This programme contains strong language.
Sit.
During these uncertain times,
what we're looking for is those that have the courage...
Stand up. ..to take the leap into the unknown.
In this series,
an elite team of ex-special forces soldiers...
Get out, number 21!
HE GROANS
...are putting 21 men and women...
Come on! They're gonna kill the hostage!
...through the most gruelling stages of SAS selection.
SHE SCREAMS
Aargh!
GROANING
Each task based on the real process...
SCREAMING What was that?
...the recruits must go beyond the physical...
Get in there, now!
...to come face-to-face...
What would you do? Kill staff.
...with their true self.
G0, go! go!
In the special forces, you swear an oath to your comrades.
You are willing to give the ultimate sacrifice to see them
live another day.
No other test asks as much...
...or means as much...
Every single task seems like they're trying to kill us.
...to the few who make it through.
You're about to be in a whole world of pain.
EXPLOSION Get up! Get on your knees!
Get on your knees!
SHOUTING
Five hours ago, the remaining seven recruits
were split into two teams...
...and sent on the run for the escape and evasion phase of selection.
Keep sweeping, keep sweeping.
Whilst being pursued by a hunter force...
...Team Bravo were captured and detained.
It's getting light now, so they can see us easier.
Team Alpha, made up of number 18, Tyler,
number ten, Kieran,
and number three, Justine,
are still on the run.
They are one kilometre from the final RV point.
Sometimes you can think you're at breaking point
when you're actually not.
Car! Car!
Get down here.
I've been through quite a lot in my life,
but I'm not one for giving up and I can put on my war face
and my battle braids and I'll be that warrior.
I wanna know if I've got, like, you know, the juice,
and if I've got kind of the strength, really.
When I was growing up, I was fairly confident.
Since I've got older, I've got, like, really bad anxiety.
There's a car coming. Get down.
I just kind of closed myself in a bit.
DOGS BARK
Being captured is one of the worst scenarios you'll ever face.
When I was in Bosnia, I remember going forward through a minefield.
Before I knew it, I was surrounded by Serbian soldiers
who then grabbed me and then put into a vehicle
and driven into what was now the enemy territory,
with an AK-47, which was literally pushed into my mouth.
We are going down a dirt track.
Any second, he could slip and take my head off.
Everything flashes before you
and you realise the physical side is gone now.
It's all about mental resilience,
because what comes next is totally unknown.
And that is probably the most daunting, frightening feeling
you could ever have.
Both teams now captured,
the recruits face one of the most feared phases of the course...
Down you go. On your knees.
...resistance to interrogation.
This phase will be overseen
by a specialist team of interrogators.
Together, they have over 30 years of experience in war zones
and special forces selection training.
The purpose of interrogation is to put them
in a really intense, hostile environment,
preparing them for the horrible event of capture.
It's all mind games,
and if you're not very good at playing mind games,
it can unravel quite quickly.
Interrogation will be led by one man, the umpire...
...who cannot be identified for security reasons.
Yes, sir.
Ask for the umpire.
Over the next 12 hours,
Team Alpha and Team Bravo will be interrogated
on a fictional cover story.
But first, they must be individually processed.
Are you OK? Yeah. You sure? Yeah.
You look freezing. Yeah.
What's your name? Justine.
SHE SIGHS Do you need anything? No, thank you.
How old are you? I'm 18.
Wow. just an adult, then.
That's a nice necklace. Thank you very much.
Yeah, it was a gift from a friend. Nice.
Thank you. Close friend?
Uh, not really.
Oh.
ANT:
OK.
We were part of the group, but we decided to stay...spend
a few extra days in Skye. Right, ol<. ol<.
UMPIRE:
You're really mature for an 18-year-old, you know.
Thank you very much. Really mature.
The processing stage is aimed at stripping back everything.
Trousers, come on. Hurry up.
I don't have any underwear on.
When you take someone's possessions away
and then you take their clothes away,
it can really be a vulnerable environment.
Can I take these off and turn around?
No, not a chance. I do not want to see your arse.
They're wet, sir.
Well, that's your fault for not wearing fucking pants.
Keep your trousers on.
That's a nice tattoo. Who's that?
Oh, that's...that's my son.
You can see how they're going to be from the outset, really.
Hi. Shall I take those for you? I can hold them if you like.
No, no. I'll look after them. I'll do anything you want.
