SAS Australia isn’t for the weak of heart, and that’s just when it comes to watching the military-style reality show.
As for the celebrity contestants who are crazy enough to sign up for the gruelling course under the watchful eye of the hard-as-nails directing staff (DS), well, some just aren’t cut out for it.
Season three sees stars like The Bachelor’s Locky Gilbert and Anna Heinrich take on the challenge, as well as Home And Away heartthrob Orpheus Pledger.
But who will make it through the brutal 14-day trail and who will bomb out before reaching the finish line?
Scroll on to see who didn’t make the cut.
Some of the recruits just aren’t cut out for this challenge.
(Image: Channel Seven)Want all the details on the latest season of SAS Australia? Check out these stories:
Is SAS Australia really “as fake as MAFS”? Here’s the truth
Where is SAS Australia filmed? Inside the brutal location
Who is SAS Australia’s ruthless leader Ant Middleton?
SAS Australia star Anna Heinrich’s baby stole our hearts
Inside Locky Gilbert and Irena Srbinovska’s relationship
Meet the family waiting for Barry Hall at home after SAS
Melissa Wu
She was this season’s “little pocket rocket” but Melissa made the brave decision to withdraw in the penultimate episode when she knew carrying on would hold her fellow recruits back in a brutal endurance challenge.
Ant praised her for her choice, telling the Olympic diver: “We knew you had injuries, we knew you had little niggles and you didn’t moan once … you’ll go on to do amazing things, but it’s okay not to always be strong, you don’t always have to be that tough person that everyone relies on you to be.”
Anna Heinrich
Despite thinking she’d only last a few days on the course, Anna made it to day 11 before she voluntarily withdrew – a decision she made after seeing a message from home with her husband Tim Robards and daughter Elle.
In a chat with Now To Love, Anna confessed she missed Elle terribly but wanted to do something her little girl would be proud of. When she withdrew, Ant Middleton told the brave mum: “You go back to your daughter now. And wow, what a role model she has in you.”
Ebanie Bridges
Ebanie was culled in a nail-biting decision from the DS, who felt that despite all her efforts, the pro boxer simply wasn’t cut out for the demands of the brutal SAS course.
The tough-as-nails athlete was also tough on herself throughout the course, but found a new kind of strength after opening up emotionally to her fellow recruits.
Geoff Huegill
A freezing beach beasting left Geoff ready to throw in the towel, voluntarily withdrawing after accepting that he simply couldn’t keep up with the rest of the remaining recruits.
He said of his exit: “I’ve achieved more than I wanted to. It’s nice to know that I’ve still got it. I’ve gone through a lot of setbacks and challenges over the last couple of years but to be in an environment like this where success breeds success… I’m going to take that energy and that drive and apply it to a lot more things.”
Pauly Fenech
“I’m too unfit for this, staff. I’m sorry, I’m too unfit. I’m going to let these guys down. Sorry, staff,” Pauly told DS Ant Middleton when he voluntarily withdrew in the middle of a gruelling edurance challenge that got the better of him. Despite handing in his number, Ant was proud of Pauly for how far he had come.
In an exclusive chat with New Idea, Pauly said he was glad he went on the show to inspire young people facing the same hardships he did in his youth: “I had a lot of kids telling me they were inspired to stand up to bullies.”
Barry Hall
He was one of the frontrunners, but Barry was forced to medically withdraw after a brutal fight with Locky Gilbert left him with a gruesome rib injury. It was a difficult choice for the former AFL star to make, as he was determined to keep going, but in the end his injury made it impossible to go on.
“I would’ve loved to have completed it, but stuff happens doesn’t it,” Barry told DS Ant Middleton, but Ant reminded the AFL great he had achieved incredible things on the course.
Richard Buttrose
Richard was culled after an explosive argument with the DS, where he accused them of singling him out for verbal attacks and ranted at Ant Middleton about TV editing, telling them: “I don’t think I want to be part of this stupid TV show anymore.”
Though he tried to stay in the course, Ant was having none of it and sent Richard packing after his outburst.
Wayne Carey
The former AFL great recognised early on that his age and past injuries may work against him in the course, which is exactly what happened when a challenge that involved climbing a sheer cliff reignited an old shoulder injury.
He tried to tough it out but later withdrew, later telling producers: “This is arguably one of the hardest things that I’ve ever done. But I’m tremendously proud and I have no doubt this is just something that stays with you forever.”
Ellia Green
Despite their tough exterior, Ellia started to struggle with self-doubt and the mental toll the SAS course was having on them and decided to hand in their armband and withdraw during a brutal beach beasting.
Announcing their decision to the DS, Ant Middleton was actually quite encouraging, telling Ellia: “Great effort. You’ve grown from strength to strength. Work on it, and I promise you, you will be a f–king formidable force. Amazing effort.”
Simone Holtznagel
Simone became the fourth recruit to back out of the course when she voluntarily withdrew during a painful pepper spray challenge. Despite putting in a solid effort, the pain was too much for the moedal and she called it quits.
“It’s been a tough for me watching it back because people seem to think I’m just a big cry baby,” she told Now To Love in an exclusive chat. “But I still did it, I still tried my best, and I think that’s like the most important takeaway.”
Melissa Tkautz
Actress and singer Melissa handed in her number after a sky-high infiltration challenge left her in tears, trembling on the edge of a window sill as she admitted she couldn’t go on. Despite being the first celebrity to leave the course, the DS praised Melissa for battling her insecurities.
“Hold your head high. Extremely high. From day one, from the very first hour you were petrified,” Ant Middleton told her. “You faced every single fear and phobia that was put in front of you. You are one brave woman.”
Orpheus Pledger
Ant Middleton was as surprised as we were when Orpheus Pledger suddenly announced “I want to go home” in the middle of a psychological evaluation chat. The former Home And Away heartthrob said his decision was “me doing what I want for myself because I care about other people”.
Orpheus handed in his number and withdrew from the course, becoming the second star to do so.
Michael Zerafa
The third recruit to leave in episode two, pro boxer Michael was forced to medically withdraw after a painful shoulder injury made it impossible for him to continue the course. Though the self-professed “fighter” wanted to keep going, his condition made it impossible.
“Having to quit because of an injury is the worst feeling in the world,” he said, before adding that he would be keen to come back and try again.
