Back in the desert again. Two minutes.
Two minutes! Let's do this, brothers.
Collaboration with our brothers in arms,
the Americans, has gone on for years,
doing operations all over the globe.
We've laid down our lives for the greater good.
And in every conflict that we've been in
the brotherhood comes first.
That's how deep the SF blood runs.
Tighten it up! Suffer in silence!
In this series, an elite team of ex special forces soldiers...
Keep pushing!
Let's go!
..from the UK and USA...
Go!
have combined their skills to create the toughest course yet...
Watch the right!
Let's go!
..bringing together the most gruelling elements
of Special Forces selection...
Come on!
..from both sides of the Atlantic.
America's bringing something to the table.
This is a combination of the best fighting forces in the world.
Yes! I'm going to Vegas, baby.
Joining the DS as chief instructor is ex-recon marine Rudy Reyes...
Incoming! Get out! Get out!
..with 15 years' experience fighting in multiple war zones.
I pride myself in being hard to kill.
Taliban, Al-Qaeda, Mujahideen...
Bunch of amateurs!
..many have tried to kill me, but I took them down.
Get off your knees. Hurry up!
Also joining the DS is ex US Navy SEAL Remi Adeleke...
Go, go, go!
..with over 13-years serving his country.
I want the recruits to learn through pain.
This was your warm-up.
Now we're gonna get to the real game.
And believe me, they're gonna learn a lesson through pain.
Let's go, mountain goats!
Each recruit must go beyond the physical...
Hit the tyre!
Oh, my head.
..to come face-to-face with their true character.
You buffoon!
You better not stop again, or I'm dropping your ass.
No other test asks as much.
Keep working. Keep working. Do not give up.
..or means as much...
Be proud of yourself. Own it. Good man.
Proud of you.
..to the few who make it through.
Good job, both of you, excellent.
Thank you, Staff.
Welcome to the slaughterhouse, little lambs.
Bloody Nora!
I need to wee. I'm gonna wee myself.
This is nothing compared
to what we're going to get, aren't we, seriously.
In one of the hottest deserts of the Middle East,
with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees,
20 recruits are about to embark on
a condensed version of SAS selection.
Aah.
Rollercoaster of emotions.
Sure is. How you feeling?
Yeah, I'm feeling nervous.
I'm excited, but nervous.
The American process is different to ours.
It's very aggressive.
It's physically and verbally hard in terms of what they do
to the recruits.
It's brutal, especially for these recruits -
it's gonna be intimidating.
Oh, shit. Something's going on.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Wow, I feel a bit, like, shaky.
Yeah, I've got such sweaty palms.
I've got a feeling something's gonna go down.
We're gonna get chased by wild dogs, or something.
Imagine that, "Run!"
Run!
When people first meet me,
they just have this persona of me being a bitch.
What was your name?
James. That was it, I forgot.
Kate? Claire.
And I'm not, I promise. I'm definitely not a bitch.
You're not human if you don't feel uneasy right now.
That butterfly feeling. That's it.
You're ready to go, then, when you're like that. Yeah.
The physical side, I'm going be much better with.
I think I can push myself to limits
and I don't give up easy, that's the truth.
It's warm, innit, guys? Ooh.
I know, who'd have thought, in the middle of a desert? Aah.
You don't know what's coming mate, so prepare.
Guys, guys, look.
Oh, God, here we go.
Oh, mate, this is scary shit now.
You fucking people, down on the ground now!
Let's go!
These 20 ordinary men and women will spend the next 11 days...
Up. Get down!
..under the control of some of
the most skilled elite fighters from across the globe.
Up!
Foxy, run 'em to camp.
ENGINE STARTS
Follow on. Let's go. Follow on, do not fucking lag back.
Stay right up his arse in front of you.
Close that gap already!
Come on. Keep going!
On your belly, on your bellies!
On your bellies! Start crawling! Start crawling, on your bellies!
In searing temperatures,
the recruits will be beasted before they've even reached their base.
Get your backsides down.
People definitely underestimate me.
Get your arse down, you fucking fuckwit!
Blond hair, blue eyes, tattoos, goes to the gym.
Start running!
I do get wrongly judged, definitely,
but I'm wanting to prove them wrong so badly.
On your bellies.
Heads down, arses down, crawl!
The people pleaser in me really hopes that the DS will like me.
Get your fucking arse down!
But I also know that my one leading trait
of being funny will not stand in my favour on the course.
Burpees, broad jumps towards me.
Don't fucking walk! Yeah, you! I'm talking to you!
The desert is probably the most dangerous environment on the planet.
All the way down on the burpee.
The whole place is just fucking horrendous.
Everyone up, start running.
The biggest killer is obviously the heat.
It's blisteringly hot. It can send you delirious.
I've seen people with heat exhaustion.
They can't string a sentence together,
their body starts to shut down.
It is a very dangerous thing to happen.
Ultimately, water is the most important thing in the desert,
it keeps you alive.
Close that gap up now!
It's not a fucking retreat from Stalingrad. Let's go!
For the duration of the course
the recruits will live in this makeshift compound...
Keep it going. Let's go. All the way up.
..which replicates a forward operating base
in the middle of the remote Wadi Rum desert.
Around the square to the back end.
Where the gap is, come in and stand behind a stones.
Don't step over it, like, don't step over it.
Pin your fucking ears back and look this way.
Over your left shoulder is Syria.