What do you think? That would be great. Yeah?
That would be good. I like people who laugh.
Thank you. And smile at me.
Do you think I'm being serious?
I thought so for a second. I am not your fucking friend.
What I need you to do is take your clothes off.
Have you got underpants on? I have.
Cos I don't want to be seeing that little todger flying around...
I don't either. ..any time soon.
Yeah, he is.
What's all your other tats about, then?
Don't mean much. Like, apart from my two boys,
but the rest of them are just, like, kind of...
Yeah, no, I'm listening.
It's just that I'm struggling.
I mean, you are boring, but I am listening.
Honestly, I expected a bit more from a lad
with your biceps and your tats.
DJ, stop smiling, stop smirking.
Seriously, don't fucking do it.
You're not fucking taking this seriously, are you?
Fucking listen to me.
I will do the fucking smirking and smiling.
Do you understand that? Yes, madam.
Guard!
DRILL WHIRS
In between interrogations,
the recruits are held in stress positions
and subjected to distressing sounds.
SCREECHING
SHE PANTS
BABY CRIES
With processing complete,
the first recruit in for questioning
is number ten, Kieran.
Take your hood off.
Nice and quick. Quick, quick, quick, quick.
Your head, pull it. HE GROANS
Who have we got here? Give those to me.
Kieran. I'm a bit confused, ma'am.
Oh, you're a lot confused. A lot confused.
So, I want to know who you were with, what you were doing.
I'm a volunteer, ma'am. For...?
Sea Eagles. Keep your hands still.
Sea Eagle.
A re-establishment programme.
24 hours ago, the recruits were given a fictional cover story
to learn in the event of capture.
The cover story you need to know inside out.
You need to know the key points and you need to be able to deliver it
when you're absolutely fucked.
The cover story is what keeps you
and everyone else alive.
And so it's about drip-feeding it
and prolonging your importance to the interrogators.
What's the big purpose of all this? What's it about?
Cos we want to preserve all the habitats.
Of these... Sea eagles.
Keep your hands still.
I've got a stutter and that helps me.
Yeah, well, I don't want you to move your hands.
UMPIRE:
Yeah, did I... Have I asked you once already not to touch your face?
Keep looking at me.
Keep looking at me, even though I'm now not be very nice to you, Kieran.
But I'm trying my best.
Having a stutter at school,
we had, like, a lot of kids who were, like, real little shits.
Dad said, "You can't let them see that it's going to affect you,
"cos that's when they can take the piss out of you."
All the people that you're with,
how many people were there? I only saw, like, a few of them.
Like, three or four of them. How many boys?
I don't know, ma'am. I'd have to think.
All I'm asking... I'm asking you really simple things here, Kieran.
It was a couple. Don't fucking talk over me!
OK, ma'am.
Don't fucking talk over me, all right? Yes, ma'am.
Cos there's ways you can give attitude and you're fucking giving it.
I don't think there's any misunderstanding whatsoever.
All right? I think Kieran's playing a game.
You're playing a fucking game with me. I'm not, ma'am.
You are, Kieran. I don't like it. I've had enough of it.
I'm fucking bored with it.
Put those back on.
The final seven recruits are three hours into
the resistance to interrogation phase of the course.
Ah.
SQUEALING NOISES
Next to be tested on their cover story
is recruit number four - Sean.
What's your name? Sean. Stand.
Sean, sir. Sean.
I've looked through your kit.
You've got a sleeping bad. Normal, isn't it?
Notebook, but nothing to write with.
Was there no pen? Should have been.
Well, I should have fucking hair,
but it's not on my fucking head, is it?
Put your hands down by your fucking side.
I just recall having a pen. Don't question me
and don't speak over the fucking top of me.
Oh. What's up?
You riling your face up at me there?
No, sir. I'm just a bit confused.
You fucking will be confused.
Who is the company you work for?
It's the...Sea Eagle...
...Establishment...
He's fucked.
That's weird, right?
I asked you the name of the company you fucking volunteer for
and you can't remember that?
Does that seem a bit strange?
Or you really struggle to remember it?
Don't give me the confused look.
Innocent little prick.
SQUEALING NOISES
The recruits haven't slept in over 24 hours,
they've had barely any food
and only small amounts of water.
SHE SOBS
Is that number three crying?
SHE SOBS
Interrogation is designed to expose all of your demons.
