SAS: Who Dares Wins 'axed' by Channel 4 after eight series

SAS: Who Dares Wins Chief Instructor Rudy Reyes
One of SAS: Who Dares Wins Chief Instructors, Rudy Reyes . (Image credit: C4)

SAS: Who Dares Wins has been axed by Channel 4, it has been reported.

According to The Sun, Channel 4 has decided to bring the reality show's run to an end after eight series, among rumors that the broadcaster was planning on reviewing many of its longest-running shows, including The Great British Bake Off and Gogglebox

An insider allegedly told the publication: "Losing such a big-name show is a disturbing sign for C4 as it faces an uncertain future in a market which will be difficult for even the biggest broadcasters and streaming services."

There is some good news, though, as their source went on to explain that Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will survive the move. "Although the show's celebrity spin-off will continue, losing the civilian version will be worrying given that it's one of the channel's best-known brands. The fear now is that it may be a sign of things to come", they added.

A Channel 4 spokesperson has, however, said the rumors are not true: "Due to the huge success of Celebrity SAS, we have shifted our focus to prioritize this strand. A longer, eight-part series is to commence filming in the summer. It is categorically untrue to suggest that we are reviewing all of our long-standing shows with a view to discontinuing them."

SAS: Who Dares Wins first aired in 2015. The series sees a group of men and women from everyday life being put through some of the grueling tests that the SAS puts its recruits through, to see whether they've got what it takes to survive in the Special Forces. 

The series was hosted by Ant Middleton from 2015 until 2021 when he was replaced by former United States Recon Marine, Rudy Reyes. The most recent series, SAS: Who Dares Wins - Jungle Hell aired earlier this year, and saw 20 recruits being pushed to their limits in the jungles of North Vietnam; Mark Billingham, DS Chris Oliver, Jason Fox and Rudy Reyes oversaw the proceedings.

There have been four seasons of the celebrity spin-off since its launch in 2019. Some of the celebs who've taken part are: Love Island's Amber Gill, former Strictly Come Dancing pro, AJ Pritchard, singer Alexandra Burke, TV presenter Ulrika Jonsson, TOWIE star Joey Essex, and Olympians like Victoria Pendleton and Fatima Whitbread.

Past seasons of SAS: Who Dares Wins and its celebrity spin-off are available to stream on Channel 4. And for more shows to enjoy, check out our recommendations for the best Channel 4 dramas to stream right now.

Martin Shore
Staff Writer at WhatToWatch.com

Martin is a Staff Writer with WhatToWatch.com, where he produces a variety of articles focused on the latest and greatest films and TV shows. 

Some of his favorite shows are What We Do In The Shadows, Bridgerton, Gangs of London, The Witcher, Doctor Who, and Ghosts. When he’s not watching TV or at the movies, Martin’s probably still in front of a screen playing the latest video games, reading, or watching the NFL.