There’s no show that pushes celebrities to their limits like SAS Australia.
Before it was put on ice in 2023, the series saw a range of celebrities from all walks of life take on a series of physical and psychological tests fit for elite special forces soldiers.
Now, it’s back but this time, Aussie celebs will be up against a host of British stars in SAS: Australia v England.
While Channel Seven have announced SAS: Australia v England, the series will first be airing in the UK on Channel 4 under the name Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
In the past, SAS Australia has featured celebrities from all types of the media landscape.
There have been a heap reality stars from The Bachelor (such as Ali Otjen, Nick ‘The Honeybadger’ Cummins, Anna Heinrich and Tim Robards), sports stars (such as Jana Pittman, Boyd Cordner, Stephanie Rice and Mark Philippoussis), and actors (such as Dan Ewing, Bonnie Anderson and Zima Anderson).
The series has also acted as a platform for people who have had a reputation downfall in the public eye, from footy players who have had media scandals to convicted drug smugglers like Cassie Sainsbury and Chappell Corby.
Will SAS: Australia v England be just as explosive? We’ll have to wait and see!
Here’s everything we know about the upcoming season, including the cast, the tough-talking staff and where the series was filmed.
Table of contents
- SAS Australia vs England full cast list
- Who is leading the charge this season?
- Where is the season being filmed?
- When is SAS: Australia vs England coming out?
SAS: Australia vs England full cast list
This season, we’ll see a handful of Aussie stars go up against some big British celebrity names. Here’s everyone who has been confirmed for the tough reality series.
Team Australia
Emily Seebohm
Emily Seebohm, 33, is former Olympic swimmer who has appeared at four Olympic Games and won three gold medals. Since retiring, she misses putting herself through physical challenges.
“After being an Olympian for so long and missing the challenge of what it takes to get to the top level, with a toddler, I realise that if I don’t do it now, I’ll never do it!” she told Channel 4.
Emily has previously appeared on The Challenge: Australia and The Challenge: World Championship which we’re sure primed her for the brutal SAS experience.
Axle Whitehead
Axle Whitehead is an Aussie singer, actor and presenter. He first got his start as a contestant on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003, before going on to host Video Hits from 2004 to 2006. he went on to play Liam Murphy in Home and Away before heading overseas in 2015 for a role in Shameless.
“Growing up and working on our family farm, often in harsh conditions, taught me real physical and mental resilience,” Axle told Channel 4.
“Celebrity SAS terrified me, but I wanted to see whether I had the mettle to carry me through the toughest test on TV.”
Ryan Moloney
Ryan Moloney is one of the most iconic faces from the beloved Aussie soap Neighbours. For almost 30 years he played the role of Jarrad ‘Toadfish’ Rebecchi on our screens but now, he’s setting out to truly test himself.
“I chose to join the Celebrity SAS because after everything that I’ve gone through I want to grab this and tear the balls off it,” he told Channel 4.
“It’s a huge challenge and a once in a lifetime opportunity. I didn’t know what I wanted to get out of it but I knew if I gave it everything that I’d find out!”
Natalie Bassingthwaighte
Ryan Moloney isn’t the only Neighbours star in the SAS cast! Actor, singer and host Natalie Bassingthwaighte, 50, has signed up for the challenge.
Natalie played the iconic character of Izzy Hoyland from 2003 to 2006 before focusing on her music career as the lead singer of rock band Rogue Traders. Since then, Natalie has had a bustling career in theatre.
“Turning 50 for me meant embracing new challenges,” she said.
“Celebrity SAS was my opportunity to push my boundaries, test my limits, and prove that adventure truly knows no age!”
Mack Horton
Similarly to Emily, former Olympic athlete Mack Horton, 29, has been looking for opportunities to test himself since retiring from swimming. Before his retirement, the 29-year-old won an Olympic gold medal in the 400m freestyle at the 2016 Olympics. He is also a World Championships gold medallist and a 4-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist.
“Leaving professional sport hasn’t meant losing that internal drive. I’ve been actively seeking challenges that force me to stretch, evolve and tap back into that competitive instinct,” he told Channel 4 before the show.”
“The SAS training challenge stood out because there are very few environments as physically and mentally demanding. Their ability to train for any scenario, any environment, fascinated me — and the appeal of walking into something where the unknown is part of the experience was impossible to ignore.”
Jessika Power
We first met 33-year-old Jessika Power on Married At First Sight Australia in 2019 on season six. She was one of the most polarising figures in her season, especially after she went after someone else’s husband in the experiment! Since then, Jessika has been looking for her redemption arc.
“I chose to do Celebrity SAS because I wanted to show a side of myself the public rarely gets to see — the vulnerable, determined, resilient version of me. I’ve been through a lot in my personal life and this was a chance to confront those challenges head-on,” she told Channel 4.
“I came into the experience hoping to learn more about who I am and wanting to walk out proud of myself, with a deeper sense of confidence, discipline and purpose. I want to prove to the public that I’m not a reality bitch.”
