SAS: Are You Tough Enough?

SAS: Are You Tough Enough was a British documentary series exposing volunteer members of the public to the experience of the SAS selection process presented by Dermot O'Leary. On average only 10 out of the 125 soldiers taking the real SAS selection procedure pass.^[1] In contrast to the real SAS, this programme also featured female candidates. As with real selection, initially the candidates were pushed to the limits to reduce the numbers, with survivors in the latter stages, trained and assessed in a variety of military training exercises.

The contestants participated in exercises experienced in the real selection process, although over a shorter time frame, with the winner only getting a hand-shake from the ex-SAS SSgt Eddie Stone. For realism, exercises were controlled by ex-members of the SAS, notably Staff Sergeant Eddie Stone and John McAleese with additional comments about what would happen in the real process from other ex-SAS members.

There were three series: the original in the Scottish Highlands, the SAS Jungle in Borneo, and SAS Desert in Namibia.

First series - Highlands

In the first series, the exercises included:

The Fan Dance over Ben Lomond—Five eliminated
The Long Drag (a 40 mile trek with a 55 lb bergen to be completed in 20 hours)--Eight eliminated including four for medical reasons and one for cheating.
Escape and evasion, with a resulting interrogation test—Six eliminated
Fitness Test
Swimming Test (fully clothed in combat gear)--Two eliminated
Survival
Free fall Parachuting
Navigation
Off road driving in a Land Rover Defender 110
Marksmanship
Close Quarters Reconnaissance of a farmhouse
Fieldcraft and Infantry tactics in an assault
A booby trapped outdoor Close Quarters Battle course, 10 targets and 30 rounds of ammunition
Assault of a Killing House

The 29 contestants participated in an 11-day course, sleeping in tents when not on specific overnight/survival exercises. The majority failed to complete the course, retiring in the early stages on medical grounds or due to being unwilling to continue, and in latter stages due to failing to meet the required standard. A female did make it into the final four who completed the course, with the winner selected as Gary Robertson from Dundee.

References

↑ BBC Feature, SAS

External links

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