The scariest and swear-iest instructors on TV return to Channel 4 next week with a brand new season of SAS: Who Dares Wins – but this time, they're heading into the jungle.

Advertisement

Over the past few years, we've seen the notoriously tough competition take civilian recruits into the deserts of Jordan, the mountains of Chile and the terrain of the Scottish Hebrides – now, the instructors are taking them to the wilds of Vietnam.

With a change in location comes a change in personnel – Mark 'Billy' Billingham is stepping up to become Chief Instructor for this season due to his previous jungle experience, while Rudy Reyes is stepping down to become a regular instructor.

They'll be joined by Jason 'Foxy' Fox and brand new instructor Chris Oliver, a military veteran who'll be replacing Remi Adeleke.

With lots of new changes ahead of the 2023 season, here's everything you need to know about SAS Who Dares Wins: Jungle Hell.

SAS Who Dares Wins 2023 release date

SAS: Who Dares Wins returns for its Jungle Hell season on Monday 23rd January at 9pm on Channel 4.

The six-part season will air hour-long episodes on a weekly basis as 20 new recruits take on the savage Special Forces challenge.

Where is SAS Who Dares Wins 2023 filmed?

The name of this season – SAS Who Dares Wins: Jungle Hell – may give away the filming location for this year, with the instructors and recruits heading into the wilds of Vietnam.

The 2023 season was filmed in "the deepest, darkest, most unforgiving jungle in the world", found in Thung Ui, North Vietnam.

Due to the change in scenery, Mark 'Billy' Billingham is taking over as Chief Instructor as he spent half of his military career serving in the jungle.

SAS Who Dares Wins 2023 instructors

Billy Billingham in SAS Who Dares Wins.
Billy Billingham in SAS Who Dares Wins. Channel 4

This year's season of SAS Who Dares Wins features a slightly different line-up of instructors, with Mark 'Billy' Billingham taking over as the Chief Instructor for this particular challenge.

He'll be joined by returning members Jason 'Foxy' Fox and Rudy Reyes as well as new instructor Chris Oliver – a former Special Forces Operator.

Speaking about his new role, Billy said: "Having been a DS on actual military SAS selection and Chief Instructor at the British Army Jungle Warfare Training School in Brunei, there is nobody better placed than myself to lead the recruits through this treacherous environment.

"I’m looking forward to challenging and encouraging the new recruits. However, I will not be accepting any excuses – this will be the toughest course to date!"

Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke took part in the last season, but announced in October last year that he would be leaving the show.

"Bye bye UK," he wrote on Instagram. "I’d like to thank my brothers, Billy, Rudy and Foxy for allowing me to be apart of this EPIC, life changing and fulfilling ride."

Speaking to RadioTimes.com in an exclusive interview, Remi explained that he was leaving to focus on filmmaking.

"I wrote and directed a film on human trafficking," he said. "We just went into active development and so I can't go out, I can't leave for work.

"I can't leave this week for a month-and-a-half to do the show while I'm in active development on a movie that's going to be coming out in the next year and a half or so. So I've checked out of this one, I'm not doing it."

Chris Oliver, who will be replacing the Navy Seal, is a British military veteran who is a former Special Forces operator and Royal Marine mountain leader.

"I will bring a hard-hitting intensity to the SAS: Who Dares Wins DS, being a fiery character with a very passionate approach to military training, with respect being at the forefront of everything I do," he said in a statement.

"The values I intend to instil in the recruits, as part of the DS, have been forged on operations where we have lost good operators, so they had better be under no illusions – anyone who doesn’t play by the rules will pay the price."

SAS Who Dares Wins 2023 contestants

Channel 4 is yet to release the contestant line-up for the 2023 season – watch this space for any updates.

However, we do know that there will be 20 contestants – a mixture of men and women – taking on the season, which is set to be the show's toughest yet.

Last year's season saw Shylla Duhaney and Paige Zima emerged as the show's winners last year making it to the final alongside Claire Aves and Cat Turnbull.

SAS Who Dares Wins returns to Channel 4 at 9pm on Monday 23rd January. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.

Advertisement

Try Radio Times magazine today and get 12 issues for only £1 with delivery to your home subscribe now. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times View From My Sofa podcast.

Authors

Lauren Morris
Lauren MorrisEntertainment and Factual Writer
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement