1 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,760 Selection for the SAS is cloaked in secrecy. 2 00:00:14,920 --> 00:00:16,920 'No-one knows what it is we do. 3 00:00:19,080 --> 00:00:21,000 'We're the thinking soldier.' 4 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:33,240 And the truth about what it takes might surprise you. 5 00:00:33,280 --> 00:00:34,920 GUNFIRE 6 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,160 An elite team of ex-special forces soldiers is 7 00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:43,120 putting 30 civilians through the key stages of selection... 8 00:00:43,160 --> 00:00:47,280 'At the end of the day, would I have this guy next to me in a war zone?' 9 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:48,880 HE SHOUTS 10 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:51,640 ..each task taken from the real process. 11 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:53,080 Let's get the dogs out! 12 00:00:53,120 --> 00:00:55,080 DOGS BARK 13 00:00:55,120 --> 00:00:58,200 Physical fitness is no more than a starting point. 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:03,480 The true test is of the mind... 15 00:01:03,520 --> 00:01:05,120 'Sheer inadequacy. 16 00:01:05,160 --> 00:01:08,440 'The only thing that I'm really afraid of is rejection.' 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,320 I don't really believe that there's such a thing as a completely 18 00:01:11,360 --> 00:01:13,920 weak person or a completely strong person. 19 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,040 ..as each recruit is stripped back to their core. 20 00:01:18,880 --> 00:01:20,520 'There might be strong characters.' 21 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:22,560 Fully submerged. Under! 22 00:01:22,600 --> 00:01:25,280 Once we start unchipping their armour, 23 00:01:25,320 --> 00:01:27,320 we'll find out exactly who they are. 24 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:29,960 I feel like a boy in a man's world. 25 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:32,640 No other test asks as much... 26 00:01:32,680 --> 00:01:34,000 Well done! 27 00:01:34,040 --> 00:01:35,400 ..or means as much... 28 00:01:35,440 --> 00:01:37,160 Still alive! 29 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,560 ..to the few who make it through. 30 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:41,440 I know THIS works. 31 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:43,080 Show me that THIS works. 32 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:50,040 HE YELLS 33 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:26,600 What do you do normally? Trader. I work in the City. OK. 34 00:02:26,640 --> 00:02:31,240 How old are you? 19. 19?! Dude! I'm twice as old as you, man! 35 00:02:31,280 --> 00:02:33,360 That's good. 36 00:02:33,400 --> 00:02:37,000 Selection is the most difficult thing I've done in my life. 37 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,720 'It pushed me both to my physical and mental limits.' 38 00:02:40,760 --> 00:02:43,600 You can never be fully prepared for something like that. 39 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:45,320 Ant Middleton was in the Army 40 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,080 and Marines for eight years before passing 41 00:02:48,120 --> 00:02:51,560 selection and becoming a sniper in the Special Boat Service. 42 00:02:52,600 --> 00:02:55,240 On this course, he's the chief instructor. 43 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:00,680 Passing selection brought out a confidence in being able to 44 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:04,480 tackle any task, especially with the operations that we've been on 45 00:03:04,520 --> 00:03:06,400 and the situations that we've been in, 46 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:09,520 so you have this sense of feeling invincible, 47 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:13,000 and I suppose it helps you through what you do. 48 00:03:14,320 --> 00:03:17,280 Ant has assembled a team of directing staff - 49 00:03:17,320 --> 00:03:21,720 soldiers with a combined experience of 27 years in the special forces. 50 00:03:22,920 --> 00:03:27,480 It's their job to decide if any of the recruits has what it takes. 51 00:03:27,520 --> 00:03:31,080 Some of the pressures that selection brings, whether you're cold, 52 00:03:31,120 --> 00:03:37,160 wet, tired, hungry, those bring some natural character to the surface. 53 00:03:37,200 --> 00:03:41,080 The whole point of selection is to actually break down the facade, 54 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:43,400 this facade we all carry around. 55 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,160 'It will show every weakness and it will show every strength.' 56 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,960 You wouldn't want to be on operations with someone who's 57 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:50,960 mentally not strong enough to deal 58 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:53,440 with what's ahead of them, at that moment in time. 59 00:03:53,480 --> 00:03:55,160 For the next eight days, 60 00:03:55,200 --> 00:03:58,640 the 30 recruits will have no contact with the outside world. 61 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:03,880 Their home will be a remote military base in Wales. 62 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,720 Follow the DS now. Turn with me, come on! Let's go! 63 00:04:11,880 --> 00:04:14,960 They will eat, sleep and train together. 64 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:18,520 C'mon, c'mon! 65 00:04:20,400 --> 00:04:22,880 DOOR BANGS SHUT 66 00:04:23,960 --> 00:04:26,760 Take your fucking cap off. Where do you think you are? 67 00:04:26,800 --> 00:04:28,640 Put it on the floor. 68 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:31,960 Take this opportunity. 69 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:35,520 This is the closest thing as a civilian that you're going to get 70 00:04:35,560 --> 00:04:37,400 to the special forces world. 71 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:42,040 Throughout this course, I will be your chief instructor. 72 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,520 This is my team. You will address us as Staff at all times. 73 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:47,720 Is that understood? ALL: Yes, Staff. 74 00:04:47,760 --> 00:04:51,240 We're not your part-time fucking special forces guys. 75 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:54,200 We're not your SF wannabes. We were all fully fledged, 76 00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:57,080 badged members of the special forces community. 77 00:04:57,120 --> 00:04:59,640 So, when I say that we've been there and done it, trust me, 78 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:02,040 we've been there and done it. 79 00:05:02,080 --> 00:05:06,480 If, at any time, during this course, you want to quit - 80 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:08,760 you might not be fit enough, might not have it up here, 81 00:05:08,800 --> 00:05:11,080 you might not have the combination, 82 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,920 and I can guarantee you that'll be most of you - 83 00:05:13,960 --> 00:05:17,560 you simply take your number off. You're gone. 84 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,560 There's no shame in it, guys. There's no shame in it, 85 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,680 cos, trust me, 202 guys started on my course, 86 00:05:23,720 --> 00:05:25,600 14 of us finished it. 87 00:05:28,760 --> 00:05:31,600 I don't know if I've got what it takes to get through it. 88 00:05:31,640 --> 00:05:34,320 If you come down here and you say you definitely did know that you 89 00:05:34,360 --> 00:05:35,840 had what it takes to get through it, 90 00:05:35,880 --> 00:05:38,480 you haven't really thought it through. 91 00:05:38,520 --> 00:05:41,240 Or you're maybe lying to yourself. 92 00:05:41,280 --> 00:05:43,760 'I lived in Lebanon till I was 16.' 93 00:05:43,800 --> 00:05:47,200 I think my experiences, you know, growing up 94 00:05:47,240 --> 00:05:51,640 in a conflict zone will probably give me the edge in some situations. 95 00:05:53,280 --> 00:05:56,040 Ultimately, it's up to us who passes. 96 00:05:56,080 --> 00:05:58,680 It's not about who's first or who's the strongest, 97 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:01,640 it's about who's made of the right stuff. 98 00:06:01,680 --> 00:06:06,920 At the end of the day, would I have this guy next to me in a war zone? 99 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:08,840 You're all going to be allocated numbers 100 00:06:08,880 --> 00:06:11,160 and from now on, you'll be known as that number. 