Over your right shoulder is Iraq.
We have over three decades of war, fighting,
training in this environment.
You move again and I'll rip your arm off
and I'm going to hit you with the soggy end.
This is a new course.
This is a new team.
This is a combination of the best fighting forces in the world.
They call us the brains.
We call them the brawn.
You think we're brutal? These people are fucking savage.
You volunteered, remember that.
Understand me? RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
Listen to what the chief instructors are gonna fucking tell you.
And listen carefully.
My name is Rudy Reyes.
I'm a Recon Marine Scout sniper with 15 years' experience.
To my right, Remi Adeleke,
combat medic for the United States Marine Corps
and US Navy SEAL.
13 years serving his country.
From now on you will address the DS as Staff, are we understood?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
Are we understood?! RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
From now on, I demand two things -
speed and intensity with everything you do!
And you'd better move with a purpose.
Are we understood?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
Because I came from a broken home,
I grew up in the Omaha Home for Boys,
Bruce Lee, John Rambo, The Wolverine,
they were my father figures
and I aspired to be just like them.
Through wrestling, Chinese martial art, and kick-boxing,
it ultimately led me to the military,
and the military was the family that I had always been looking for.
The UK and the USA have a very special relationship.
We have been fighting together for 104 years.
A bond of brotherhood, paid for in blood.
We are warrior brothers.
You're going to need some raw material
to successfully navigate this course.
Mental, physical and emotional strength.
There's nothing in civilian life that is
going to prepare you for what you're going to face!
FLY BUZZES
One of the DS already tell you guys not to fucking move?
Are the flies bothering you?
Why the fuck are you guys moving?
You guys need some bug repellent?
RECRUITS: No, Staff.
No, I think you do. Come here. Everybody run, dip tank.
Get over there! Not over the fucking sand bags!
What the fuck is wrong with you?
Everybody get wet.
After you get wet, I want you to bear crawl to me.
Get in that water now!
I learned how to fight in the streets of the Bronx,
selling drugs, or running high-level, white-collar crimes.
Get down!
If we could boil it down to one word, I was a hustler.
All right, you're gonna do what's called a sugar-fucking-cookie.
Hurry up. Find a spot over here
and get completely sandy from head-to-toe, sugar cookie.
I was stripped of everything at a very young age
and had to rely on that primal instinct to be able to survive.
Get your hair sandy. This ain't no damn beauty pageant.
That's one thing that I learnt painfully growing up in
the Bronx, but then applied in SEAL training.
And you know what, I was watching you earlier.
You had your head up the entire time when the instruction was to keep
your head down, so get your fucking face in the dirt.
Now hold it there. Suck that shit in.
Face down, let's go!
Line back up. You got your bug repellent.
Let's go. Why are we moving slow?
Is anybody gonna move again?
RECRUITS: No, Staff.
Yours, Chief.
Lock your body, lock your body.
Lock your fucking body, cue ball!
Deep in the heart of Jordan,
these 20 men and women are just
minutes into their desert warfare training.
We're looking for a switched-on soldier.
We're looking for smart weapons.
If you think muscle alone is what's gonna get you over,
you're in for a rude awakening.
This is not a CrossFit class.
This is not a kick boxing gym.
Are we understood?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
That's more like it.
If any of you choose
to voluntarily withdraw from this course,
you will take off your armband, you will approach the DS,
and you will hand in your number.
That is it.
Pack your purse and get the fuck out.
The selection model that we use in the US was created
and perfected by our British brothers.
We've got or own bag of tricks.
We got our Cajun voodoo,
so you'd better fucking stand by.
Billy, they're yours.
When I call out your name, you will sprint,
you will stand right there
and you will address across there.
You'll get your number
and pick up that bergen, understood?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
David, stand there.
Look at me.
Thank you, Staff. Thank you, Staff. Go get your armband.
From now on, the recruits will no longer be known by name,
just by number.
Thank you, Staff. The method that we use to bring the recruits together,
we strip them away of as much individuality as possible.
Turnbull. Wait behind, Turnbull.
We're waiting for dozy bollocks, Brennan.
Speed of a broken slug.
You cannot be an individual first.
You must be a cog in the machine.
Zimmer.
Cue ball, if you spit on my parade deck again,
I will slaughter your fucking body.
Let's go, cue ball.
You've highlighted yourself already, haven't you? Cue ball head.
Absolute fucktard. Come here.
Pick up the number and go and get your bergen.
OK, when I say strip, take everything off.
Drop your dirty kit behind you.
Have your boot in front of you
and stand your bergen up in front of you.
Strip.
The recruits will not be allowed any personal possessions.
Speed and intensity, let's go.
They will have two sets of uniform,
essential medication and a bergen...
The only thing in front of you should be your boots.
Stand your bergen up.
..containing functional kit needed to survive on desert operations.
In the special forces, you need an over-arching indoctrination
in culture to bring everyone onto the same sheet of music.
Take out your hat and place it on your head.
Now, so we don't burn.
Top green, place it on.
That is why uniformity is so important.
That's why uniforms look the same. Kit looks the same.
Place your bergens on your back.
We either make you
or break you.
This is your dormitory, this is your safe zone.
You have a pillow, you have a bed, you have plenty of water.
The moment you open your eyes, you down a bottle of water.
The moment you walk back in here, you down a bottle of water.
Water bottle full of water at all times.
One of the deadliest threats in desert operations is dehydration.