HE GROANS
It can be a very dark and isolated place to be in
and if you've got unresolved issues,
they will come and haunt you.
Yeah.
Sorry, I can't do it any more.
I think I'm a very, sort of, determined person.
You don't absolutely amazing.
You are 18 years old and I cannot believe how far you've come.
I can't see myself doing anything other than having a military career.
You have been absolutely amazing.
You've been an absolute pleasure to have on my course.
Thank you so much.
It's discipline, it's training,
it's leadership and it's all in one.
On top of that, you become part of a big family, basically.
That just sounds like a perfect job to me.
Number three, Justine, is the 15th recruit to leave the course.
Now just six recruits remain.
SQUEALING NOISES
During the next stage, the recruits will be interrogated
in the teams in which they were captured.
Yeah.
Who have we got here? Who's this?
She's a fucking div.
Recruit number 18, Tyler, was in Team Alpha
alongside number 10, Kieran.
Who's missing?
Do you know whyjustine's missing?
MOCKINGLY: N0, sir.
Cos she actually told us stuff we wanted to know.
Justine was my friend.
So we let her go, didn't we? We did. We letjustine go.
How many of you, in total, is there?
When they say, "l don't know," it means you did know, doesn't it?
Get fucked.
In there, you do know.
Is this thing real that you're telling us? ls it real?
Sea-bird now? So it's not the Sea Eagle any more?
Stop... Don't play the dumb bitch with me, don't do that.
Sit down, in the water.
In the fucking water. She's telling me she...
Sit fucking down!
You're making this fucking shit up as you go along.
Look at your fucking friend.
You told me that you bitches did the map-reading, is that right?
So were you not doing the map-reading?
Who was doing the map-reading, him?
You don't fucking listen, do you?
What were you and these two girls doing?
Cos you weren't out looking for fucking eagles' nests.
Kieran, think. ..listen to your shit.
You need to start thinking.
Sit down!
Sit down. Splash it on yourself.
You need to think about what you're telling us
cos this is bullshit, isn't it?
No more fucking excuses.
Fucking wake up!
DOGS BARK
Fucking get fucking talking! Talk.
Stop it!
HE GROANS
SQUEALING NOISES
Another recruit has asked to speak to the umpire.
Number nine, who am I?
The umpire. You've asked to see me, mate. Yeah.
I wish to...wish to withdraw.
Are you sure? Yeah.
All right, mate. I've had my time. You've had your time? Yes.
Number four, who am I?
Umpire.
You've asked to see me, sir?
Yeah, I'm ready, I'm ready.
You're ready? For what?
I've reached my limit.
Now just four recruits remain.
So far, none have broken the cover story.
John, can you get 19 in?
And really nail him down on the detail.
I want him put in a place where, cognitively,
he has nowhere to run.
Next is number 19 - Adam.
To be honest, I have, sir.
Er...l dealt drugs, sir.
Yes.
This is your biggest drug dealer in Cardiff.
Everyone knows him. Went down for five years.
He wants to prove to his kids and to his wife
that he has made a drastic change,
but he doesn't give a fuck about anyone else.
He's not a team player, do you know what I mean?
A group of volunteers.
I was seeing a, a farmer.
We got a car and a ferry.
We had, we had a driver.
I don't know our driver's name.
Yeah.
I don't know, sir.
In the...
He's just got the look there of a man that's lost track
of everything he's said. He's fucked
and he can't sustain it. He can't sustain it.
OK, I'll give you the truth, sir.
I'm part of the British military.
No!
He was doing well. He could have strung that cover story out,
but he clearly made a decision
to break the cover story really quickly.
He's playing this really bad.
Thank you
The code of honour is that you do not break your cover story
until the last given safe moment,
which is normally when you're life's about to be taken.
It's about enduring the hardship of it
and just taking it, taking it on the chin.
Remembering you are part of a team.
Yeah.
Prison life is exactly how you imagine.
It's... It was rough.
You know, you've got hardly any privacy.
Most of your human rights are actually taken away from you.
You really need a strong network of friends that you can trust...
...to be able to get through it.
It's been over 26 hours since the recruits last had a meal.
Let's just chat now, mate, OK? OK. just me and you, just chatting.
20 minutes ago, recruit number 19, Adam
was the first to break the cover story.
And have something warm to eat.
