’s episode saw the first of three more celebs call it a day, with 50-year-old Neighbours star Natalie Bassingthwaighte almost fainting during a task.
After a physically exhausting beasting, she hands in her armband, with footage showing her saying ahead of the process: ‘I would hate to withdraw myself, but if I pushed as hard as I could go, I would be really proud of myself.’
Sources have since said she didn’t realise just how ‘tough’ the process would be, while Natalie herself wrote on Instagram that the tasks forced her ‘beyond limits’.
‘If you don’t want to be here, hand your armband in,’ the staff boomed at the celebs after Natalie’s exit, as by the start of day 3, two had already dropped out of the Aussie team.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte withdrew after nearly passing out (Picture: Channel 4)
The beasting got too much for her (Picture: Channel 4)
She said she ‘felt sick’ as she powered through the exercises (Picture: Channel 4)
Natalie was determined to ‘push’ herself (Picture: Channel 4)
What came afterwards were several tests of strength and endurance for the recruits, who took on an urban combat escape task before an ammo resupply mission in the afternoon.
Persevering through 38-degree heat, they began at the base of the canyon, lumbered with kit, and had to trek to the summit, after which they were given an aggressive dressing down and branded ‘cry babies’ for how much they struggled.
While on Sunday, the celebrity participants remained adamant they weren’t quitting, tomorrow is due to be a different story.
Following in Natalie’s footsteps, influencer Jack Joseph, 25, is set to bow out after climbing 27 flights of stairs.
‘I’m not physically fit enough, to be honest,’ he says. ‘I’m done.’
Similarly, social media star Cole Anderson-James, 28, feels he is not ‘mentally strong enough,’ resulting in his withdrawal.
Jack Joseph decided he was not ‘fit enough’ (Picture: Channel 4)
And finally, Home and Away actor Axle Whitehead, 45, has his fate decided by medics, who send him home after he lost sensation in his arm, which reduced him to tears.
Preview footage ahead of Monday night’s episode shows him being carried away from the group on a stretcher, later breaking down when he’s informed that he can’t continue.
Speaking about the string of series 8 withdrawals, a source told The Sun: ‘The celebrities were dropping like flies.’
As for the recruits still persevering for Team UK, Love Islanders Dani Dyer and Gabby Allen, rugby player Ben Cohen, Gladiator Toby Olubi, and cricketer Graeme Swann remain.
For Team Australia, the surviving members are former cricketer Brad Hodge, swimmer Emily Seebohm, and Neighbours star Ryan Moloney.
Completing their nation’s group is Olympic swimmer and decorated athlete Mack Horton, who made headlines after wetting himself just 10 minutes into the first challenge.
Cole Anderson-James called it quits after questioning his mental strength (Picture: Channel 4)
Actor Axle Whitehead was forced to dip out on medical grounds (Picture: Channel 4)
They’ll all be hoping to complete the course just as three celebrities did last year. They were ex-footballer Troy Deeney, media personality Michaella McCollum, and X Factor star Lucy Spraggan.
Speaking about why she decided to take part, Dani, who thankfully recorded SAS before injuring her foot in Strictly Come Dancing training, said she was a ‘massive fan of the show’.
‘I’ve always watched it and wondered if I could do it. I want to put myself to the test. I’m nuts, but I think I will be good at it,’ she said.
Comment now Who do you think has all it takes to complete Celebrity SAS 2026?Comment Now‘I’ll be completely out of my comfort zone. I just hope that I will be able to stop listening to the voices in my head and just get to the end, because that would make me so proud.’
And it doesn’t really get more out of one’s comfort zone than this, as the podcaster and content creator has already been seen with a bloody nose after being ‘punched.’
Dani added that she was expecting to struggle with the psychological aspect more than the physical, determined to start ‘believing in [herself]’ more.
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Previous Page Next PageAussie soap legend Ryan, 46, also entered with some tough talking.
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Known for playing Jarrod ‘Toadfish’ Rebecchi, he said he chose Celebrity SAS to ‘grab [it] and tear the balls off it’.
‘It’s a huge challenge and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I didn’t know what I wanted to get out of it, but I knew if I gave it everything that I’d find out.’
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Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins airs on Channel 4.
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