Your responsibility. Do you understand that?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
The recruits have been instructed to keep their water bottles full
at all times.
Take your bergens off. Get acquainted.
Mate, straight away,
I'm getting this sand out my crotch.
I don't think I'll need a bloody sleeping bag.
But it gets cold in the night, remember?
That's gonna be a ball ache putting that back every morning.
We don't need it. Why can't we just leave it here?
Yeah, but, like, on the... If you were SAS,
they'd have to take it with them, wouldn't they? Yeah.
They're not gonna be nice to us.
No, definitely not.
Recruits, get on the square.
Oh, God.
Has everyone got their water filled up?
Let's go, let's go.
Just breathe. Pick up the fucking pace.
All right, does everyone have their helmet and their bergen?
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
We're going to go ahead and get a column of twos
and we're going to run you to the gates.
Go ahead, make that happen.
Stick to your lines. Stick to your lines.
Keep coming. Single file. Close it up.
Get tight.
When doing operations in mountainous environments,
whether it's in forests or deserts,
helicopters can't always get in and neither can vehicles.
You must rely on yourself and this is old world soldiering.
Don't slide. Let's go.
Swift, silent, deadly.
That is why we use the ropes.
I want ears open, eyeballs clicked, let's go, let's go.
And the speed of the airframe
and the height of the drop gives you such fortitude
and confidence because it is absolutely difficult and dangerous.
Let's go.
Hurry up.
All right, everybody, bergens off.
Sit on your bergens.
In the special forces community,
we consider the mission, the enemy,
terrain, time and battle space.
If you look at the terrain around here
and you had to get up to that high point,
and you started at that high point
and you go down and up, down and up,
it would take you three days,
but in special forces we have other methods.
Ready!
Oh, my God.
Recreating a mountain pass manoeuvre,
the recruits must balance on a piece of rope,
side-stepping across a 300 ft ravine,
165 ft above the ground.
Now, listen up.
As Foxy continues the mission,
the glory and the mystique of being special forces,
the muscles, the kit, the gear, the shit hot missions,
that's just the surface.
Underneath it is grit and endurance.
No matter what,
when you get on this apparatus you will not stop.
I don't care how tired you are.
You must grind and grind and grind.
Endurance.
You must never give up.
It's the corner stone of being an operator.
We never quit.
Start at that tent. Number one, get them over there now. Go.
The DS will take you to the starting point,
you'll move up and around. Good to go.
Pay attention,
have confidence in your abilities.
Let's go.
To get to the start of the task,
the recruits must climb up 165 ft...
Fuck. ..of jagged rock.
Let's go. Let's go.
Make sure all your shit is secured, right?
Come on, then, 11.
Right, minimum fuss, maximum movement.
Your feet are going to go on here,
you're going to be facing that direction.
Attempting the ravine crossing is number 11, JJ.
JJ: I don't like to be told what to do.
In my area I was known as a bad boy,
I was a bit of a hooligan,
and someone who had no fear of no-one.
And be like a crab, let's crab it. There we go.
I was always getting into fights,
always getting into trouble,
and I used to get angry and lash out,
and, yeah, I could be a bit of an aggressive boy when I was a kid.
Spread your feet apart,
if they are together you haven't got much balance.
There you go.
Get your head back a little bit, that's it.
If you've got enough energy to moan
and whine like a little bitch then you can keep moving.
Get your head in the middle of your shoulders,
it's coming out your chest.
Listen, get your head up and back a bit.
There you go, look forward, there you go.
Keep going, keep your head up straight.
It'll be midnight before you get across.
Let's go.
After two minutes,
number 11 JJ has only managed to move 40ft along the rope.
You're too busy looking down, it's pulling your body forward.
Keep moving.
The purpose of the ravine crossing is to throw
the recruits in at the deep end.
A long obstacle crossing,
at height, in the blistering heat,
it requires these recruits
to concentrate on exactly what their body is doing,
the hands, the feet, to do exactly what they need to do
to get over that obstacle.
Together, apart.
Say it inside your head.
Together, apart.
It's exposing.
It's scary.
Get your head up.
Fucking donkey.
You fucking gave up. Fail.
That was catastrophic, wasn't it? You're a big unit.
You should be pissing this shit.
Yes, Staff. Start switching on. Come on.
Fucking hell.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself. Yeah, yes, Staff.
Man the fuck up and get it done. Yes, Staff. Yes, Staff.
Who's next? How old are you?
I'm 24, Staff.
Who ties your laces? Your mother?
What do you think you're going to a rave or something?
So, you're halfway across,
your fucking laces get wrapped in there, what happens?
I fall, Staff. What you do is hold everybody else up.
Yes, Staff. Tie your laces, you fucking muppet.
Next is number ten, Reece.
REECE: I do think I've got thick skin.
Am I seriously talking to adults about tying your laces?
I didn't used to,
but I just taught myself on how to not to let criticism
and stuff bother me.
I'm going to give you a chance to redeem yourself-ish.
You better be the fastest one across here.
You're not impressing me yet, you better move it.
Open your legs, straighten your legs and move.
Thunderbirds puppet with a fucking string cut,
that's what you look like. Move it.
You better redeem yourself. You better figure it out.
Come on, Reece. Come on.
Oh, shitting hell.
You buffoon.
Like watching Mr Blobby do the samba across there.
There was no body strength.
Let's go!
Get on the fucking rope.
Come on!