101 00:06:11,200 --> 00:06:13,440 Any questions? ALL: No, Staff. 102 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:18,400 Right, identify your number, identify your bed. 103 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:21,200 The directing staff, or DS, 104 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,920 will assess the 30 recruits over the next 48 hours. 105 00:06:24,960 --> 00:06:28,480 Only 20 will make it to the next stage. 106 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:31,040 Most of the recruits will be expecting their first task to 107 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:34,440 be physical, which is why I want to start with something 108 00:06:34,480 --> 00:06:37,120 different - something they're not expecting. 109 00:06:37,160 --> 00:06:38,480 Guys, listen in. 110 00:06:38,520 --> 00:06:42,240 You've got a blank piece of A4 paper on a clipboard and a pen, 111 00:06:42,280 --> 00:06:47,520 and I want two sides of that A4 paper filled with an essay, 112 00:06:47,560 --> 00:06:50,680 a story of your life, about yourself, whatever you want. 113 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,040 OK? ALL: Yes, Staff. 114 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:57,640 'The essays for the recruits gives us an indication of who they are, 115 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:02,000 'but it also gives us an indication of how much they want to give away.' 116 00:07:02,040 --> 00:07:05,720 So, big letters, guys. I'm triple-spacing the lines! 117 00:07:05,760 --> 00:07:07,960 'Are they keeping their cards close to their chest? 118 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,000 But the course is designed to find out exactly who these people are. 119 00:07:11,040 --> 00:07:12,440 RECRUIT GROANS 120 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,280 Are we wearing the stuff now, yeah? 121 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,720 Yeah, it's white checks now, everyone out front looking pretty. 122 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:20,440 Essays done, the recruits are instructed to fill 123 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:25,720 their rucksacks, known as Bergens, with exactly 30 pounds of weight. 124 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:28,240 Once you've had your Bergens weighed, guys, 125 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:30,560 and the DS are happy, put your kit on. 126 00:07:30,600 --> 00:07:34,240 Yeah, you're fucking seeing yourself off, but, yeah. What is it? 127 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:36,600 Doesn't matter what it is. You're seeing yourself off. 128 00:07:36,640 --> 00:07:40,440 To get here, each recruit has passed a physical fitness examination. 129 00:07:40,480 --> 00:07:44,760 But the DS have their own, known as the Combat Fitness Test. 130 00:07:44,800 --> 00:07:47,280 Right, OK, you're all good for weight. 131 00:07:47,320 --> 00:07:49,560 However, some of you are nearly 40 pounds. 132 00:07:49,600 --> 00:07:51,800 So you're just going to see yourselves off. 133 00:07:51,840 --> 00:07:54,640 I'm not going to get you to take kit out, because that was the detail. 134 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:56,360 Right, face this way. 135 00:07:58,000 --> 00:07:59,560 Let's go. 136 00:08:04,400 --> 00:08:06,160 Come on, close it up! 137 00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:08,480 The recruits don't know the DS expect them 138 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:12,280 to complete the eight-mile course in under 90 minutes. 139 00:08:12,320 --> 00:08:13,880 Smash it up! 140 00:08:16,640 --> 00:08:18,240 "Hello, my name is Jon Callaway. 141 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:20,800 "28 years of age, born and bred in Berkshire." 142 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:24,640 Back at base, Foxy and Colin work through the essays. 143 00:08:24,680 --> 00:08:28,560 "I started gym training around 16, 17, moved on to jujitsu, 144 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:34,920 "wrestling, kick boxing, but my main goals is now in the film industry." 145 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:39,280 All right, Jon? Yeah, man! Fuck, yeah. 146 00:08:39,320 --> 00:08:44,600 'SAS are elite. I class myself as, like, civilian elite.' 147 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,320 I'm not the same as everyone else. Something that's tough for me 148 00:08:47,360 --> 00:08:49,520 is something that's impossible for somebody else. 149 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:52,120 "And I'm currently working on my stunt registration. 150 00:08:52,160 --> 00:08:54,960 "I'm working on making some awesome scenes." 151 00:08:55,000 --> 00:08:58,080 Right, fuck me. I'll put "Film-star stuntman"! 152 00:08:58,120 --> 00:09:02,200 Yeah, fucking Hollywood wannabe. He's coming in. He's coming in, man! 153 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:06,280 I don't mean to say it arrogantly, 154 00:09:06,320 --> 00:09:09,080 but I should squash every single person on it. 155 00:09:09,120 --> 00:09:12,360 I should be doing better than everybody else. 156 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,440 Big eagles stick out in these essays, 157 00:09:14,480 --> 00:09:16,360 people that talk about their achievements, 158 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:17,960 about how they're the number one. 159 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:21,000 Those, kind of, big alpha males, they're not good team players. 160 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,560 They're the ones that tend to fail quite early in selection. 161 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,200 Single file! Watch your footing! 162 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:30,600 Come on. 163 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:34,360 After 40 minutes of running, a huge gap opens up between the front 164 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:36,080 and the back. 165 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,960 No need to come first. Not till the final round. 166 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:43,320 Go all out on the last challenge. Fuckin' die on it. 167 00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:44,760 How are you feeling? 168 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,320 OK, Staff. All right, with me. With me! 169 00:09:47,360 --> 00:09:50,960 Ollie is sweeping up any stragglers. 170 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,520 Take your pack off for two minutes. Yes, Staff. 171 00:09:53,560 --> 00:09:58,400 God! This sucks! 36 pounds! Have you got 36 pounds in there? Yes, Staff. 172 00:09:58,440 --> 00:10:00,440 You were told 30 pounds. 173 00:10:00,480 --> 00:10:03,040 If you're given a detail, you should be sticking to it. 174 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:07,160 Yes, Staff. Start thinking why you're here. Get your pack on. 175 00:10:07,200 --> 00:10:12,520 "Life story, Matt Cust. I went to primary school from an early age. 176 00:10:12,560 --> 00:10:14,400 "Was bumped up one year." 177 00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:17,960 He thinks he's clever. "I had a few friends and a happy childhood." 178 00:10:18,000 --> 00:10:20,680 'I am very proud of the fact that I'm a research scientist.' 179 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:23,920 I mean, I've got more book smarts than street smarts or common 180 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:25,480 sense, as you say. 181 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:29,480 "I still hold the school record for most trips to McDonald's in one day. 182 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,760 "The end." He's actually written "The end". 183 00:10:31,800 --> 00:10:36,200 At the front is 33-year-old builder Dan Reynolds. 184 00:10:36,240 --> 00:10:39,880 "I race triathlon for a hobby. I've been a stay-at-home dad. 185 00:10:39,920 --> 00:10:41,920 "It's been the best year of my life." 186 00:10:41,960 --> 00:10:43,720 I did quit the Army when I was 17. 187 00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:47,560 It eats me up. I quit. I don't like that I quit. 188 00:10:47,600 --> 00:10:50,640 'I want to do this to make it right. I want to finish.' 189 00:10:50,680 --> 00:10:52,840 Number 7? "Hi, my name's Philip Hoban. 190 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:56,400 "I'm 38 years old and my story is how I met my wife. 191 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:59,760 "When I first seen Nikita, I thought, 'Wow, she looks fine. 192 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:01,520 "'I'd love to stick it...'" HE LAUGHS 193 00:11:01,560 --> 00:11:03,200 "'I'd love to stick it in her'"! 