Bet you like chicken, don't you? Yeah, I love chicken. Good stuff.
There you go, mate.
Get that down you, mate, OK? We'll sit here and just have a chat.
What they got there? Chicken and chips?
So 19's gonna get his fat face fed
for being a good boy and telling the truth. Yeah.
You know? We're not bad guys.
Number 16, Connor, and number 19, Adam,
are the only team members left of Alpha.
Why's he getting treated like that?
He's told you what you want to hear?
INTERROGATOR GASPS What I want to hear?
Which is?
No idea. You don't know what I want to hear?
There you are, mate.
Think, think, think.
Ooh, you don't like that, do you?
You don't know this, do you? You've gone all tense on me.
CONNOR:
Think, think, think.
What did you say to us?
ADAM:
Stand up. There you are. The truth.
You know... You fucking know the truth!
Truth or more lies.
What's going on? What's not right is your story.
I'll tell you what's right. ls you're full of fucking shit.
And we need to wash that off, don't we? Move.
Con... This is yours. ..Con, Connor.
You've done that. You!
I know you're having a nice meal,
help fucking numbnuts out here, cos he's as thick as fucking mince.
What do you want him to do now?
Say the truth.
Why'd you want him to tell the truth?
Cos I don't want him to suffer anymore.
Fucking mate here doesn't want you to go through this.
Who are you working for?
We don't blame you.
But what we are fucked off about is that it's come down to this.
And you've just missed a chicken dinner.
I thought, I think that was really good.
And it's about self-preservation at this stage.
So far, number 10, Keiran and number 18, Tyler,
have resisted breaking the cover story.
What did we talk about, Keiran?
We're going to say some more stuff.
We also want to tell you about, um, the farmer.
Is this the best you've got?
She comes out with some farmer who didn't exist before this.
He's talking.
Open your mouth and speak to me!
...is through the...National Lottery.
You're making this crock shit up! What is this shit...
I've got some information for you, sir!
We're working with the military.
The mission is to stop the theft of oil from the UK.
I'm sorry, sir.
I mean, that's what you call taking duress right to the edge, isn't it?
At the point where she was clearly going to be physically hurt,
she timed it and she gave it.
Overall, I think, quite a good bunch.
I thought that was impressive.
After being captured in Bosnia,
I think they had it for 12 hours or probably more, I don't know.
We were then driven back to where we were taken from.
At the time, I didn't know what to think.
I was like, "What is happening next?"
Well done, you four.
You've passed this phase.
Look to your left and to your right. Look who's standing.
So, when I say go,
disappear into the accommodation.
Get a good night's sleep.
Cos there's a final phase to come.
Go!
Enjoy tonight! Because tomorrow, it starts again!
And the next thing, you know, we were just released.
We just walked off without even looking back, thinking,
"What the fuck has just happened?"
GASPING Oh my God, what the fuck?
It makes you grateful for the simplest of things.
TYLER:
CONNOR: So there's another day?
The two jailbirds are through.
I had two chicken dinners, bruv. And chips.
With interrogation now over,
the recruits will spend one night on base
before they face the final task.
I guess from my perspective, from what I've seen in general,
number 19.
He was that close to being cold,
but he's just done enough to stay in.
He's fucking strong, that kid. Yeah.
Number 16.
He hasn't put a foot wrong on this course.
The only thing he lacks is teamwork.
A bit of a lone wolf. Yeah.
These, do you know what? He is a bit of a lone wolf, isn't he? Mm.
Number 10. Lacks discipline and structure.
But he's shocked me from day one.
Someone that wants to learn
and wants to use this experience to better their lives.
That's your man right there.
Number 18.
Do you know what?
She's been sort of like a grey woman,
but she's starting to take charge. She starts come into herself.
She's come out of the shadows. She's stood up to everything.
You know, she deserves to be here.
Listen...final stage of the course.
We've got them this far.
Let's see who's here at the end. Who wants it.
The last two days have been literally hell.
I wonder what there's going to be tomorrow.
You just never know with these guys.
KIERAN FARTS Oh, pardon me.
There isn't a door on my one?
This is my door. Oh.
I wondered why my mine wasn't locking.
Glad this is going to be my last shit on these toilets.
It's the last day of the course.
And of the 21 who began,
four recruits remain.
RECRUITS: Yes, staff.
The recruits are travelling to the highest point on the island...