Argh. Stop moaning and keep moving.
I've been in some situations where I've moved covertly
through very, very hostile environments.
Slide your hands across.
It's too high...fuck. Fail.
Moving to a target area, you are presented with obstacles.
Fuck's sake. Fail.
And the ravine is one obstacle that you might encounter.
Come on. Let's go.
And you have to know how to negotiate them.
Keep moving! I can't.
Fuck. Fail.
Aw. And the fact that your brain is telling you it's scary,
it's about pushing that to one side and getting on with the job.
Oh, fucking hell. Fuck.
Miserable fail.
So far, the nine recruits who have attempted to cross the ravine
have failed.
I'm annoyed I didn't go across that.
BOTH SIGH HEAVILY
You're getting used to this word, aren't you - fail.
As soon as you say to yourself it's hard, I'm going to fail,
you're going to fail, aren't you? So, don't say.
Show these people how it's done, all right?
Next up is number 17, Pahrnia.
Keep your arse slightly back,
especially when your knees are going forward.
My dad's Greek and my mum's Iranian.
At school I was bullied because I was the brown kid.
We're almost halfway through
and not one fucking person has got across it.
All right, break this mould.
But thanks to being excluded for my ethnicity,
I decided to get really good at sport.
Speed is good but fucking accuracy is better.
Well done.
So, it kind of became my identity
to be that ethnic chick who's just really good at sport.
Keep going. Keep going. Well done.
You people pay attention, what's happening here.
That's good timing, that's good momentum.
Well done, 17. Now, the pressure's on.
Even when you're wobbling, keep moving.
PAHRNIA PANTS
That's good.
This is where the pressure is on your arms now.
Dig deep and work through it.
SHE PANTS
MUMBLES: I am strong, I am strong
Show these people how it's done, 17. Keep going.
I am strong.
Say to yourself, I've come too far to stop.
Let's go!
Good job. Almost there. Finish strong. Don't come this far to quit.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Come on, then, keep going. Keep the rhythm going.
Well done. Fucking ballsy. Well done.
UNDER HER BREATH: I am strong. I am brave. I am strong. I am brave.
She's got it. She's got it.
Look at that.
Nailed it. Last effort, 17. All the way.
All the way in.
Good effort, 17. Well done.
Fuck off. Oi! She's not a fucking sea lion.
It's a fucking tactical manoeuvre, not a fucking circus act.
Number 17 Pahrnia is the first recruit
to successfully cross the ravine
in four minutes and 30 seconds.
This is, like, you know, the four-minute mark.
It was impossible, and it took one person to do it
and then, literally, everyone started doing it.
Number three, down here now.
Fucking sea lion. Get over there.
You better smash this now.
Next to attempt the ravine crossing is number three, Claire.
I'm ready, if they're going to lay into me,
I'm waiting for it because
I'm this hard unbreakable character.
I'm expecting them to go really hard in at me.
No fucking screaming. No shouting. No fucking clapping.
Do you understand? Yes, Staff.
Right, step on. One hand either side of that.
But you need to know, hang on a minute, OK, rein it in, like,
you need to know when's right and when's wrong.
Keep it going, relax the arms, that's good.
Keep it going.
Good stuff. Shuffle...shuffle.
Stop showing off, just keep moving. Well done.
Keep it going. Work through that wind.
Keep it going. That's good.
Keep going.
You've got this, number three. You've got it. Let's go.
Somebody just did it, which means you can do it.
Let's go!
You're almost there!
Come on, girl.
Great stuff, number three. Well done. Keep it going.
Dig deep now.
Step off. Now?
EXHALES WITH RELIEF
Good effort!
How was that? Fucking amazing. Don't fucking lie to me.
Fantastic job.
Let's go.
All 20 recruits have now attempted the task.
Hurry the fuck up.
Only six were successful.
Let's go.
14 fails I've got there.
I mean overall, with the task, it was a playoff
because we had over 50% that didn't even get across it.
One of the recruits dropped their canteen cover,
I mean, obviously, a target indicator.
Fucking laces and equipment.
Pin your fucking ears back.
Listen in to what the chief instructor's gonna tell you.
I've got something...integrity.
Someone dropped a canteen cover... out here on the deck.
You got to get across the ravine,
you're doing it in a surreptitious manner
and then, there is a US canteen cup.
Your cover is fucking blown.
Billy said that you had poor combat mind-set.
Didn't have your boots laced up.
Basically you're disrespecting the DS.
Do you know how many of our brothers have died in training?
In fucking training for little shit like that?
So switch it on.
I said physical, mental and emotional strength,
that means if you fail, you drive on.
It's called FIDO - fuck it, drive on.
Are we understood? RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
Louder!
RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
Put on your bergens. Let's get ready to move out.
Let's go! Let's go!
Close it up. Close it up!
Keep it tight. Keep it tight.
Yeah.
Well done for going across as well.
We did good, didn't we? Yeah. We smashed it.
I just...seen the three girls go across.
You was like, "I'm fucking doing it." I'm going to have to do it.
Yeah, but it probably might have helped.
I mean... Exactly. I didn't... I found it...
I didn't find it that hard. Really?
Because what I did, I zoned out and went, "Keep going, keep going,"
but I know I've got a strong upper body anyway, so I was like,
you just got to keep going, and don't lose your footing.
I was more worried about my feet. Of course, yeah. Mm-hm.
