AS the new season of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins gets underway, regular viewers will notice one of the shows usual faces is no longer there.
Ant Middleton, who had previously held the role of chief instructor on the Channel 4 series was sacked in 2021.
Why was Ant Middleton sacked from SAS: Who Dares Wins?
Ant was axed from the show after a series of high profile gaffes, which included a tweet about the Black Lives Matter movement.
There was a social media backlash in June 2020 after Ant posted a video of violence at anti-racism protests in London.
He tweeted: “The extreme left against the extreme right. BLM and EDL are not welcome on our streets, absolute scum. What a great example you are to your future generation. Bravo.”
The same month, Channel 4 set out a ‘new and clear commitment’ to being an anti-racist organisation and said Ant’s tweet “in no way represent the views of Channel 4”.
Ant Middleton was sacked from SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2021
He was informed of the sudden decision by Channel 4 to no longer employ him on March 1, 2021.
A spokesperson for the channel said: “Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
“Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.”
Reports also circulated that Middleton had been fired after female crew members raised concerns regarding “inappropriate comments” he had made.
Middleton denied any knowledge of making such comments.
The broadcaster has since said it will never work with him again due to his “personal conduct”.
Why is Ant Middleton still on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins season 3?
Filming had already been completed on the third series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins before the decision was made by Channel 4 to drop Ant.
It marked his last appearance on the show as he will not return for future seasons.
This led Middleton to accuse Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins of ‘cashing in’ on him after seeing his image on an advert for the new series of the show.
Middleton took to Instagram to write: “I’ve just seen an advert of SAS UK on 7+ here in Australia! Funny how the UK cancel culture ‘supposedly’ sacked me but they’re still willing to make money from my profile, my brand, my name, my work and my show!”
“And now that I’ve opened up a market for myself in Australia they are capitalising on my success!”
“Laughable, hypocritical and shameful but business is business and that’s exactly what it is… just business baby!”
He also added the hashtags “#fightcancelculture #allnoise #allBS”.
What has Ant Middleton said about being sacked?
After it was revealed he had been axed from SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ant took to Instagram and said: “After five years on the show it just felt like I had achieved everything I could with the format.
“There’s so many other formats that I am working on now that feel more suited to who I am today.
“It’s been a brilliant experience being on that show but I’m honestly happy to let some new blood come in and put their own stamp on it.”
Speaking about his decision to move to Australia, he told The James Smith podcast: “I’ve got a great connection with Australia. My wife also loves Australia.
“She did a gap year out here when she was young. She’s always said, ‘Let’s move to Australia’, So when SAS Australia came up, I was like, ‘Let’s see the layout, let’s see how it goes’.
“We’ve sort of made a decision to move out here next year.”
Ant and his wife Emilie are parents to five children – Oakley, Priseis, Bligh, Gabriel and Shyla.
He continued: “I feel like I fit in here.
“That’s very strange being the person that I am. I don’t know whether the UK is a bit pretentious for me, a bit too PC for me, where I can’t be myself.
“I have to suppress a part of me to fit in, which I don’t like doing and I won’t do as you’ve probably seen but here you’ve got that balance that right.”
Discussing what happened for him to lose his job, he said: “Witch hunt? I never thought that existed until the latest shenanigans with SAS UK.
“Ultimately people can see through it and know I was pushed before I could jump.”
Speaking about the BLM tweet, Ant had previously defended himself at the time, telling The Celeb Report: “If you have half a brain cell you will realise what I was talking about.
“It was the protesters fighting and violence and rioting in broad daylight.
Everything I fought for abroad to stop happening on our shores.”
Middleton said comments he had made on set were simply “military banter”, and said Channel 4’s statements were “very reckless and desperate”.
“The excuses that keep coming like inappropriate comments… it’s all smoke and mirrors,” the ex-Special Forces soldier told Good Morning Britain.
Who is replacing Ant Middleton on SAS: Who Dares Wins?
Chief Instructor Rudy Reyes, who made quite the impression during his first series last year has replaced Ant Middleton on SAS Who Dares Wins.
Along with rest of the SAS: Who Dares Wins instructors – Mark “Billy” Billingham, Jason “Foxy” Fox and new directing staff member Remi Adeleke, Reyes will put the recruits through their paces.
Rudy is a conservationist, martial arts instructor, actor and former active duty United States Marine.
He served in Afghanistan and took part in the Iraq war – he also served on the USS Dubuque and often led platoon PT sessions on ship.
