Axed SAS: Who Dares Wins frontman Ant Middleton labels Channel 4 ‘w*****s’ in furious rant
PART of being in the Special Forces is keeping your head in high-stress situations.
Unfortunately for Ant Middleton, he has lost his in a fresh rant about his axing by Channel 4.
The former Special Boat Service sniper last March got the boot from his job as Chief Instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins, over concerns about his personal conduct.
But Ant does not seem to have learnt any lessons.
In an expletives-laden chat on his Mind Over Muscle speaking tour, he said: “I’m going to address the elephant in the room which is Channel 4.
“W****rs! No, no, no, they’re not w****rs. They’re c***s. “I’m never working for that channel again, am I? F*** it.”
Ant reckons bosses cared too much about box-ticking.
He went on: “Now, my job as Chief Instructor was to run the narrative on the ground, on the course.
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“The production company run the narrative behind the scenes, run the show, mix the two together — and voila, you get SAS Who Dares Wins.
“Now, when that process starts to get diluted you’re gonna lose the authenticity of the show.
“When political correctness or box-ticking exercises filter into an authentic process, it’s gonna take away the authenticity, it takes away the realness.
“For something we’ve been through, that we sacrificed through, that’s something we’re gonna butt heads about every single time.”
Ant left the show under a cloud after female crew members complained about “inappropriate comments” he had made.
But he raged: “I do not care what you do have, or don’t have, swinging between your legs. I don’t care what gender you are, I do not care the colour of your skin.
“What I care about is: Can you do the job, yes or no?
“That’s what I care about.
“And when they wanna push so and so to the forefront, or so and so to the forefront, then we have a problem and that’s when I start butting heads, and that’s what happened with Channel 4.”
Ant is now Chief Instructor on SAS Australia, which is broadcast on the country’s Seven Network, and reckons his telly bosses there give him the freedom he craves.
He has been replaced on Channel 4 by former US Marine Rudy Reyes.
Who I assume won’t want to get on the wrong side of his predecessor.
And Just Like That
SEX And The City bosses haven’t killed off Kim Cattrall’s character Samantha Jones.
The makers of new sequel And Just Like That . . . say the plot will tell how Sam fled to London after main character Carrie Bradshaw fired her as her publicist.
They clearly hope Kim rejoins for series two.
Alison's just mad for Gaga
ALISON Hammond is known for her zany interviews with A-list celebs on This Morning – so it’s probably no surprise that her chat with the equally madcap Lady Gaga was somewhat off the wall.
The ITV presenter asked her: “When I do my own film, I was wondering, would you play me?”
Gaga replied: “I mean, if you wanted me to. I would do all my own research, yes I would.”
Brummie Alison then returned the favour and dressed in her best Gaga-inspired attire to go out and meet the actress and singer’s fans on the street.
In scenes to be shown on today’s This Morning, the pair became fast friends.
Alison told Gaga: “I want to show you round London now.”
And Gaga responded: “I love a pub with some fish and chips and mashed peas.”
Move over, Dermot, Alison is the host with the most.
Bowen's snowbiz ambition
LAURENCE Llewelyn-Bowen is swapping interior decor for ice and snow to appear in a Channel 4 festive show.
He is the first celebrity to sign up for The Greatest Snowman, in which stars are challenged to build wintery creations in an Alpine resort.
The contest will climax with a “flake off” to build the best snowman.
And the Changing Rooms designer already has lofty plans, with a source revealing: “Laurence is planning a Russian Cossack-style snowman. Of course, it’s elaborate.
“These personal flourishes are what will make the show so funny.”
Telly presenter Cherry Healey and Bake Off: The Professionals’ Liam Charles are also jetting off to the Alps, with more celebrities set to join up soon.
Sue Perkins will present the seasonal show.
My source added: “With Sue in charge, we are expecting lots of cheeky puns about snowballs and snow globes.”
It’s snowtime!
A fine art
PUTTING up Christmas decorations is a fine art.
Just ask Channel 4.
Its new show Deck The Halls will showcase luxury decorators at the Natural History Museum and other big venues.
Expect tight deadlines, fairy lights and hiccups in Santa’s grotto.
Station chiefs have yet to confirm a broadcast date.
Dan Ott or not?
IT’S takes bravery to call Danny Dyer slippery or wet.
But his EastEnders castmates have done just that with an unlikely nickname.
Danny revealed the team at the BBC soap call him “Otter”.
He said: “That’s my nickname in EastEnders. How weird is that? They think I look like an otter. I tell you why.
“There’s a beer mat we’ve got in the Vic. We’re not allowed any branded stuff because it’s BBC and on one of these beer mats there’s this otter that looks a ringer for me when I’ve got my whiskers.
“At first, I was like, ‘Am I being fat-shamed?’ They get quite lumpy, otters. Because of my chins and stuff.”
Shobna has digs at union
CORRIE actress Shobna Gulati has called for performers to receive more money to book their digs when in a touring production.
She says the £265 allowance recommended by actors’ union Equity is not enough – and well-known stars are charged more.
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Shobna, who played Sunita Alahan in the ITV soap, said: “Landlords take advantage of that myth that we are better off than we actually are, so prices are extreme.”
Britain’s Got Talent’s George Sampson – on tour with musical Everyone Loves Jamie – told The Stage: “It’s hard work to stay in budget, and the only real way to do that is to stay in someone’s bedroom in their house.”
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