194 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:04,920 See, romance isn't dead. 195 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:10,760 Recruit number 7, Phil Hoban, 196 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:14,880 is on the course with his 19-year-old son Callam. 197 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:21,640 Summat I've always wanted to do from being a child. 198 00:11:21,680 --> 00:11:25,120 And it's just a way of punishing him...legally. 199 00:11:26,920 --> 00:11:30,640 "Then, went into high school and by that time the PS3 had come out. 200 00:11:30,680 --> 00:11:34,120 "One downside to staying in all the time was I lost all my confidence. 201 00:11:34,160 --> 00:11:36,240 "I didn't really like speaking to anybody new, 202 00:11:36,280 --> 00:11:39,200 "because I was scared how people would talk to me or look at me." 203 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:42,200 Quite excited, cos it's really the first thing we've done together, 204 00:11:42,240 --> 00:11:43,880 to be honest. 205 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,560 'We will have to stick together and help each other.' 206 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:49,880 I don't want to go first, and I don't want to see him go. 207 00:11:49,920 --> 00:11:53,520 Hopefully, it'll, er, bring us closer to together 208 00:11:53,560 --> 00:11:57,080 and he'll respect me a lot more after this. 209 00:11:59,960 --> 00:12:02,120 HE GROANS 210 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:08,320 Fuckin' hell! 211 00:12:10,160 --> 00:12:12,600 Not going to crack eight miles at that pace, is he? 212 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,720 But he's not running properly now, is he? No. 213 00:12:14,760 --> 00:12:17,440 Might not be used to the weight, either. 214 00:12:17,480 --> 00:12:20,000 Medics Chantelle and Steve are travelling behind the group 215 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,000 in the safety car. 216 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:24,200 HE BREATHES HEAVILY 217 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:25,800 Just can't do it. 218 00:12:25,840 --> 00:12:27,520 Fuckin' hell! 219 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:30,400 His head's gone. Get your head up. Get your head up. 220 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:35,240 Oh, he's fucking stopped. 221 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:39,040 Right, I'm going to talk to him, cos he's stopped. Yeah. 222 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:44,960 Come on. 223 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,000 I can't really do it. 224 00:12:51,040 --> 00:12:53,760 Take your kit off. Put your bag in the back of the van. 225 00:12:53,800 --> 00:12:55,320 Get in the seat. 226 00:12:58,320 --> 00:13:02,440 For his own safety, Callam is pulled off the run. 227 00:13:02,480 --> 00:13:05,200 It will be up to Ant and the DS to decide 228 00:13:05,240 --> 00:13:07,560 whether he can stay on the course. 229 00:13:07,600 --> 00:13:09,600 Keep drinking your water. 230 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:15,240 I'm not making excuses, that was hard. 231 00:13:17,680 --> 00:13:19,520 Yeah, definitely. 232 00:13:25,240 --> 00:13:29,920 Number 26, Michael Patrick Dwyer. "I'm 35 years old. 233 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:31,840 "Mum and Dad bought a pub when I was seven. 234 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:34,160 "By eight and a half, I'd pretty much seen it all. 235 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:35,880 "My twenties were a blur. 236 00:13:35,920 --> 00:13:38,360 "Plenty of parties and, with it, booze and drugs. 237 00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,120 "I was also a heavy gambler." Seems like a... 238 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,040 Normal sort of bloke. 239 00:13:44,240 --> 00:13:47,560 'My family are really proud that I've turned it around like this.' 240 00:13:47,600 --> 00:13:50,240 I can go and I can drop ten miles, no worries. 241 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:54,520 You know, I can get up, I can be a good dad, I can be a good husband. 242 00:13:54,560 --> 00:13:59,000 Then I just started getting a bit of pride back by pushing myself. 243 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,560 If I manage to get through the eight days, 244 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:09,360 then I think I'll have an inner peace. 245 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,800 Well, I hope. 246 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:15,880 You all right? It's a lot harder than you thought, innit? 247 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:20,800 Joining Callam off the run is recruit number 1, naval cadet Laurence. 248 00:14:22,000 --> 00:14:25,680 If that's the first bit, I dread to think what t'rest of it's like. 249 00:14:28,080 --> 00:14:30,240 That is one hour 28. 250 00:14:30,280 --> 00:14:32,400 Only half of the recruits have covered the eight 251 00:14:32,440 --> 00:14:35,120 miles in the hour-and-a-half time limit. 252 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:39,360 Can't we carry on? No, you can't carry on. 253 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:42,000 The rest are ordered to stop... 254 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:45,480 I can fucking do it again, if you want. No, just... 255 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:49,120 ..including number 7, Phil... 256 00:14:49,160 --> 00:14:51,240 and number 21, Matt. 257 00:14:51,280 --> 00:14:54,160 Fall in here. Two files. 258 00:14:54,200 --> 00:14:58,080 A decision about their future will be made when the DS meet tomorrow. 259 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:03,840 This is a basic combat fitness test 260 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:05,960 and you fuckers are taking the piss. 261 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,640 You think this is a fucking game, don't you? ALL: No, Staff. 262 00:15:10,680 --> 00:15:13,240 Yes, you fucking do. If you don't want to be here, 263 00:15:13,280 --> 00:15:15,760 give me your fucking numbers and fuck off. 264 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:21,200 When I was on selection, every task, 265 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:26,200 every test march that was in front of me I took on with a full heart. 266 00:15:26,240 --> 00:15:28,640 'If you don't go in with the right frame of mind, 267 00:15:28,680 --> 00:15:30,720 'then you're going to suffer.' 268 00:15:31,800 --> 00:15:34,080 Don't worry, just fall in. 269 00:15:34,120 --> 00:15:36,480 After being taken off the combat fitness test, 270 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,840 19-year-old Laurence is hyperventilating. 271 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:41,480 HE BREATHES HEAVILY 272 00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:46,440 Don't give up, don't wrap. Feet out in front of you. Knees up. 273 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:48,320 Extend your head and neck. 274 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:51,720 Right, now, listen to me. Slow your breathing down. 275 00:15:53,160 --> 00:15:56,200 The team struggle to get his breathing under control. 276 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,200 Emergency medics are called. 277 00:16:01,560 --> 00:16:04,280 Lift your head up, mate. That's it. 278 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:08,000 'Selection is designed to push people to their absolute limit. 279 00:16:09,200 --> 00:16:11,360 'And that is always a risk.' 280 00:16:11,400 --> 00:16:13,600 Deep breaths. That's it. 281 00:16:13,640 --> 00:16:15,960 'You just never know how far people can go. 282 00:16:17,760 --> 00:16:20,400 'You don't know where their breaking point is.' 283 00:16:30,960 --> 00:16:34,520 After struggling to breathe following the combat fitness test, 284 00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:39,160 recruit number one, Lawrence, is taken to hospital as a precaution. 285 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:43,120 He'll play no further part in the course. 286 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,960 29 recruits are now left. 287 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:50,360 Well, you didn't really come in last. I come in last. 288 00:16:50,400 --> 00:16:54,160 Phil is with his son, 19-year-old Callum, 289 00:16:54,200 --> 00:16:57,960 who was also pulled off the fitness test by the medical team. 290 00:16:58,000 --> 00:17:01,600 So, what did they say to you? Who? Anyone. 291 00:17:01,640 --> 00:17:05,600 'With Callum's mam, we were only young, weren't we? So we split up.' 292 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:06,920 That were a big mistake, 293 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:09,480 because I lost out on a lot of time with Callum. 