Brad Hodge
Brad Hodge is a 50-year-old former Australian cricket player, coach and current Channel Seven broadcaster. He was a member of the Aussie team that won the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
He says he’s joining the cast of Celebrity SAS to test himself.
“Taking part in Celebrity SAS was important for me so I could challenge myself physically and mentally in a different elite world that I am not accustomed to,” he said.
Team UK
Cole Anderson
Cole Anderson is a 28-year-old actor and social media star from the UK. With over 2.8 million followers on TikTok, Cole is best known for his comedy sketch videos.
He says he’s taking part of Celebrity SAS “for a change, for a bit of fun and to experience new things”.
Considering the show is more bootcamp than holiday getaway, he might not be in for the fun experience he’s after.
Toby Olubi
Toby Olubi is a 38-year-old bobsledder and sprinter from the UK. While he’s used to tough training conditions, he wants to put himself to the test.
“I wanted to come on this course to show different dynamics of manhood – that you can be vulnerable and still powerful,” he explains, per Channel 4.
“I also wanted to use this opportunity to test my mettle, to learn from the experience and to come home with something more to offer to others!”
Jack Joseph
Jack Joseph is a 25-year-old comedian and content creator with more than 1.3 million followers.
“I think this is probably going be the toughest week of my life. My dad was actually in the military, so he will not be happy if I make excuses or I moan or I don’t try a hundred percent,” he said.
“I didn’t think being in the military was ever an option for me -” I am scared of everything – flying, confrontation, large crowds, claustrophobia, bugs, insects, spiders. I’m hoping that I can overcome those fears. I need a big challenge.
“If I manage to get through this, I think it would help a lot.”
Dani Dyer
Dani Dyer is a 29-year-old television personality and actress who first gained an audience after winning Love Island UK in 2018 with Jack Fincham. Dani went on to star in a reality series alongside Jack called Jack & Dani: Life After Love Island but the pair split later that year. In 2025, she was also a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing but fractured her ankle during rehearsals and had to withdraw from the competition.
As a long-time fan of the show, Dani is keen to give it a crack.
“I’m a massive fan of the show. I’ve always watched it and wondered if I could do it. I want to put myself to the test. I’m nuts, but I think I will be good at it,” she said.
“I’ll be completely out of my comfort zone. I just hope that I will be able to stop listening to the voices in my head and just get to the end because that would make me so proud. I think physically I’ve got this. Mentally is what I’ll struggle with as my brain attacks me all the bloody time. I just want to believe in myself a little bit more and stop being a negative Nancy.”
Gabby Dawn Allen
Similarly to Dani, Gabby Dawn Allen became a media personality in the UK after winning Love Island in 2017. She then went on to appea ron Celebrity Big Brother and The Challenge Double Agents before winning Love Island: All Stars in 2025. Gabby currently boasts more than one million followers on social media and is keen to surprise people by going on Celebrity SAS.
“I think viewers are going to be really surprised when they see me on the course. I’m extremely determined and I don’t give up easily,” she told Channel 4.
“Fitness is a huge part of my life with it being my job and working with hundreds of women daily helping them find joy in their health and wellness journey. I wanted to test my mental strength and challenge myself in a way I haven’t before and SAS certainly did that.
“I’ve watched previous series and knew this was a once in a lifetime experience, and an opportunity for me to showcase a side of me that people haven’t seen before. I might be small but I have guts, am strong and am extremely competitive – watch this space!”
Graeme Swann
Former professional cricketer and commentator Graeme Swann may be pushing 50, but he’s determined to see what he’s made of and prove to his kids that he’s the man.
“I wanted to take part in Celebrity SAS, mostly to step out of my comfort zone and see how hard I could push myself but also, I wanted my kids to see that even the hardest tasks can be achieved if you just keep putting one foot in front of the other.”
Ben Cohen
Ben Cohen is an activist and former rugby player who, like many of the former sport stars on this list, is determined to challenge himself after stepping away from professional sport. Before his retirement, he played for England and was part of the team which won the 2003 Rugby World Cup. In 2011, Ben created The Ben Cohen StandUp Foundation which was created to raise awareness of the “long-term, damaging effects of bulling” and creating funding for those “doing the real-world work to stop it”.
““I wanted to take part to rediscover parts of myself but also to be tested mentally. We live with ourselves every day, so I wanted to test myself mentally and physically to try something really tough that would challenge my strength. It’ll be a good lesson for me,” he said.
“Facing the Aussies is going be very interesting. They might want to get the record straight, after 22 years of hurt…”
Who is leading the charge this season?
There has been one very big casting change this season. Former SAS leader Ant Middleton won’t be leading the group of tough-talking directing staff this time around.
Instead, Billy Bilingham MBE will be the Chief Instructor. He’s joined by Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver.
Where is the SAS: Australia vs England season being filmed?
The brave contestants will be testing their mental and physical strength in the treacherous environment of the Moroccan desert.
If it’s anything like the 2023 season in the Jordanian Dessert, it’s going to be a very difficult challenge for the recruits.
When is SAS: Australia vs England coming out?
SAS: Australia vs England is set to hit our screens on April 26 on Seven and 7Plus.
