SAS Australia, originally called SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins, is a reality quasi-military training television programme based on the original British SAS: Who Dares Wins that was broadcast on Seven Network between 19 October 2020 and 1 November 2023. Upon release of the first season, the show's name was changed to simply SAS Australia. The series featured four ex-Special Forces soldiers acting as the directing staff (DS), with Ant Middleton as the chief instructor.
In June 2024 it was announced, that the production of the show was halted or "cancelled" for the year by Seven Network. The series was not mentioned at Seven’s 2025 upfronts and the future of the series is unknown. In October 2025, a celebrity version was renewed with a Australia vs United Kingdom format which aired in 2026.
Cast
The Directing Staff instructors for the most recent domestic season included Ant Middleton, ex-UK Special Forces operator and Royal Marine Commando; Matthew 'Ollie' Ollerton, former Special Boat Service-operator; Anthony 'Staz' Stazicker and Jay Morton.
Former staff instructors included Jason 'Foxy' Fox, ex-SBS operator; Mark 'Billy' Billingham, an ex-SAS Sergeant Major; former Navy SEAL-operator Clint Emerson and Dean Stott, former SAS-operator.
Name Position Series 1 (2020) 2 (2021) 3 (2022) 4 (2023) Vs UK (2026) Ant Middleton Chief Instructor (1-4) colspan="4" Matthew Ollerton Directing Staff colspan="4" Jason Fox Directing Staff colspan="2" colspan="2" Mark Billingham Directing Staff / Chief Instructor (5) colspan="2" colspan="2" Clint Emerson Directing Staff colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="2" Dean Stott Directing Staff colspan="2" colspan="1" colspan="2" Anthony Stazicker Directing Staff colspan="3" colspan="1" Jay Morton Directing Staff colspan="3" colspan="1" Rudy Reyes Directing Staff colspan="4" colspan="1" Chris Oliver Directing Staff colspan="4" colspan="1"
Celebrity edition </onlyinclude>
Season 1 (2020) Production began in March 2020 on location in Queenstown, New Zealand, however production was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. They recommenced filming on a property on the outskirts of Berridale in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales in Australia at GPS Coordinates . Production crew stayed locally in Jindabyne while filming.
Olympian Jana Pittman was reported to be a contestant in the March 2020 production, but with her pregnancy in the intervening months, was replaced by former The Biggest Loser Australia trainer Shannan Ponton. Pittman subsequently appeared, as a contestant in Season 2, six months after giving birth.
Full list of confirmed celebrities:
Recruit Celebrity Known for Episode left Status 1 Roxy Jacenko Businesswoman & socialite 1 2 Candice Warner Retired Ironwoman10 3 Jackson Warne Poker player & son of Shane Warne 8 4 Arabella Del Busso Con Woman to Josh Reynolds 2 5 Molly Taylor Rally car driver 12 6 Nick Cummins Former rugby player and former Bachelor 12 7 Erin McNaught Miss Universe Australia 200611 8 Shannan Ponton Fitness professional 11 9 Schapelle Corby Former convicted drug trafficker 2 10 Merrick Watts Comedian & former radio host 12 11 Firass Dirani Actor10 12 James Magnussen Retired swimmer 12 13 Shayna Jack Suspended swimmer 5 14 Sabrina Frederick AFLW player 12 15 Mitchell Johnson Retired cricketer 4 16 Ali Oetjen The Bachelorette Australia bachelorette 6 17 Eden Dally Love Island Australia star 5
Ratings
Season 2 (2021) In October 2020, the series was renewed for a second season. The second season began airing on 13 September 2021.
The season was filmed in the Capertee Valley in NSW, with the camp being constructed in the Glen Davies Ruins. The Ruins are the remains of the Oil Shale Ruins, which began operation in 1938 and ceased operation in 1952. The Glen Davis Ruins are on private property, but is available to visitors on a Saturday at 2pm.
Full list of confirmed celebrities:
Recruit Celebrity Known for Episode left Status 1 Emma Husar Former politician 3 2 Koby Abberton Bra Boy 9 3 Brynne Edelsten Socialite 1 4 Jana Pittman Dual Olympian in athletics and bobsleigh 13 5 Pete Murray Singer-songwriter 4 6 Manu Feildel Celebrity chef 3 7 Jett Kenny Ironman 10 8 Isabelle Cornish Actor 9 9 Dan Ewing Actor 13 10 Erin Holland TV Presenter 2 11 Mark Philippoussis Former tennis player 13 12 Bonnie Anderson Singer/actor 6 13 Kerri Pottharst Beach volleyball Olympian 6 14 John Steffensen Olympic runner 13 15 Heath Shaw AFL Star 10 16 Sam Burgess Former rugby league player 13 17 Alicia Molik Former tennis player 4 18 Jessica Peris Sprinter 10
Ratings
Season 3 (2022) The third season began airing on 21 February 2022.