294 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:13,360 Just do it, keep going, do it and just... 295 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,600 Yeah, cos I was at the back. 296 00:17:15,640 --> 00:17:19,320 You try to catch up and it puts pressure on you to catch up, yeah. 297 00:17:19,360 --> 00:17:22,000 'It affected Callum not to have me in his life.' 298 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:26,280 This is why, to do this, it will give us that bond, 299 00:17:26,320 --> 00:17:28,640 that trust, where he can trust me again. 300 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:31,600 Callum, get your water, pal. Is everyone taking water? Yeah. 301 00:17:31,640 --> 00:17:33,920 Take your water with you. If, at the end of the day, 302 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,040 you're out there, you'll wanna drink, don't you? 303 00:17:36,080 --> 00:17:37,920 Number six. 304 00:17:44,040 --> 00:17:45,520 Sit yourself down. 305 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,280 Ahem. 306 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:55,320 Right. As the chief instructor and after today's performance... 307 00:17:55,360 --> 00:17:57,600 I can't let you carry on with the course. 308 00:18:00,280 --> 00:18:02,440 So, if you'd like to pass me your number. 309 00:18:05,560 --> 00:18:10,160 Erm...you're a young lad, so don't take it too harshly. 310 00:18:10,200 --> 00:18:11,480 You've got age on your side. 311 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:15,000 It's gone. 312 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,000 Here, you might as well have that. 313 00:18:21,040 --> 00:18:23,440 I'm off. Are you fuck. I swear to God. 314 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:26,560 Where do you think my number is? You've just handed it in? 315 00:18:26,600 --> 00:18:30,160 No, they asked for it. It was that run this morning, pretty much. 316 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,440 He's having a fucking laugh, man. 317 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:38,480 Callum, are you being serious, with me? 318 00:18:38,520 --> 00:18:39,920 Well, I'm not joking, am I? 319 00:18:43,240 --> 00:18:46,160 When I went to Afghanistan, I didn't have photos up on my walls 320 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:48,480 of my wife or children, I didn't make phone calls 321 00:18:48,520 --> 00:18:51,160 that often back home to my loved ones, 322 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,600 I very much cut myself off from the outside world. 323 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:55,760 Callum. 324 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,120 I'll see you later. 325 00:18:59,160 --> 00:19:01,640 I just concentrated on the missions ahead. 326 00:19:01,680 --> 00:19:04,680 All right, mate. Good luck, anyway. Do us proud. 327 00:19:16,760 --> 00:19:18,600 He's out there already. Oh, is he? Yeah. 328 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:20,720 Where have I got to go? Where is it? 329 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:22,880 The remaining 28 recruits are told 330 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,480 they must man an observation post, or OP. 331 00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,680 To test their attention to detail, 332 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:31,480 they will have to log any movement on the base, 24 hours a day. 333 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:34,120 Has one of you not eaten? Yes. Yes. 334 00:19:34,160 --> 00:19:38,080 Each recruit will take an hour-long shift through the night. 335 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:40,240 You reckon you'll stick it out? 336 00:19:40,280 --> 00:19:42,520 Oh, there's no way I'll quit, 337 00:19:42,560 --> 00:19:45,040 but I think it's to a point where they decide, 338 00:19:45,080 --> 00:19:46,480 ain't up to you any more. 339 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:49,880 Some people weren't physically up to it, were they? 340 00:19:53,120 --> 00:19:57,040 Whose dad's here, so I don't know how that's going to help his dad. 341 00:20:00,520 --> 00:20:03,320 VIDEO: 'Yo, now, turn on the radio. 342 00:20:03,360 --> 00:20:05,360 'Beatbox radio.' HE LAUGHS 343 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,680 The DS prepare for the next stage of selection by taking a deeper 344 00:20:10,720 --> 00:20:13,160 look at the recruits' backgrounds. 345 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:17,800 First on the list is 24-year-old insurance broker Dwayne McDaid. 346 00:20:19,400 --> 00:20:20,880 What the fuck is that? 347 00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:22,520 It's beatbox, mate. 348 00:20:22,560 --> 00:20:24,760 VIDEO: 'Check this out.' 349 00:20:24,800 --> 00:20:26,040 BEATBOXING 350 00:20:26,080 --> 00:20:27,760 THEY LAUGH 351 00:20:27,800 --> 00:20:31,480 One of the things that we look into is open sourced information, 352 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,240 anything that's on the internet. 353 00:20:33,280 --> 00:20:36,600 You can dig and dig and dig and find out who that true individual is. 354 00:20:38,480 --> 00:20:43,480 At any point, recruits can be called in for TQ, tactical questioning. 355 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:44,880 14. 356 00:20:47,680 --> 00:20:52,240 They have no idea where or why they are being taken. 357 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:08,320 Kneel down facing the shutter. Hands behind your back. 358 00:21:36,880 --> 00:21:40,240 Would you say you perform well under pressure? 359 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,600 What's wrong with you? What's wrong? What's wrong with your eyes? 360 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:46,760 Why are you fidgeting? What's wrong? You seem agitated. 361 00:21:46,800 --> 00:21:51,320 'We put them under certain pressures to see how they cope.' 362 00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:54,360 Tell us a funny story. Tell us a joke. 363 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,000 'What's their body language like? 364 00:21:57,040 --> 00:21:58,520 'How do they fill silences?' 365 00:22:05,240 --> 00:22:07,440 Relax. 366 00:22:07,480 --> 00:22:11,360 Talk to me about your experience so far in this course. 367 00:22:11,400 --> 00:22:15,880 It's absolutely incredible, yeah. That's more than I can say for you. 368 00:22:15,920 --> 00:22:17,480 How incredible do you think you are? 369 00:22:17,520 --> 00:22:19,360 I'm not that incredible, just a normal man. 370 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:21,240 You've broken already, haven't you? 371 00:22:23,680 --> 00:22:26,040 Self-doubt will be going on - what's the correct answer? 372 00:22:26,080 --> 00:22:28,720 What should I be saying? What should I not be saying? 373 00:22:28,760 --> 00:22:33,160 Grew up in Adelaide, Adelaide is a small town... 374 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,600 so I'm used to big audiences like this. 375 00:22:37,800 --> 00:22:41,880 Is that the joke? Yes, Staff. 376 00:22:41,920 --> 00:22:43,280 Beatbox for me. 377 00:22:44,480 --> 00:22:48,440 HE BEATBOXES Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes 378 00:22:56,400 --> 00:22:58,440 What the fuck is all that about? 379 00:22:59,600 --> 00:23:02,480 Being able to show initiative, be a leader - 380 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:06,880 how far down the list do you think fucking beatboxing is? 381 00:23:08,240 --> 00:23:10,560 I don't think there's anything wrong with it. 382 00:23:10,600 --> 00:23:12,440 Guard! 383 00:23:18,520 --> 00:23:20,960 You might also occasionally get to see the sacky people. 384 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,240 Sacky people? 385 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:24,800 They're marching people up and down with sacks on their heads 386 00:23:24,840 --> 00:23:26,600 and I'm not entirely sure why. 387 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,640 Go on, off you go. Don't talk about fuck all. 388 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,880 So it's one of us. OK. Yeah. 389 00:23:33,920 --> 00:23:36,520 The staff holds your hands and guides you. 390 00:23:37,720 --> 00:23:40,120 Ooh! I know, romantic, right? 391 00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,280 Let's talk about addictions. 392 00:23:49,200 --> 00:23:51,880 I think everyone's got some sort of skeleton in their closet 393 00:23:51,920 --> 00:23:54,360 that they don't really... Not too keen on talking about. 