It feels weird doing shit like that and not texting home saying,
"Guess what I just did today!"
I bet you can't wait to tell your family. Yeah. Yeah.
It wasn't a good start for us, was it, son?
Fucking wasn't, man. I'll bounce back.
Yes, that's it, mate. It will get to me for a bit, but...
That's why I've been a bit quiet.
Yeah, same here. I'm pissed with that.
The recruits are nearing the end of their first day of selection...
I'm not gonna lie, there's gonna be
so much sand on this floor after we've finished.
..living and training on a forward operating base
in the Wadi Rum Desert.
Oh, my God, you'd really have to suck that,
you'd be out of breath doing that.
I'm drinking so much water I need to piss again, man.
Yeah. I think it's salts we need now.
Like, all I'm doing is water's just passing straight through me.
Banging headache, man.
Oh, so much sand in my...fanny.
I'm fed up with this place.
We got no booze, we got no food, our pets' heads are falling off.
CHUCKLING
All right!
Oh, we haven't got to cross anyone off yet.
Throughout the selection process, chief instructor Rudy and his DS
will assess the performance of the recruits,
earmarking those who are standing out
and those they need to apply extra pressure to.
Well, there's a few of the recruits that were either moving slow
or scuttling themselves for not enough effort.
What have you got?
Yeah, first task was the ravine crossing.
Disappointing, to be honest.
Once the task was under way, we had problems being all over the place,
disorganised.
I mean, the first nine fell by the way side, terrible.
Number ten, he turns up with his boots all undone
and I'm like, what the fuck are you doing?
Yeah, that's not the kind of attitude that we need. Yeah.
All right. 11? A bit of a problem child.
Number 11, you know, definitely not giving 100%.
He's definitely not. I see.
From first instructions, "Keep your head in the dirt,"
you could tell he didn't want his head in the dirt.
Maybe he doesn't like being told what to do.
I think it's the authority thing, but it could be fear,
and I think he's a tough guy.
However, the break in the momentum came with 17.
The first one to get across
and, to be honest, she looked a bit sheepish.
Personally, I didn't think she'd do it. Yes.
But she listened, went for it, dug deep.
And she was talking to herself all the way across, and I was like,
"What are you chatting about?" She was like,
"Just reiterating to myself that I'm strong and I'm brave."
Then came number three.
She started clapping and I ripped into her.
I said, "This ain't a fucking circus." That's right. Yeah.
However, to be fair to her, she did do it,
so, I'm going to give her the benefit of the doubt. Right. Roger.
She has got a bit of an attitude.
I've noticed that throughout the day. OK.
But that might just be, you know, nerves. Sure. All right.
All right, let's bring in number three.
How does that sound, gents? Yeah, cool. Good plan. Good to go.
Number three!
SHE GRUNTS
Oh...
Let's go! Coming.
Let's go.
Coming, sir.
All right, three, come on in.
Thank you, Staff.
Let's just walk to that wall.
Each day, the DS will subject the recruits to tactical questioning.
They will be asked to explain their performance and their motivation.
Sit.
SHUTTER BANGS SHUT
You all right?
Yes, Staff.
Are you getting on with everybody in there? Yes.
Are you building some cohesion amongst yourselves? Yes.
Remind us why you came.
To better myself. To express my emotions
cos I'm never, never an emotional person. I hardly ever cry.
Where do you think that comes from - not being able to be emotional?
I think I put on a bit of a front.
Before I come here, I thought I was
physically and mentally really strong,
but I don't think I was as strong as I thought I was.
Listen, just slow down. Take us through your childhood.
Tell me a little bit about yourself.
Childhood was always great.
Mum and Dad split up, though, when I was very young, I was five.
I was a big daddy's girl.
My mum was really strict with me because I was the oldest girl.
I moved out at 17, got into...partying
and taking too many drugs and alcohol.
But I was so young, I didn't know what was right and wrong.
That was that. I fell pregnant with my daughter at 20,
by a man a lot older than me.
Straight away, he didn't want nothing to do with this situation
but I made that decision that I know that's the case
and that's my choice to have this baby.
So, I was doing two jobs.
I had to go back to work when she was three months old
because I needed the money.
I then started a business on top of my work
just because I needed the extra money, so, I then was never seeing
my daughter over the weekend or in the week, and it's the guilt.
Just slow down, fucking hell. You're fucking 200mph.
Yep.
You guys aren't the first to say that.
LAUGHS
Surprise!?
We're not the first to say it? No.
Who else has said it? Past partners actually.
"You're so energetic." I didn't really under... Guard!
SHUTTER CLANG
FOOTSTEPS
Stand.
Turn around.
I mean, she's nice, she's got a good thing about her.
She's just a scatterbrain, she's just shit banging.
I've had many people say to me,
"Oh, my God, you are so full of energy. Slow down."
How do I slow down when I'm already going slow?
I think you're doing great. Thank you, sir. Stay switched on.
Hands against the wall.
I can't help it sometimes.
I'm just really full of life and full of energy.
Turn around.
My life is just a rollercoaster, so I'm constantly going on the up.
Passing the course is my aim.
I'm ready to fight. I'm ready to get to the end.
If you put your mind to it, anything is possible.
I would be bloody buzzing if I did.
He looked at me and I was like, whoa!
Yeah, I was like that, I was, like, mate...
Just rest as much as we can.
The recruits have been awake for nearly 17 hours
with only two hours' rest and one 400-calorie meal.
