Meet the Aussie celebs taking on TV’s toughest test in the Middle East
The most savage show on TV, SAS Australia, returns to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023 with a new group of star recruits descending on one of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives – the Middle East.
Actor Craig McLachlan, former world boxing champion Anthony Mundine, ‘Cocaine Cassie’, Olympians Stephanie Rice, Peter Bol and Matthew Mitcham, Balinese princess Lindy Klim, Thai cave rescue hero Dr Craig Challen and Brownlow medallist Jason Akermanis are just some of the 14 Aussie celebrities who have volunteered for the toughest test of their lives – a series of physical and psychological tests from the real SAS selection process.
For the first time on SAS Australia, these men and women will travel offshore to a secret base in the Middle East, where they will eat, sleep and train together in punishingly hot and arid conditions, with no allowances or exceptions made for their celebrity status or gender.
The celebrities will be pushed beyond their limits like never before, as they’re subjected to extreme physical endurance, sleep deprivation, interrogation and psychological testing in unforgiving, dramatic terrain. Some will reach breaking point and withdraw. Who will have the mental strength to tough it out to the end?
The star recruits set to take on SAS Australia in 2023 are:
Abbey Holmes, 32 – AFL Field Commentator
Anthony Mundine, 47 – World Champion Boxer
Boyd Cordner, 30 – Retired NRL Star
Cassie Sainsbury, 28 – Convicted Drug Smuggler
Dr Craig Challen, 57 – Thai Cave Rescue Hero
Craig McLachlan, 57 – Actor
Jason Akermanis, 46 – AFL Hall of Famer
Lindy Klim, 45 – Balinese Princess
Mahalia Murphy, 29 – International Rugby Star
Matthew Mitcham, 35 – Olympic Gold Diver
Peter Bol, 29 – Olympic Runner
Stephanie Rice, 34 – Olympic Gold Swimmer
Tim Robards, 40 – OG Bachelor
Zima Anderson, 25 – Actress
SAS Australia is produced by Screentime, a Banijay Group company, based on a Minnow Films format. The new season premieres later this year on Channel 7 and 7plus.
SAS Australia Returning to Channel 7 and 7plus in 2023
What an interesting list of contestants. Some good unexpected ones, and some crappy ones too which im sure will be talked alot about in various articles and forums.
Surprised this got renewed, I guess a different quarter and casting will help, this one actually looks quite decent and would give it another go, but after enjoying the first one or two, gave up on last year’s about half-way through
Well, I think the novelty of it has well and truly worn off. Didn’t help when Seven decided to throw it against MAFS and Survivor last year after a lacklustre second season in 2021.
Mundine’s second stint on a reality show after his ill-fated experiment on I’m a Celeb a few years back. Nice list of contestants this year. Hope it rates well or it could be the last season.
I think Cassie isn’t the best choice. Probably not the type of person 7 should be endorsing, does the board sign off on things like this? Cause I wouldn’t.
They tried Corby but it just wasn’t a success. Just is no pull.
I think the only bad thing about Corby’s inclusion was that she left so soon. She was generating all the headlines and interest in the show that season.
I think this list is pretty good. I knew 10 people without checking who they were… then out of the remaining cast the thai cave rescuer and then Lindy Klim, although i didnt recognise their names at first, were people I knew of.
McLachlan was acquitted, I get many are frustrated/disagree about that, don’t worry I am a skeptic also, but he was cleared so time to move on. I’ve seen that behaviour in the workplace, guilty as ever, no evidence, nothing is substantiated, and it’s time to move on.
You would think after being cleared he might want to move on and perhaps keep a lowish profile, but his zone is front and centre, no doubt wants to repair some of the profile damage.
He didn’t help his cause by suing for defamation and then withdrawing the action on the day the defence was due to begin their case. Almost like he had something to hide.
Sounds like he is trying to backtrack and he can push his own narrative now, the defence won’t be able to respond.
He lost me when they put out the video with Jeanne Downs. I think many of us came to our own conclusions after watching that. I think the majority don’t side with him, comes across as a manipulator, fast talker etc, seems to be the common trend on socials when his name is mentioned.
Either way, he is cleared, people can make up their own minds. That is something he cannot change, the wide ranging opinions people have of him.
According to The Sunday Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield, Boyd Cordner tore his pectoral muscle on his right arm during filming of the new season in Jordan, and had returned to Australia for surgery. He was spotted at the Roosters’ win over the Eels at Allianz Stadium on Thursday night.