394 00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:02,040 It doesn't really float around with me any more. 395 00:24:02,080 --> 00:24:03,880 What do you mean by any more? 396 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:07,200 Well, I knocked the booze on the head about... 397 00:24:07,240 --> 00:24:09,240 two-and-a-half years ago now. 398 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,000 Have you got an addictive personality? 399 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:12,720 Would you say that you're easily led? 400 00:24:12,760 --> 00:24:15,520 I've an addictive personality but I'm not easily led. 401 00:24:15,560 --> 00:24:17,560 We look back at people's history, 402 00:24:17,600 --> 00:24:19,960 stuff they've done, criminal records. 403 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,480 It's not about judging them, 404 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:25,120 it's not about judging what they've done in the past. 405 00:24:25,160 --> 00:24:27,040 It's about how they react to it. 406 00:24:27,080 --> 00:24:29,160 If they're lying about that, for example, 407 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:30,520 what else could they lie about? 408 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,080 Do you recognise this room? 409 00:24:40,120 --> 00:24:41,880 What does it remind you of? 410 00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:50,400 Like the police are watching or something. 411 00:24:50,440 --> 00:24:52,680 Why have you just mentioned the police, Phil? 412 00:24:54,480 --> 00:24:57,120 Just reminds me of an ID parade or something. 413 00:24:57,160 --> 00:25:00,480 Anything personal? No. No? 414 00:25:00,520 --> 00:25:04,120 Be very careful how you answer these questions. I can't remember. 415 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,400 I don't think so. You can't remember? No, I don't think so. 416 00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:13,440 You've never been in trouble with the police? 417 00:25:13,480 --> 00:25:15,800 I have been in trouble with the police, yeah. 418 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:17,840 OK. Do you want to talk about that? 419 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:20,600 How long do you want to talk about it for? 420 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:22,440 Mate, I've got all fucking night, 421 00:25:22,480 --> 00:25:25,200 so you can fucking tell me all night if you want to. 422 00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:28,920 I've been done for stealing a cash machine. 423 00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:31,080 Stealing a cash machine? Yeah. 424 00:25:31,120 --> 00:25:33,640 Oh, right. So you go round with the chains and pull it out 425 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:35,560 the fucking wall and shit like that, do you? 426 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:37,280 Yeah, it was something like that. OK. 427 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:41,640 Tell me more about this cash machine. 428 00:25:41,680 --> 00:25:45,720 My dad had just died, I wanted money to be able to get a nice gravestone 429 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:49,400 and I couldn't get it on my wage. Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. 430 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:55,400 Your dad had just died. Yeah. Is that a sensitive subject? Yeah. 431 00:25:55,440 --> 00:25:58,840 It is, isn't it? Because I can see that you're getting a bit twitchy. 432 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:03,520 Hm. I understand where you're coming from... 433 00:26:03,560 --> 00:26:07,280 because, believe it or not, in the SAF world, 434 00:26:07,320 --> 00:26:12,560 half of us grew up without our dads, because half of us are degenerates, 435 00:26:12,600 --> 00:26:15,400 half of us come from broken families. 436 00:26:15,440 --> 00:26:18,000 I've been through a lot but... 437 00:26:18,040 --> 00:26:21,800 My mate dying in my arms. You know, he got stabbed. 438 00:26:21,840 --> 00:26:25,560 That must be difficult. Yeah, it were. That were my best pal. 439 00:26:25,600 --> 00:26:29,120 Do you dwell on that? Do you have, like, flashbacks or anything? 440 00:26:29,160 --> 00:26:30,720 I won't say... 441 00:26:30,760 --> 00:26:33,520 Well, I've moved on, but it's still there when I think about it, 442 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:35,960 it still hurts just as much, do you know what I mean? It's... 443 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:39,320 They say time is a great healer, it's healed but every night, 444 00:26:39,360 --> 00:26:42,400 I say a prayer to him every night before I go to sleep. 445 00:26:42,440 --> 00:26:44,000 OK. Guard! 446 00:26:51,680 --> 00:26:56,600 What is refreshing about selection is, actually, regardless of what 447 00:26:56,640 --> 00:27:01,000 went before, whether good or bad, it's now that counts and the future. 448 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:03,960 Move on, you know, the past is your past. 449 00:27:08,520 --> 00:27:11,560 The recruits have been awake for 17 hours. 450 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:22,360 Right, everyone, up! Get all your PT kit on 451 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:25,320 and make sure you've got your head torches with you now, as well. 452 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:27,760 I knew it! 453 00:27:31,200 --> 00:27:33,440 Fucking freezing, man. 454 00:27:35,480 --> 00:27:39,080 Recruits are given no information about what's coming next. 455 00:27:39,120 --> 00:27:42,680 They don't know when they will eat, or sleep or what the next task 456 00:27:42,720 --> 00:27:43,960 will demand of them. 457 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:45,920 Press up position. Let's go! 458 00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:50,680 It's important that the recruits don't really know what's going on, 459 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,640 because it gives us a good indication 460 00:27:52,680 --> 00:27:54,440 on how they deal with the unknown. 461 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:58,960 Are you in fucking slow motion?! WORK! 462 00:27:59,000 --> 00:28:02,040 In the battlefield, it happens all the time. 463 00:28:02,080 --> 00:28:04,600 We get off the helicopters, we run towards our target, 464 00:28:04,640 --> 00:28:08,200 it will be different to how we've structured it. 465 00:28:08,240 --> 00:28:11,200 The building might be different, there might be doors missing 466 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:14,600 and you do start to shit yourself, but then everything slows down, 467 00:28:14,640 --> 00:28:17,880 you start to think about your training and it starts to kick in. 468 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,160 Work the knees! Work! Work! Work! 469 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:25,080 It just becomes an everyday part of your life to live on the edge, 470 00:28:25,120 --> 00:28:27,400 kicking doors down every night, you know, 471 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:30,840 being in fire fights every night, you get used to it very quickly. 472 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:39,000 By the end of tomorrow, the directing staff will have to decide 473 00:28:39,040 --> 00:28:41,960 which recruits can stay and which will be sent home. 474 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,320 Fucking block out the pain and get moving! 475 00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:00,080 Right, in an emergency... 476 00:29:00,120 --> 00:29:02,000 you press this, and what I mean by emergency 477 00:29:02,040 --> 00:29:05,040 is if you're lost on the hill, you can't see no-one, you're totally 478 00:29:05,080 --> 00:29:08,600 disorientated, you're stuck up there...OK, you press that. 479 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,400 After just four hours' sleep, 480 00:29:10,440 --> 00:29:13,800 the 28 remaining recruits face one of the toughest challenges in 481 00:29:13,840 --> 00:29:18,240 SAS selection, a gruelling march over the highest peak in South Wales, 482 00:29:18,280 --> 00:29:19,920 Pen y Fan. 483 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,160 They will be carrying 35 lbs of weight in their bergens, 484 00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:29,040 over the 21.5km. 485 00:29:30,200 --> 00:29:32,080 For us it's called the Fan Dance. 486 00:29:32,120 --> 00:29:34,880 At any stage we pull you off, 487 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:37,120 it's for your own safety, OK? 488 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:40,400 Because we're literally going to be going up and down, up and down. 489 00:29:40,440 --> 00:29:41,680 Foxy, good to go. 490 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:47,360 The march will be led by former SBS operator Foxy, 491 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,760 a veteran of multiple tours in Afghanistan. 