I wonder what's in store for us.
"Get out here now!"
That's next.
Every one of you, full kit on the parade deck.
Right now! Let's go.
Hurry up.
Has everybody got their water, yeah? Yeah, fill it up.
Has everybody got water?
We had a few individuals that successfully
completed the task today.
Many of you failed.
We talk about brotherhood,
I've seen you act like individuals.
Gear adrift.
Lack of gear accountability,
target indicators,
and, in general, lack of intensity.
Pain retains.
When you hurt and when you get shamed,
you will never forget it.
It is a lesson learned.
So, we are here to learn some lessons.
First, we are going to go through a little inspection.
Down your bergens in front of you. Do it now.
Everybody take out their canteen. Right now, let's go!
Without water, in the harsh desert, it is impossible
- no matter what level of skill set an operator has -
to get into the fight. Water is number one.
Billy, they're yours.
In the unlikely event somebody has not filled their water bottle,
just hold it up in the air.
An operator can survive three weeks
in any place in the world without food.
Holy shit.
But you take that same hardcore operator,
they will not last three days without water in the desert.
One, two,
three, four,
five, six...seven.
You've just not got the basics, have you?
Take off your covers, that means your hat.
Above your head, above your head, above your head.
All right, turn it over.
Turn it over. Turn it over.
Get your faces wet, dude.
It's not that hard.
This was your warm-up.
Now, we're gonna get to the real game.
During an inspection, seven out of the 20 recruits
have failed to keep their water bottles filled up.
Secure your water bottles.
When I give you the command,
you're going to leave the parade deck,
you're going to get into a crab crawl
and you're going to take it all the way around,
back to the front
and then, stand by for your next exercise.
Do it now. Soldiers, let's go!
Get your arse off the deck. Let's go.
Get your hoof off the deck.
Some of you might be asking yourselves,
"I did everything good.
"I was a good little boy. I was a good little girl."
Doesn't matter. The majority of your team screwed up.
There should be nobody behind you, let's go.
Number 11, you better figure it out. Let's go, 11.
Stand up. Stay there. Jogging on the spot.
Go, go, go, go, go. Let's go, 11.
Number 11, hurry up. Keep moving. Dig deep.
And get to the front or quit.
As a kid, I did used to have a bit of a temper.
Keep moving.
But I controlled it with boxing.
11, take him. Let's go.
Finding boxing changed the way I acted.
Gave me a good drive, good focus.
Yeah, boxing was my thing.
Get your knees up to your chest. Get your knees up to your chest.
But I used to feel like I underachieved because
I didn't used to like the training.
I didn't use to train as hard as I should have.
Everybody down, push up position.
You better give me a hell of an effort, 11.
You've been moving slow all night.
Now.
And didn't used to have the commitment, to be fair.
Up.
11, you better go down, son.
So, I'm just hoping that I can do good in this course
and make a lot of people proud of me in my family.
Down.
Up.
You got a problem, 11?
No, sir.
We're gonna be pushing all night
if 11 doesn't get his head in the game.
Down.
Up.
11, get off your knees or quit. Up.
Recover. Get on your feet.
Run in place.
All right, we've Kicked up some dust,
so, three at a time in the tank,
and cover down on your bergens. Let's go, in the tank.
Start switching on.
Cover down on your bergens, let's go.
Back crawl. Back crawl, you twat.
I think we have 20 individuals.
Where's the fucking brotherhood?
Let's crawl, get on the square.
Get your fucking heads up now.
Get your head in the game, every single one of you.
Remember I told you this morning, you volunteered to come here.
You've not been here 24 fucking hours
and I can already see, "I want to go home" written on your faces.
You are privileged to be here.
Don't waste it
because the minute you walk out, or we throw you out,
you're going to regret it.
Have you got that? RECRUITS: Yes, Staff.
All right, I'm gonna give to the count of three,
who wants to voluntarily withdraw?
One...
two...
three.
Who wants out?
I know someone wants out.
We might pull you anyway, 11.
All right, everybody, out of the parade deck
and back into your barracks.
You're on your own time.
All right, everyone.
Fill back up your water bottles.
Fucking hell, we're not getting more beastings like that.
That's the closest I've ever got to quitting.
Are you out there? I want out.
They wanted...they wanted me to go today.
Oh, my God.
PANICKED LAUGH
Fucking hell.
Oh, my God, that was horrible, mate.
It's 7am
on the second day of this condensed version
of US and UK special forces selection.
All 20 recruits have made it through the first 24 hours.
So, are we...waking up and...
CONFUSED LAUGH
I don't want to do it.
I don't want go to school, Mum! Don't make me do it.
Did you sleep? Did you sleep OK?
I slept for about an hour-and-a-half
and then another hour maybe. Did you?
Yeah, probably just in the last hour, yeah.
I am going to have little snoozey-woozey...
SHE MUMBLES
You know, I was just waiting for a shout, "Get the fuck outta here."
Get on the square!
Oh, my God. Water bottle. Recap.
Day two.
It's going to get harder.
However, you know what we expect, what we demand
so, hopefully, there'll be less hiccups, less infractions.
Work together because when one fails we all pay.
It's with each other that you will succeed.
Teamwork is critical.
This is the brotherhood.
Start filing out around the parade deck and into the vehicles.
Front vehicle, front vehicle, front vehicle, front vehicle.
Enjoy these few moments of serenity, guys.
