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.

Media Release – Seven