Full list of celebrities were confirmed in October 2021:
Recruit Celebrity Known for Episode left Status 1 Ebanie Bridges Champion boxer 11 2 Paul Fenech Comedian 9 3 Melissa Tkautz Singer/Actor 2 4 Barry Hall Retired AFL player 7 5 Geoff Huegill Olympic swimmer 10 6 Melissa Wu Olympic diver 12 7 Riana Crehan Motorsports presenter 13 8 Darius Boyd Retired NRL player 13 9 Orpheus Pledger Actor 2 10 Locky Gilbert Reality TV star 13 11 Simone Holtznagel Model 4 12 Anna Heinrich TV personality 11 13 Richard Buttrose Convicted drug dealer 6 14 Ellia Green Rugby player 5 15 Millie Boyle NRLW player 13 16 Wayne Carey AFL commentator 5 17 Michael Zerafa Professional boxer 2
Ratings
Season 4 (2023) The fourth season began airing on 9 October 2023.
It was the first season of SAS Australia to be filmed outside Australia, on Wadi Rum Desert at Jordan. The camp was set on an abandoned Military Outpost at the Valley.
Full list of celebrities were confirmed in March 2023:
Recruit Celebrity Known for Episode left Status 4 Abbey Holmes AFL Field Commentator 10 5 Anthony Mundine World Champion Boxer 5 8 Boyd Cordner Retired NRL star 2 1 Cassie Sainsbury Convicted drug smuggler 2 7 Craig Challen Thai Cave rescue hero 10 9 Craig McLachlan Actor 8 3 Jason Akermanis AFL Hall of Famer 1 12 Lindy Klim Balinese Princess 2 6 Mahalia Murphy International Rugby Star 9 13 Matthew Mitcham Olympic Gold Diver 10 10 Peter Bol Olympic Runner 6 11 Stephanie Rice Olympic Gold Swimmer 4 14 Tim Robards OG Bachelor 10 2 Zima Anderson Actress 7
Ratings
Season 5: Australia vs England (2026) In October 2025, a fifth celebrity season was renewed by Seven during their annual upfronts titled "SAS: Australia vs England", which will see seven Australian celebrities and seven UK celebrities go against each other in the Moroccan desert, the Australian celebrities were revealed on the day. In December 2025, the UK celebrities taking part were announced alongside confirmation that the show would be aired on Channel 4 in January 2026 as the UK's eighth celebrity series. The series began airing in Australia on 29 April 2026.
Recruit Celebrity Known for Status (Episode Number) 10 Emily Seebohm Retired Olympic swimmer (8) 4 Dani Dyer Reality TV star (8) 5 Gabby Allen Love Island contestant (8) 14 Mack Horton Retired Olympic swimmer (8) 7 Ben Cohen Retired rugby player (8) 2 Toby Olubi UK Gladiators star, Phantom (5) 6 Graeme Swann Retired cricketer (5) 12 Ryan Moloney Neighbours actor (5) 9 Brad Hodge Retired cricketer (4) 1 Cole Anderson-James YouTuber (4) 11 Axle Whitehead Musician 3 Jack Joseph Social media personality (4) 13 Natalie Bassingthwaighte Actress and singer (3) 8 Jessika Power Reality TV star (2)
Australian Ratings
No. Title Air date Timeslot viewers Night rank Ref(s) 1 Behind Enemy Lines 29 April 2026 Wednesday 7:30 pm 522,000 9 2 Misfits 6 May 2026 451,000 10 3 Composure 13 May 2026 479,000 10 4 Breaking Point 20 May 2026 442,000 13 5 Family 27 May 2026 291,000 14 6 Control 3 June 2026 390,000 13
Civilian edition
Season 1 (2021)
In March 2021, Seven commissioned a miniseries featuring civilian contestants in addition to the second main season. Titled SAS: Hell Week, the mini-season was filmed back to back with the second celebrity season in the Blue Mountains.
Ratings
Civilian winners Series Winners 1 James Fenwick and Sarah Jeavons
References
External links