When first recon battalion arrived in Kuwait,
the intel that we received is that Saddam has
nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.
Keep up! Keep it tight.
And if we are hit with gas, with chemicals,
heaven forbid, nuclear materials,
you must be able to trust your operators with your life
and they must trust you with theirs.
Stay with your buddy!
It's absolutely critical - life or death.
Don't waste my motherfucking time!
Gas chamber training is absolutely essential.
All right, listen up, despite what you may or may not believe,
chemical warfare is real
and, therefore, we as special forces operators
have to be prepared for it.
Those bags have your hazmat gear in it.
Find the right size and put it on.
What you are about to go through is about
keeping it together as a team
when you're in the middle of a shit storm.
And, believe me,
you will face a shit storm in there.
Stand by.
Go.
I think I have an idea that might help -
maybe if you take off your backpacks,
you'll be able to put on your hazmat suits easier.
Come on, use your heads, guys.
Hurry me.
On me, let's go, let's go.
Stay together!
Having been divided into small groups...
Get the fuck in there.
All of you. Into me.
..the recruits must enter the gas chamber through a door...
Stand there.
..which is then locked behind them.
Everybody OK?
Yes, Staff. Take your respirator off.
Remove your respirator.
Take it off!
Do you understand the difficulties of working in this environment?
SPLUTTERING
It's about control.
Work as a team and still finish the job.
What's your first name?
Stacey, Staff. Stacey.
Shyla. Shyla.
Dylan, Staff. COUGHS
Do you not like it here?
Do you wanna leave? Yes, Staff. OK, you can leave.
The recruits must work as a team to find a way out.
Well, try over there. Find a way out.
COUGHING
Work together. Work together!
Coming out. To me.
Over to me. Come as quick as you can.
Kneel down. Kneel down.
Don't touch your face.
Suck it in. Let the body purge it.
It'll naturally get rid of all the shit from your system.
COUGHING
All right, compose yourself. Keep the noise down.
Fucking horrible that, isn't it?
The recruits have been taken 30km into the desert,
where they are facing a task that will test their ability
to work as a team...
..whilst exposed to CS gas.
Let's go! Stay together.
Next into the chamber...
Get that fucking mask.
..is number 19 Tom, and number three Claire.
Because I've brought my daughter up on my own since I was 20,
I've always just dealt with everything by myself.
Get in there right now. Hurry up.
I want you to take your respirator off,
slide it along your arm so it's on your elbow. Do that now.
But I feel like I'm very kind and caring and considerate.
I like to see people do well, so,
I would like to think I'm a bit of a team player.
COUGHING
What is your name?
Claire. Claire. OK.
But who knows?
How old are you?
SPLUTTERS 33.
30...what? Thirty...three.
Who are you? Do you wanna leave?
No, Staff. You don't wanna leave?
Yes, please. Yes, Staff. Well, there you go then. Find a way out.
Oh, shit the door's locked!
Fuck me, is there anywhere else?
Go. Out to me.
Come to me.
Kneel down. Don't spit on me. Kneel down. Kneel down.
Face into the wind. Keep your head up.
Fucking came through that like a torpedo.
Good effort.
Yes, Staff.
Relax into it. Wait there.
Calm, calm, calm, sh. Got it? OK?
All right? Yeah.
Well done. Teamwork, yeah.
HE RETCHES
Get it together!
Hurry up. Now.
Do not embarrass me in front of US Navy SEAL DS Remi.
Get the fuck in there.
SPLUTTERING
Are you a fucking smoker? Stand there. Take a deep breath.
The threat of chemical warfare is always real...
All right. Can you touch the ceiling? Squat.
..especially during my operations when I was in the Middle East.
Remove your respirator.
You can be exposed to chemicals
and not know it because some of the chemicals
the enemy has access to are odourless.
What's your name?
RETCHING AND SPLUTTERING
The first time I was gassed it was not fun.
CHUCKLES
It sucked.
VIOLENT COUGHING
You know, snot, eyes burning, face burning,
just everything on fire.
And we were hit hard and heavy.
OK. All right, find your way out.
Get out, get out!
Come on out to me.
But there was a reason behind the madness.
The purpose of them gassing us was to teach us the importance of
staying calm in the middle of a shit storm.
Get your head up. Get your head up.
MUMBLES INCOHERENTLY
Don't touch your face.
That is just awful.
Suffer in silence!
Sorry.
SHE EXHALES
Don't be last, number ten. Hurry up.
Next to face the CS gas are recruits number ten Reece...
17, Pahrnia,
and number 11, JJ.
All right, my bag.
I've always had to be self-sufficient...
Oh, fuck.
..because as a kid I had to look after myself.
I've always wanted to be in control of whatever I'm doing
and fend for myself,
and I'm still like that till this day.
When I say now, you will take off your respirator,
you will put IT in on your left elbow, put your hand through it,
and just look into me. Do that now.
Take your fucking hood undone.
What's your name? Oi, what's your name? J...
J.
What's your name? Where you going? Reece.
And who are you? Claudia.
Find your way out.
Try this way. How about this way? Hey!
Maybe there. Maybe there. Hey!
Can we leave? Get out.
Get out.
Get out, get out!
Come to me. Face me. Face me. Come in to me.
To me. Come to me. Don't touch your face. Come to me.
Kneel down here. Oi, oi, oi!
Fucking pay attention.
Kneel down.