492 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,240 All of us versus the hill. 493 00:29:53,400 --> 00:29:55,840 Oi, Fatboy Slim! You'd better start moving. 494 00:29:58,360 --> 00:30:02,080 The Fan Dance is notorious on selection. 495 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:06,480 Not only do the recruits have to go up and over the 3,000 ft peak, 496 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:10,520 they then have to come back up and back over to where they started. 497 00:30:15,520 --> 00:30:19,280 The Pen y Fan isn't just a physical test, it's a mental test as well. 498 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,000 When you get to the halfway point you look back up and you think, 499 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,560 "Right, I've got to do that all again." 500 00:30:25,600 --> 00:30:27,800 It can be demoralising and it can break a lot of people 501 00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:29,760 and it DOES break a lot of people. 502 00:30:29,800 --> 00:30:32,320 For weeks I was excited about this. 503 00:30:32,360 --> 00:30:34,200 And now I'm here, 504 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,200 it's fuckin' awful. HE LAUGHS 505 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:39,680 Stop the fucking chitchat! 506 00:30:39,720 --> 00:30:42,120 If you've got the fucking energy to talk, 507 00:30:42,160 --> 00:30:44,880 you should have the energy to get up this fucking hill. 508 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,840 Unbeknown to the recruits, the DS don't expect any of them 509 00:30:48,880 --> 00:30:53,560 to keep up with Foxy and complete the march in four hours. 510 00:30:53,600 --> 00:30:56,000 They are being judged on whether they have 511 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,240 the mental resilience not to give up. 512 00:30:59,680 --> 00:31:02,480 You're looking to put them in a situation where they feel 513 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,720 physically and mentally drained but they still understand they have to keep pushing themselves on. 514 00:31:07,920 --> 00:31:10,160 I can remember a time where I was literally having to 515 00:31:10,200 --> 00:31:14,280 run for my life and I'm sure I was almost in tears. 516 00:31:14,320 --> 00:31:19,200 I was in the middle of a marshy, boggy land just pumping my legs 517 00:31:19,240 --> 00:31:21,760 and it was like, there's two ways to go, 518 00:31:21,800 --> 00:31:23,480 you either quit - 519 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,720 and in that situation I was talking about personally 520 00:31:25,760 --> 00:31:28,960 you get killed - or you decide not to quit, 521 00:31:29,000 --> 00:31:31,600 your survival instinct kicks in and you fight on, 522 00:31:31,640 --> 00:31:34,680 whether that's on a course where you're getting fragged a little bit 523 00:31:34,720 --> 00:31:36,040 by the directing staff 524 00:31:36,080 --> 00:31:38,520 or whether you're in a ditch somewhere getting shot at. 525 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:46,000 Foxy covers six and a half miles and 6,000 feet in 75 minutes 526 00:31:46,040 --> 00:31:48,680 by the time he reaches the halfway checkpoint. 527 00:31:50,880 --> 00:31:55,360 1:15... He's nearly 30 minutes ahead of the frontrunners. 528 00:31:55,400 --> 00:31:57,640 From the beginning they spread out, cos I sort of 529 00:31:57,680 --> 00:32:01,440 wanted to give that quick sharp shock into it, basically. 530 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:03,440 There was, like, two frontrunners, 531 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:07,840 then there was a sort of gaggle of maybe about seven to ten perhaps. 532 00:32:07,880 --> 00:32:12,000 And then after that it was pretty much...Dunkirk. 533 00:32:15,680 --> 00:32:17,600 Fuckin' Nora! 534 00:32:17,640 --> 00:32:22,160 I feel like my legs are just not moving. Brutal, isn't it? Yeah. 535 00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:23,880 Horrendous. 536 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:25,400 Messes with your head. 537 00:32:26,600 --> 00:32:29,720 Some of the recruits have yet to make it to the summit of the mountain. 538 00:32:31,960 --> 00:32:34,520 It's all in your mind. Come on, man. Just come back with me now. 539 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:36,080 I can't, mate, I can't. You carry on. 540 00:32:36,120 --> 00:32:39,200 Recruit number 18, Chris, 541 00:32:39,240 --> 00:32:42,160 and number 13, Alexander, 542 00:32:42,200 --> 00:32:44,160 drop out of the march with injuries. 543 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:49,120 I'm fucked. 544 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:53,040 Tired. 545 00:32:54,040 --> 00:32:55,400 Just hungry. 546 00:32:55,440 --> 00:32:59,560 Recruit number seven, 39-year-old MMA fighter Phil, 547 00:32:59,600 --> 00:33:02,320 whose son Callum was kicked off yesterday, 548 00:33:02,360 --> 00:33:03,960 is struggling to keep going. 549 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:07,800 Think I'm done on this. 550 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:09,880 HE PANTS 551 00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:12,440 Just come off the comms. Number seven... 552 00:33:12,480 --> 00:33:15,640 flagged. Oh, no. 553 00:33:15,680 --> 00:33:17,720 I like him, he's got a good character. 554 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:19,840 Yeah, he had a good character. 555 00:33:19,880 --> 00:33:22,280 I think he's got it 556 00:33:22,320 --> 00:33:25,080 in his mind that he thinks, "I can't do this" - 557 00:33:25,120 --> 00:33:28,320 I believe he can, he's overcome quite a lot of stuff. 558 00:33:28,360 --> 00:33:30,240 I've taken a bit of a shine to him. 559 00:33:32,440 --> 00:33:35,920 'There'll be definitely people that are amongst the recruits that 560 00:33:35,960 --> 00:33:39,120 'I probably see a likeness to myself in.' 561 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:41,720 The person that fails and picks themselves back up 562 00:33:41,760 --> 00:33:47,400 and gets back into the arena and continues scrapping, pushing on - 563 00:33:47,440 --> 00:33:50,960 because at one point or another on selection you will do something 564 00:33:51,000 --> 00:33:54,640 where you question whether you should actually be there. 565 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,080 Good effort, fellas. 566 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:04,480 You need to fill your water bottles up when you get a chance. 567 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:07,560 The frontrunners have reached the halfway checkpoint 568 00:34:07,600 --> 00:34:10,000 in under two hours. 569 00:34:10,040 --> 00:34:13,480 The DS give the first five the chance to make it back up 570 00:34:13,520 --> 00:34:16,120 and over the mountain. 571 00:34:16,160 --> 00:34:18,520 Make sure you drink a lot of water. 572 00:34:20,320 --> 00:34:24,240 One of the first to begin the march back is recruit number two, 573 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:27,320 24-year-old landscape gardener Freddie. 574 00:34:28,680 --> 00:34:31,880 I was very keen on joining the military when I was at school. 575 00:34:31,920 --> 00:34:34,760 I didn't join because I wanted to travel. 576 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:37,760 I was deep-sea tuna fishing in Australia. 577 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:40,760 After two months on the boat it was the mental stuff that got me. 578 00:34:40,800 --> 00:34:42,520 You know, it's just not sleeping. 579 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:44,920 You've got, like, sores all over your hands and your feet 580 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:46,880 cos you're constantly wet. 581 00:34:46,920 --> 00:34:49,840 Um, yeah, so you're just worn down, knackered. 582 00:34:51,560 --> 00:34:55,120 How are you feeling? Fucked, mate. It's a good effort, mate. 583 00:34:55,160 --> 00:34:57,320 You should be proud of yourself. 584 00:34:57,360 --> 00:35:00,280 Can't say I've spent my life trying to push myself that hard, 585 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:05,160 you know. Maybe that's the reason why I am doing this, you know. 586 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,680 With the frontrunners continuing to the finish line, 587 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:12,840 20 exhausted recruits push themselves to halfway... 588 00:35:12,880 --> 00:35:14,320 Single file. 589 00:35:14,360 --> 00:35:16,320 ..three hours after starting. 590 00:35:16,360 --> 00:35:19,720 21. 21. You'll be the last guy in. 591 00:35:19,760 --> 00:35:21,360 I think so, staff. 