SAS Australia on Channel 7 – “I haven’t been the best husband”. Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham shares his darkest shame.
Tonight on SAS Australia: Actress Zima Anderson was medically withdrawn after a fall on the course, while Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham admitted he had damaged his relationship with his constant lies.
In a task designed to test their ability to absorb pressure, the recruits infiltrated a military port to secure sensitive information before radioing a memorized extraction code for a water rescue.
After radioing the correct extraction code and preparing to jump into the water, Zima fell awkwardly from the tower.
The challenge was halted as the DS and medical teams raced to her aid.
Sustaining a small fracture to her right elbow and wrist, Zima was taken to hospital for treatment and was medically withdrawn from the course.
Despite cutting short the previous task, the DS continued to apply pressure on the six remaining recruits in a beehive task replicating open ocean survival. Huddled together, the recruits trod water to stay afloat.
Not comfortable in the water, the frightening exercise brought AFL commentator Abbey Holmes to tears as she was overcome by panic and quit the task.
“I just freak out with water. I felt ok at the start but then just went to shit,” explained a tearful Abbey after the task.
Later in the day, the recruits revealed all in ‘setting fire to shame’, a pressure test of emotion designed to expel trauma and shame.
Actor Craig McLachlan went first detailing the impact of the charges laid against him for his role in the Rocky Horror stage show.
“The embarrassment and shame I felt was crippling. And without realizing it, I’ve been hating everything and resenting everything. I’ve been angry at everything. I’m done with hate for hate’s sake. I have, over time, learned to breathe again to move on.”
Olympic diver Matthew Mitcham shocked the DS with his brutal honesty in an emotionally charged confession about his selfish and deceitful behaviour in relationships: “I’ve been a really selfish person in relationships. And I feel so ashamed for the immense hurt that I caused someone for 11 years, who stayed with me throughout my entire addiction.
“And despite being seven years clean and sober and it being one of his absolute deal breakers, I still struggle to be completely honest with my husband.”
He admitted: “I haven’t been the best husband. I’ve definitely caused a lot of pain and I still have a lot of shame for the lies and deception in my relationship.”
Tomorrow night on SAS Australia: A hideous 100 metre rope hang separates the fearless from the feeble before a beasting leaves the recruits with only one way out. Who won’t last?
The star recruits remaining on SAS Australia in 2023 are:
Abbey Holmes, 32 – AFL Field Commentator
Dr Craig Challen, 57 – Thai Cave Rescue Hero
Craig McLachlan, 57 – Actor
Mahalia Murphy, 29 – International Rugby Star
Matthew Mitcham, 35 – Olympic Gold Diver
Tim Robards, 40 – OG Bachelor
SAS Australia on Channel 7 and 7plus – Continues 7.30pm Monday
SAS Australia on Channel 7
About SAS Australia
The most savage show on TV, SAS Australia, returns to Channel 7 and 7plus on Monday, 9 October with a new group of star recruits descending on one of the toughest environments faced by Special Forces operatives: the Middle East.
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 challenge 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 Jordanian desert where they will eat, sleep and train together in punishingly hot conditions without allowances for their celebrity status or gender.
Chief Instructor Ant Middleton is once again joined by Ollie Ollerton and two new Directing Staff, Jamie “Jay” Morton and Anthony “Staz” Stazicker.
With a combined half-century of Special Forces experience between them, their mission is to break down each recruit and rebuild them to be the best versions of themselves, determining who, if any, have what it takes to be selected as a fellow SAS soldier.
SAS Australia is produced by Screentime, a Banijay Group company, based on a Minnow Films format.
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 Champion
Tim Robards, 40 – OG Bachelor
Zima Anderson, 25 – Actor
Media Release – Seven
SAS Australia on Channel 7
TV Central Seven content HERE
SAS Australia on Channel 7
