‘Bring back Ant Middleton!’ Viewers slam SAS: Who Dares Wins as members of the British team are replaced by ‘annoying American knock-offs’
- Viewers of Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins slammed the programme last night
- The first episode of new series saw a new team of American instructors
- Comes after former soldier Ant Middleton was dropped from show last year
- One viewer wrote: ‘I don’t get it…why isn’t one of the British guys running it?’
- Another person commented: ‘American twist totally spoilt it. Garbage.’
Viewers of SAS: Who Dares Wins slammed the new series last night after members of the British team were replaced by ‘annoying’ American knock-offs.
Chief instructor Ant Middleton, 40, was dropped from his role on British reality show SAS: Who Dares Wins earlier last year for misconduct, going on to call it the programme too ‘scripted’.
Last night saw the return of the Channel 4 series, with 20 ordinary men and women volunteering for the extreme training programme under the watchful eye of new instructors, former United States Recon Marine Rudy Reyes, 49, and former US Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke.
With a sweltering Jordan backdrop, the series was based at a secret SAS military base, with British sidekicks Jason Fox and Mark Billingham returning.
However many of those watching were left unimpressed by the new characters, with one writing: ‘I don’t get it, the SAS is a British regiment, so why isn’t one of the British guys running the show?
Viewers of SAS: Who Dares Wins slammed the new series last night after members of the British team were replaced by ‘annoying’ American knock-offs (pictured left, Ant Middleton, and right, new instructor Rudy Reyes)
‘Have the Americans completed the SAS training?’
Another commented: ‘Bring back Ant and Scotland. No more Americans please.’
Meanwhile a third wrote: ‘What a disappointment. What’s this American twist? SAS is supposed to be about the British special forces.
‘American twist totally spoilt it. Garbage.’
Many of those watching the first episode slated the two new American insructors and urged the programme-makers to bring back Ant Middleton
A fourth added: ‘Just watching the 1st three minute introduction to #SASWhoDaresWins and I’m switching off. It’s too Americanised, Ant Middleton was the backbone of the programme.’
At the start of the show, instructor Billy explained the reasoning behind introducing a more American team to the show.
He said: ‘Collaborations with our brothers in arms, the Americans, has gone on for years, doing operations all over the globe.
‘We have laid down our lives for the greater good, and in every conflict we’ve been in, the brotherhood comes first.’
Wow! With a sweltering Jordan backdrop, the seires was based at a secret SAS military base, with sidekicks Jason Fox (centre left) and Mark Billingham (right) returning
Experienced: As the former lead combat force, entering both Afghanistan and Iraq, it’s no doubt Rudy will push contestants to the limit (pictured in 2003)
Joining was ex-marine Rudy, who had 15 years experience fighting in different warzones, and said he was ‘hard to kill’
The elite team of ex-special forces soldiers from the UK and USA combined their skills to create the toughest SAS course yet, bringing together the most gruelling elements of special forces selection from both sides of the Atlantic.
On the show, the American ‘process’ was described as ‘brutal’, with Billy saying: ‘It’s physically and verbally hard and it’s going to be intimidating.’
Joining was ex-marine Rudy, who had 15 years experience fighting in different warzones.
He said: ‘I pride myself on being hard to kill…many have tired to kill me, but I took them down.’
New American instructor Rudy described how his father figures in his life were Wolverine, Rambo and Bruce Lee
Also joining the DS was ex-US navy seal, Remi, who had served his country for over 13 years.
He said: ‘I want the recruits to learn through pain and believe me, they’re going to learn a lesson.’
Rudy added: ‘Because I came from a broken home, Bruce Lee, Wolverine, Rambo – they were my father figures and I aspired to be just like them.
‘Wrestling, martial arts – ultimately lead me to the military. And the military was the family I ultimately had always been looking for.
However it didn’t appear those watching were impressed by the new American team, with many saying they were missing Ant Middleton
‘The UK and USA have a very special relationship. A bond of brotherhood paid for in blood. We are warriors brothers.
‘You cannot be an individual first, you must be a cog in the machine.’
However it didn’t appear those watching were impressed by the new American team, with many saying they were missing Ant Middleton.
In early March 2021, Ant’s abrupt departure from the British version of the show was confirmed by Channel 4, apparently due to his ‘personal conduct’.
Meanwhile Remi also joined the programme’s instructors, and said he wanted the recruits to ‘learn through pain’
A spokesperson for Channel 4 told MailOnline at the time: ‘Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
‘Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.’
His departure came months after Ant sparked controversy by referring to Black Lives Matter protesters as ‘absolute scum’, and urging people to ‘carry on as normal’ and not change their habits during the Covid pandemic.
Ant previously hit back at claims his exit was due to him allegedly making a lewd comment to a female that was picked up on his microphone.
Exit: In early March 2021, Ant’s abrupt departure from the British version of the show was confirmed by Channel 4, apparently due to his ‘personal conduct’
His spokesperson said: ‘Ant has worked on TV sets around the world for many years and has never at any point been accused of speaking inappropriately by anyone.
‘He has only ever been informed of these allegations, which he wholeheartedly and emphatically rejects, via the media.
If anyone felt that he did say anything verbally offensive we would have expected a formal process of review but no such discussion has ever taken place either via any of the networks he works for or via bodies such as Bectu.’
Speaking on Good Morning Britain in March, Ant denied claims he’d made ‘inappropriate’ comments to female staff which were subsequently investigated by Channel 4 bosses.
Controversy: His departure came months after Ant sparked controversy by referring to Black Lives Matter protesters as ‘absolute scum’, and urging people to ‘carry on as normal’ and not change their habits during the Covid pandemic
He said anonymous complaints had been made about ‘indirect’ behaviour that was typical of the hosts’ military backgrounds, and said ‘snowflakes’ do not belong on the set of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Following Channel 4’s statement of his exit, Ant posted on Instagram: ‘Hi guys, I’ve got some news which is that after five incredible years I’ve decided it’s time to move on from SAS Who Dares Wins UK.
‘Big respect to my fellow DS – its been a journey I’ll never forget. Thanks to everyone that took part and made the show what it is.’
He added: ‘Really excited about the future and what’s coming this year. Stay positive.’
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