592 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:23,360 For safety reasons, 593 00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:27,600 the medical team pull the remaining recruits off the march. 594 00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:29,160 I've definitely got a blister. 595 00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:31,320 I can feel everything squishing in my feet. 596 00:35:31,360 --> 00:35:33,840 HE PANTS 597 00:35:37,440 --> 00:35:39,760 Phil makes it to the summit... 598 00:35:40,960 --> 00:35:45,120 ..but is told he can't continue, because he's so far behind. 599 00:35:45,160 --> 00:35:48,880 You've got all your kit on. It's no wonder you're going slow. 600 00:35:48,920 --> 00:35:50,720 You've got a hat on. 601 00:35:50,760 --> 00:35:54,480 Fucking hell, I didn't even wear that shit in the Arctic. Yes, sir. 602 00:35:55,800 --> 00:35:59,040 Can I finish this walk? No. You know what I mean, cos I don't quit. 603 00:35:59,080 --> 00:36:02,640 I never quit, man. I keep going. This were my dream, man. 604 00:36:08,200 --> 00:36:10,880 Got three of them... One of them's coming down now. 605 00:36:10,920 --> 00:36:14,400 Freddie finishes just 25 minutes after Foxy... 606 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,000 Good. Basically you fall in there. 607 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,160 ..followed by three other recruits. 608 00:36:20,200 --> 00:36:22,640 Good effort, mate. 609 00:36:22,680 --> 00:36:27,840 The only frontrunner left on the mountain is number eight, John. 610 00:36:27,880 --> 00:36:30,680 Fuck me. Should have eaten breakfast. 611 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,280 Mate, I'm fucked. My fucking legs. 612 00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:42,080 After 16km and on his second climb, the DS pull him off. 613 00:36:44,320 --> 00:36:46,400 He's driven to the finish line. 614 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:48,920 I, like, died, that close up the mountain. 615 00:36:48,960 --> 00:36:51,360 I had no energy. I didn't eat any breakfast. 616 00:36:51,400 --> 00:36:53,680 I couldn't get up the mountain. I was fucked. 617 00:36:53,720 --> 00:36:56,920 I could've got all the way up twice, just saying! 618 00:36:56,960 --> 00:36:58,640 LAUGHTER 619 00:37:03,920 --> 00:37:05,840 Back at the barracks, 620 00:37:05,880 --> 00:37:08,320 the recruits think the Pen-y-Fan task is over. 621 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:10,960 Oh... Argh, crap! 622 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:14,640 Urgh, that is not pleasant. 623 00:37:16,440 --> 00:37:20,120 Maybe afterwards, you'll look back on it differently. 624 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:24,040 But at the time you just feel like it's gruelling shit. 625 00:37:24,080 --> 00:37:27,000 Just because you're doing something physically demanding 626 00:37:27,040 --> 00:37:29,520 doesn't mean that you should switch off mentally. 627 00:37:29,560 --> 00:37:31,280 You're always looking where you are. 628 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:34,200 You're looking at exits, you're looking at what 629 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:37,760 people are wearing so that you can recall that information 630 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:39,760 if the shit hits the fan. 631 00:37:39,800 --> 00:37:43,040 I'm going to ask you a series of questions. 632 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:44,760 I'm going to ask the question 633 00:37:44,800 --> 00:37:47,680 and then I'll choose someone to answer the question. 634 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:49,440 Nobody shout out. 635 00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:51,720 Does everyone understand? ALL: Yes, staff. 636 00:37:53,240 --> 00:37:57,280 At the bottom of Pen-y-Fan, behind you there was a sign. 637 00:37:57,320 --> 00:37:59,200 There was a fine for litter. 638 00:38:00,600 --> 00:38:02,600 Put your fucking hand down. Sorry, staff. 639 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:05,760 Did you not understand what I said at the start? Sorry, staff. 640 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:08,280 You. 641 00:38:08,320 --> 00:38:10,240 I'd be taking a guess, staff. 642 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,240 I didn't read the number. Wrong. 643 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:18,040 What was the VRN - that's registration number - 644 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:21,240 of the green vehicle at the turnaround point? 645 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:25,800 You. I don't know, staff. 646 00:38:27,280 --> 00:38:28,800 Wrong. 647 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:32,840 What was the colour of the medic's watch? 648 00:38:32,880 --> 00:38:36,440 You. Black, staff. Wrong. 649 00:38:36,480 --> 00:38:37,920 Get into your PT rig. 650 00:38:37,960 --> 00:38:40,480 You've got two minutes to get into your PT rig and to be here. 651 00:38:40,520 --> 00:38:42,040 Move it, let's go. 652 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,600 That's how you want to play it, that's how we'll play it. 653 00:38:46,640 --> 00:38:48,400 The recruits don't realise it, 654 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:52,000 but with the threat of another brutal PT session hanging over them, 655 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:55,760 the DS are about to offer them a way out. 656 00:38:55,800 --> 00:38:59,480 They can quit at any stage. People do. 657 00:38:59,520 --> 00:39:02,040 Just mentally you can't go any further. 658 00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,840 They've reached their break point and that's as far as they can go. 659 00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:17,440 The 28 recruits left on the course 660 00:39:17,480 --> 00:39:19,800 are facing another physical thrashing. 661 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:23,320 They've had four hours' sleep in the last 40 662 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,000 and have no idea what's to come in the next six days. 663 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:32,320 The DS want to see if this is enough to make anyone quit. 664 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:35,760 I'm going to give you the chance now 665 00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:38,800 to VW, to voluntary-withdraw yourself. 666 00:39:40,680 --> 00:39:43,640 There will be people that you think are strong, 667 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:46,360 you think they're coasting it, they're doing really well. 668 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:48,440 Then all of a sudden they just quit. 669 00:39:50,160 --> 00:39:53,680 There's plenty of times where you do contemplate quitting. 670 00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:56,360 You know it's there, you know it's an option. 671 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,040 If you want to voluntary-withdraw yourself, 672 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:01,240 hand your number in of your own accord. 673 00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:05,920 Is there anyone that wants to do that? 674 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:08,040 Thank you. Go into your accommodation. 675 00:40:08,080 --> 00:40:09,880 28-year-old farmer Chris 676 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:13,560 is the first to withdraw. 677 00:40:13,600 --> 00:40:14,600 Anyone else? 678 00:40:16,520 --> 00:40:17,560 Yes. 679 00:40:21,720 --> 00:40:23,360 30-year-old Stephen, 680 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:25,840 a personal trainer, is next to go. 681 00:40:31,920 --> 00:40:33,800 Yes, staff. 682 00:40:33,840 --> 00:40:38,160 Scientist Matt also voluntarily withdraws. 683 00:40:38,200 --> 00:40:39,680 Sorry, staff. 684 00:40:46,960 --> 00:40:48,920 25 recruits remain. 685 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:52,240 The rest of you get outside, now. Move it. 686 00:40:56,840 --> 00:40:58,560 Jogging on the spot. 687 00:40:58,600 --> 00:41:00,960 The recruits don't know that only 20 of them 688 00:41:01,000 --> 00:41:02,680 will make it to the next stage. 689 00:41:04,600 --> 00:41:09,080 Before the DS make the decision about which five will go, 690 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:11,560 there is one recruit they want to bring in 691 00:41:11,600 --> 00:41:13,160 for tactical questioning. 692 00:41:17,240 --> 00:41:19,640 You're currently working on your stunt registration, 693 00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:21,520 have you got your stage combat? 694 00:41:21,560 --> 00:41:26,280 I've got, erm, two... I'm a...British Action Academy... 