...Dun Caan...
...where they will face a final sickener.
Today, the DS must decide if any of the remaining recruits...
...have what it takes to pass selection.
I'm gonna ask you to move from here
to another series of RVs
taking kit and equipment for the front line.
Do not be fucking last.
PANTING
Pitted against each other,
the recruits must battle three kilometres of ruggy terrain...
...carrying cumbersome weighted equipment...
...which they must deliver to four separate RV points...
...up to the peak of the mountain.
Come on. Let's get up there.
The last recruit to arrive at the halfway point will be culled.
Come on! Show me some resilience.
Dig in!
Keep it going. Let's go!
SHE EXHALES
Push, push, push.
That's it. Gently down. Don't slam it.
At the front, number 16, Connor, reaches the first RV. Here we go.
Make some distance. Make some distance.
Get away. Yes, staff.
It's all yours if you want it. Let's go. Good lad.
HE GRUNTS
Next is number ten, Kieran.
Slowly, slowly. Put your kit in.
That's in. Chuck your kit in.
Followed closely by number 19, Adam.
Good effort, 19.
Come on, then!
All the way up there. Let's go.
As number 16, Connor, reaches the halfway point...
...number 18, Tyler, is struggling at the back.
Something happened to me while I was in prison.
Hurry up, 18.
I had a chance to kind of step up and be a woman.
Huffy UP!
One of my main strengths is I don't give up.
My eldest son actually calls me Superman.
Yes, staff. Yes, staff.
Number ten, Kieran, is second to reach halfway.
You've got fucking 30 seconds to get up there now.
Let's go.
Place the equipment down for me.
Take your bergen off.
SHE PANTS
18, look at me.
I'm going to pull you from this fucking phase of the course.
You're not making the time.
OK? Good effort.
Be fucking proud of yourself. Thanks, staff.
Take a seat on your bergen. Give me your armband.
Just relax.
Yes, staff. Get some water down you.
Enjoy the view.
SHE EXHALES
In last place, number 18, Tyler, has been removed from the course.
SHE SIGHS
Selection pushes people to their limits
because in war, you're under heavy fire.
People are getting injured, but no matter what you're doing,
you've got to do it as quickly as you possibly can.
Because if you don't, then people start dying.
At a gradient of 40 degrees...
Yes, staff.
The remaining recruits must now race
up the steepest part of the mountain.
The one in last place will be culled from the course.
In the lead is number 16, Connor.
I never really had the confidence or self-belief
to really push myself into something so extreme.
HE MOANS
Whereas over the last few years,
I feel as if anything that's set in front of me,
I can give it a good go
and kind of overcome things.
Behind him is number ten, Kieran...
...closely followed by number 19, Adam.
I never really had a plan.
But now I have got a son, I'm a lot more, like, focused.
Obviously, it has been an extra bit of responsibility
but I'm in such a better place now.
I feel so much happier.
I've got a stutter. I've just got to fucking own it.
I'm a dad now, innit? You know, fuck it.
PANTING
GRUNTING
Let's go, let's go. Fucking good effort, 19.
HE GRUNTS
Up here, up here.
First to reach the final RV...
HE GROANS
...is number 16, Connor.
Good effort.
Where is he?
Yes, staff.
See where number ten is, you've got to fucking beat him.
GRUNTING
The finish line is here. Let's go.
Ten metres.
Let's go, let's go. Let's go.
Once you get to me, you can put them down.
HE GROANS
Yes, staff.
Yeah.
He walked in as a little boy.
He's grown to a man. He's given it all.
I saw him at the back of the pack at the beginning, genuinely didn't think he had a chance.
A fucking wild card for me.
He deserves to do a fucking Irish dance
on top of this mountain, that's for sure.
LAUGHTER People will be proud of him.
Yeah, yeah. Happy. Right. OK.
Thank you very much. HE SOBS
You're crying like a dancer. Stop it. Thank you very much.
THEY CHUCKLE Good effort.
You have no idea how much it means to me.
Thank you.
It's been a privilege to be on it and learn from the best.
The people that pass selection
are the people with fire in their belly.
Thank you very much. It's been good having you, mate. Good effort.
Insecurities and doubt, they're seen as weakness,
but they're not.
It's about using them as fuel to push you on
and strive to be the best.
I need to stop doubting myself.
Go to...
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