In my nearly five years as an entertainment journalist, I’ve seen it all on reality TV, from Married At First Sight bust-ups to stomach-churning I’m A Celebrity trials, but SAS Australia tops them all!
If you’re not among the millions tuning in, let me get you up to date: the global SAS franchise sees a group of celebrities fly out to brutal locations around the globe to be put through their paces in a military-style bootcamp.
Made to replicate the reality of a real-life SAS bootcamp, instructors Billy Billingham, Jason Fox, and Rudy Reyes certainly don’t treat the celebrities with the pampered gloves they’re no doubt used to as beloved high-profile stars.
No doubt, the Channel Seven show attracts millions of viewers worldwide, but is it all getting too brutal?
I’ve found myself struggling to watch (but unable to turn away) as the contestants have been punched, reduced to tears and even injured during the death-defying stunts on the 2026 series, set in the gruelling climate of the North African desert.
Maybe I’m just overly sensitive, but I couldn’t help but ask myself: Is this entertainment or is this torture?
For me, things hit a fever pitch during episode four.
Fourteen celebrities – seven Aussies and seven Brits – signed up for the 2026 SAS: Australia vs England edition, to find out which is the ultimate nation, but the numbers have already dwindled.
Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Jessika Power were early exits, and within a single episode, another four celebrities pulled out of the race (with three Aussies and five Brits remaining).
So, what pushed them to the breaking point? For social media star Jack Joseph, it was being yelled at to do 20 push-ups after he asked if he could take his bag off following an intense climb up a steep dam.
Moments later, Axle Whitehead was reduced to tears when he was told he had to quit over a potential nerve injury in his arm, something they had to be especially cautious of, given his preexisting spinal issues.
The pressure just got too much for Cole Anderson, who was told to “f*** off” when he quit, while Brad Hodge pulled out due to worries about his back pain.
Concerns were also raised about Ryan Moloney’s mental well-being after his co-stars noticed he hadn’t slept and had instead been pacing the tent in the night.
I was left particularly stunned when the stern-faced instructors warned the celebrities that any mistakes could result in death!
In reality, I know that stringent safety measures will protect against any celebrity fatalities on reality TV, but hearing Dani Dyer quietly ask, “Do you think actually we could die, or not?” still pulled at my heartstrings.
I will applaud the celebrities for signing up for the show, and while they mostly talk positively about the experience, I’m wondering if they knew what they were getting into.
Did they just think it was going to be the ultimate fitness test? I’m sure Mack Horton didn’t anticipate being so desperate for the toilet that he urinated on national television.
And watching Emily Seebohm get floored by a brutal punch from Jack Joseph also left me open-mouthed. Unfortunately for Jack, it seems he had just as hard a time dealing with it, after being paired up with Emily in the brutal 60-second Milling fight despite saying his biggest struggle would be hitting a woman.
We’re just four episodes in, and we’ve literally seen the blood, sweat and tears of the celebrity contestants already.
So, is this the most brutal season of SAS yet? Well, I certainly think so, and at points, I’m finding it hard to watch.
While it gives a candid glimpse into the celebrities’ personal struggles, I can’t help but feel like I’m watching some of them unravel in real time.
Of course, every show has duty of care policies and, while I’m no stranger to seeing celebrities put through brutal situations (enter, I’m A Celebrity), it feels much more real and intense in a military-style boot camp.
It’s an interesting glimpse into what the real SAS go through, but are the celebrities really prepared for that? SAS training normally follows years of military service, which I’m sure prepares you for the challenges ahead, though it might not make them easier.
And I’m sure some people would liken it to watching a boxing fight, though maybe the athletes are more equipped for the gruelling mental and physical pressures than the YouTubers and reality stars among them.
There’s no doubt that I’d quickly crumble under the shouting tactics of the SAS instructors, but I’ll admit that I am probably the furthest from an adrenaline junkie that you can get.
I’ve got to give credit to the celebrities for throwing themselves into the challenge, but I can’t say I’m finding it all fun and games to watch this time around.
I never thought I’d say it, but maybe I’d take the critters of the I’m A Celebrity jungle over an SAS bootcamp, or I’ll just join the mums and admit that The Great Australian Bake Off and Dancing With The Stars are more my speed.
So, if it were me, would I sign up? I think I’d give it a miss (sorry, Billy).