695 00:41:26,320 --> 00:41:29,080 I've done two stage combats for that. OK. 696 00:41:29,120 --> 00:41:32,640 You look at, you know, all the Jason Stathams, people like that, 697 00:41:32,680 --> 00:41:37,120 I mean, that can set you up to be a pretty top star. That's the plan. 698 00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:41,000 That's the plan? It is the plan. OK. 699 00:41:41,040 --> 00:41:43,120 I want to overtake Jason Statham. 700 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:46,040 You want to overtake him? Yeah, get better than him. 701 00:41:46,080 --> 00:41:50,480 He's got a good 20, 24 years on me. I'll catch him by then, I think. 702 00:41:50,520 --> 00:41:55,240 I can see myself within some of the recruits as a young soldier. 703 00:41:55,280 --> 00:41:59,400 I was sort of cocky and cocksure of myself, shall we say? 704 00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:03,600 I mean, the SAS would have been all right...I think. 705 00:42:03,640 --> 00:42:05,200 This is something I could have done, 706 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:08,480 or could have worked for if I wasn't doing what I was doing. 707 00:42:09,760 --> 00:42:12,560 Once you identify the weaknesses in individuals, 708 00:42:12,600 --> 00:42:15,920 especially looking back at yourself, thinking, I had that weakness, 709 00:42:15,960 --> 00:42:18,680 you know it's possible to focus them in a certain direction. 710 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:22,480 There's cockiness and arrogance that can get you in trouble, 711 00:42:22,520 --> 00:42:27,280 but there's cockiness and arrogance that can also change a situation. 712 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:30,360 Every time I went onto operations, I never thought I would get hit. 713 00:42:30,400 --> 00:42:33,880 I never thought I would get shot. I never thought I would get injured. 714 00:42:33,920 --> 00:42:37,320 I never thought... You know, I just knew that I would go on there 715 00:42:37,360 --> 00:42:40,080 and I would be on that helicopter on the way home. 716 00:42:45,000 --> 00:42:48,120 Always at the back, always limping, putting a face on. 717 00:42:48,160 --> 00:42:50,200 From day one, it's been the same. 718 00:42:50,240 --> 00:42:52,200 Right, let's fuck him off. 719 00:42:52,240 --> 00:42:55,240 At the end of every key stage of selection, 720 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:57,000 directing staff come together 721 00:42:57,040 --> 00:42:59,520 for what is known as a prayers meeting 722 00:42:59,560 --> 00:43:03,800 to discuss which recruits are making the grade and which aren't. 723 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:08,920 He's got some good qualities at this stage. 724 00:43:08,960 --> 00:43:13,240 He's a bit cocksure of himself but I would tick that one for now. 725 00:43:13,280 --> 00:43:15,960 At the prayers meeting it's very important that we get a collective 726 00:43:16,000 --> 00:43:18,960 decision together, so we're not missing anything. 727 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:20,840 He's there to stay, yeah? 728 00:43:20,880 --> 00:43:23,040 'We all see different things.' 729 00:43:23,080 --> 00:43:25,440 Different attributes or different characteristics 730 00:43:25,480 --> 00:43:26,640 on certain individuals. 731 00:43:26,680 --> 00:43:27,760 Number eight. 732 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:30,120 Again, I've had limited exposure, and what I have had, 733 00:43:30,160 --> 00:43:32,640 he's got an attitude, big-time. 734 00:43:32,680 --> 00:43:34,600 For me, he's a fucking show pony. 735 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:36,600 He does put himself on a pedestal 736 00:43:36,640 --> 00:43:40,280 and he's come on this course thinking, "I'm the man here. 737 00:43:40,320 --> 00:43:44,000 "This is it." But they're starting to chip away at his armour now. 738 00:43:44,040 --> 00:43:46,960 I'd really like to see that switch happen. 739 00:43:47,000 --> 00:43:50,920 Whether he can do it in time to make it to the end, I don't know. 740 00:43:50,960 --> 00:43:52,560 Foxy. 741 00:43:52,600 --> 00:43:54,440 At times, I hate his guts. 742 00:43:54,480 --> 00:43:57,200 But would you like to see him suffer? 743 00:43:57,240 --> 00:44:00,080 I do want to see him suffer, so, yeah, keep him on. 744 00:44:00,120 --> 00:44:03,160 Fucking hell, do you think they'll let us go to sleep now? 745 00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:06,920 'OK, number seven.' 746 00:44:06,960 --> 00:44:10,520 Erm, he's not the quickest learner. 747 00:44:10,560 --> 00:44:13,240 If you was to put him on a learning curve, he wouldn't go up, 748 00:44:13,280 --> 00:44:14,720 he's slip straight off of it. 749 00:44:14,760 --> 00:44:16,520 I am on the fence with him. 750 00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,800 He's very passionate about being here. 751 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:21,840 Yeah, unsure. 752 00:44:21,880 --> 00:44:25,760 Obviously, I've fucking taken a shine to him, fuck knows why. 753 00:44:25,800 --> 00:44:30,360 I would say yes but not for the right reasons, probably. 754 00:44:30,400 --> 00:44:32,800 I'll play devil's advocate with number seven. 755 00:44:32,840 --> 00:44:36,080 If we put him against test about everything he's been through 756 00:44:36,120 --> 00:44:38,360 he comes up short on quite a lot of them. 757 00:44:38,400 --> 00:44:41,560 I'll put this to you, out of all the ones up there on the wall, 758 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:43,760 you're pinned down with fire, 759 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:46,200 who's the first guy up there who's coming to get you, 760 00:44:46,240 --> 00:44:47,880 out of all of those? 761 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:50,920 All the ones up there on the wall? It would be him. 762 00:44:50,960 --> 00:44:53,480 He'd come right through a hail of fucking bullets to get you. 763 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:55,200 It puts a different spin on it. 764 00:44:56,480 --> 00:44:57,720 Lights out! 765 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:00,640 What's the time? 20 to one, innit? Quarter past one. 766 00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:02,720 Quarter PAST one? 767 00:45:02,760 --> 00:45:04,480 Oh, we can't have phys. 768 00:45:10,640 --> 00:45:13,440 Guys! All of you out here now! 769 00:45:13,480 --> 00:45:14,840 Fill in, two ranks. 770 00:45:21,880 --> 00:45:24,360 Some of you will be going home tonight. 771 00:45:26,840 --> 00:45:29,360 You just simply haven't made the grade. 772 00:45:30,720 --> 00:45:34,080 If I call your number out, you step forward, 773 00:45:34,120 --> 00:45:37,760 you walk towards the DS, hand him your number. 774 00:45:37,800 --> 00:45:40,720 Is that understood? ALL: Yes, staff. 775 00:45:40,760 --> 00:45:43,480 Your ultimate question that you ask 776 00:45:43,520 --> 00:45:49,360 after you've measured physical capability, tactics, is, 777 00:45:49,400 --> 00:45:52,720 would I have this guy fighting alongside me? 778 00:45:52,760 --> 00:45:54,280 24. 779 00:45:57,160 --> 00:46:00,600 Would I trust this guy to have my back when I kick that door, 780 00:46:00,640 --> 00:46:02,320 when I go round the corner? 781 00:46:02,360 --> 00:46:03,840 13. 782 00:46:03,880 --> 00:46:07,000 Do I trust this guy as part of my team? 783 00:46:09,240 --> 00:46:10,600 17. 784 00:46:12,200 --> 00:46:15,040 If the answer is yes, then he should get in. 785 00:46:17,360 --> 00:46:18,440 Nine. 786 00:46:20,760 --> 00:46:23,680 If the answer's no, then he won't make it. 787 00:46:25,640 --> 00:46:26,680 20. 788 00:46:31,960 --> 00:46:34,960 Some of you were very close. 789 00:46:35,000 --> 00:46:37,240 So have a good look at yourselves 790 00:46:37,280 --> 00:46:39,600 and ask yourselves if you want to be here. 791 00:46:39,640 --> 00:46:43,000 It's only going to get harder. 792 00:46:43,040 --> 00:46:46,320 Away you go. ALL: Yes, staff. 793 00:46:49,960 --> 00:46:53,920 Still here, can't believe it. Fucking buzzing. 794 00:46:55,920 --> 00:46:58,720 We keep going or we withdraw. 795 00:46:58,760 --> 00:47:01,160 I'm going to drill this attitude out of you tonight. 796 00:47:01,200 --> 00:47:04,240 Pick the weakest member of this course. 797 00:47:04,280 --> 00:47:06,000 Number seven, sir. 798 00:47:06,040 --> 00:47:10,160 This will not stop until one of you give me your armband. 799 00:47:10,200 --> 00:47:11,720 DOOR SLAMS 800 00:47:11,760 --> 00:47:13,640 The worst thing is the mind games. 801 00:47:13,680 --> 00:47:16,480 Once we start planting that seed of doubt into their mind, 802 00:47:16,520 --> 00:47:18,640 we'll find out if you will break mentally. 803 00:47:18,680 --> 00:47:20,720 ALARM RINGS Fucking hell. 804 00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:23,320 I can tell that you've never grafted in your life. 805 00:47:23,360 --> 00:47:25,400 I feel like a boy in a man's world. 806 00:47:36,240 --> 00:47:40,280 Subtitles by Ericsson