Keep your eyes open. Keep your eyes open.
Fuck me, I've never experienced anything like that in my life.
It's fucking horrible, isn't it? Yeah.
All right, leave all your dirty kit on the deck.
You're going to cover down, back on your bergens,
make sure you're up on all mission essential equipment,
and then, get in those vehicles. Make it happen now.
Reece, he tries to fling me out of the way,
would have just left me behind, dead.
Oh, my God.
What is it?
I don't even know.
That's definitely camel.
Oh, God, this is terrible, mate.
I haven't shat since we got here.
Oh, I'm sad for you. I've done two.
I'm on at least four a day.
I used to be like that. I miss those days.
I think because I'm actually eating just what my body needs. Yeah.
And there's no spices or anything to really kick-start the flow.
Wow. What a fucking day.
You wanna start, Foxy?
I was at the window receiving them as they bailed out.
Most of them pretty much dive-bombed out of there.
Number three was good.
I noticed that as soon as the window was open,
you could see that she was trying to at least formulate
some sort of escape plan where she was helping people,
and she was actually quite composed as well.
But ten and 11 stuck out massively.
This is where number 11 did show his superpowers.
He ran out the fucking window, mate, and just fucking,
he didn't even try and open it, he flew through it.
CHUCKLING
That window flew open and those two, they elbowed 17 out of the way.
It was every man for himself
and she was left making her own way out, and they were gone.
That's the quickest those two have moved all fucking course so far.
He just went to respirator off, fuck it, it's free-for-all.
Every man for himself. Yeah.
If you could call out someone you think is right on the razor's edge
right now, who would it be? Foxy?
Yeah, I'd say probably 11.
He's not putting the effort in which tells me he's not in the game.
Yeah. Billy, who would it be?
Number 11.
I am of the same mind on 11.
I have a feeling that he's gonna hang out until we throw him off.
Yeah. But, yes, of the day, number 11 stood out.
All right, gents, we'll bring in 11.
Sweet. Nice one.
Number 11!
11.
Go on, bro, you got this.
Get 'em, tiger.
Double time.
Follow me. Yes, Staff.
Hands on the wall. Spread your feet.
Yes, sir.
Down.
All right, duck your head.
And stand up.
Sit.
SHUTTER RATTLES, SLAMS SHUT
How do you think you did today?
Erm..it wasn't the best start today.
What about physically?
Yeah, I didn't expect it to start so strong like that,
so, it was a bit of a shock, but...
You look like a fit guy, though. You look like you work out. Tall, big.
Yeah. You work out? Yeah.
I'm a professional boxer. Amateur professional.
Tell us about your upbringing.
Erm...pfft. My mum left when I was about seven.
My two little brothers were put into foster care.
I was in and out of, like, a children's home, secure units,
and pfft... We just all used to run around doing whatever we wanted.
Like, one brother doing drugs, one brother doing this,
one brother robbing, me fighting.
We were just basically running around in the house by ourselves.
I brought myself up basically from a young age.
Are you close to your brothers? Oh, yeah, yeah, we're really close.
But about six years ago...
..my older brother was murdered.
So...
..it affected me quite a lot.
Tell us a little bit more about that.
He was murdered in prison.
Erm...he got beaten to death in his sleep.
That must be fucking hard.
I just ain't been able to deal with it,
accept it, what happened to him.
We were very close, and I was always there for him.
Even though he was my older brother
I used to call him my bigger but little brother
because I felt like I needed to look after him
all the time, take care of him.
So often, we look at the man who hides his pain,
the man that puts on this tough image... Yeah.
..and we think he's the tough guy.
But the tough guy's the guy who can reveal his pain..
..fight through that pain and get better.
This is the place where you can do that.
Leave the past where it is - in the past.
Yeah, that's what I want to do.
I can see there's a lot of fucking pain behind your face right now.
I had a rough upbringing as well.
I've had something pretty similar to your fucking self.
It's difficult. It's hard. Yeah.
But you cannot live in a world of being angry
because you're going to fuck yourself up.
Yes, sir.
No more cutting corners.
You got it? Yes, Staff.
Guard!
SHUTTERS ROLL, SLAM
Head up, move forward.
Stand up.
Hold.
Duck.
Up.
I feel for the guy. Fucking terrible. Yeah.
I mean, he's gone through hell since the time he was a fucking boy.
Never learned how to process it.
Where I didn't have a good upbringing myself,
it's carried on to the kids that I had,
and I've sort of done the same sort of thing myself
and I regret that, that I haven't been there for them.
Turn around.
Good to go, 11.
I'm tired of being that JJ who always used to turn to fighting,
scrapping, getting into trouble,
and I want to break the cycle of that naughty boy.
I'm 42 now and I don't want to be like that no more.
I don't want my kids to look at me like that.
You all right? Yeah, good.
I want to do something to make my family proud of me,
make my kids proud of me.
I know it's going to be tough, going to be really hard
but I want to be a better person.
Next time...
Get up there! Get up there!
The shock and awe...
Go, go, go.
..that we rain down on the recruits...
Make a fucking decision!
..is so that we can see their character.
Bear crawls!
They absolutely must believe in themselves.
Have confidence in your abilities!
If you cannot do that, you are useless to a special forces team.
Calm down.
You are about to take somebody's fucking life in your hand.
This is not a sport, this is not a game.
Argh! Hands off!
This is life and death.
Break! Go, go, go! Shit.
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