Katie Price shocks Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins viewers by revealing she had a FIFTH kidnap threat

 

KATIE PRICE 

REALITY STAR & EX-GLAMOUR MODEL 

Describe your experience on Celebrity SAS

I knew I was in trouble from the minute we arrived. I hate the cold, I have a phobia of water. It was equally the most terrifying and exhilarating thing that I have ever done.

Who did you bond with the most and why?

Anthea Turner. She was amazing. I admire her control, her ability to let go and be ok with showing her feelings – mainly fear and panic – on this show. She isn’t a stuck-up prude, she is a life survivor and lovely lady.

Was your SAS experience as you expected?

Not exactly, I mean I knew I wouldn’t be posing up in a bikini set! I have nothing but total respect now for the SAS and our British-commanding forces that protect us. The training is something else, it’s no wonder we are the best fighting intelligence in the world.

How did it feel being shouted at by the DS?

I don’t like my mum shouting at me, let alone someone I barely know, in my face. I wanted to give it back, that was a challenge in itself. I had to show respect to my commanding officer.

What was going through your mind when all recruits had to walk backwards off the side of a cliff? 

You are joking right? I said to myself, ‘pull your sh*t together, Katie, you’ve got this.’ I wasn’t going to be left on that cliff alone!

Has the experience changed you in any way?

Yes – I will never take my creature comforts for granted again. I left Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins with new life goals. I left the old Katie up there and she’s not coming back either!

Do you feel it has made you think about anything differently since you’ve been back home?

You don’t come back from filming a show like this and just wash it off. It stays with you. Life is one big challenge and I want the world to be a better place for everyone.

Would you do it again…?!

DEFINITELY YES! Where do I sign up, I’m in! I have unfinished business with Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and I’m coming back to win it.

 

ANTHEA TURNER

TV PRESENTER 

What made you sign up for SAS Who Dares Wins?

What was going on in my head at the time? I did it for me. I’m extremely lucky to be in television and be offered these experiences and just do something which is really going to push you and probably frighten you, like when I did The Jump.

Did you realise what you were letting yourself in for doing this show?

I binge-watched the entire last series. The more I watched, the more I thought, ‘What the…’ and I remember calling my agent and she said, ‘You’re doing it. You can’t do anything about it now. Sort yourself out.’ I must admit, I did arrive with a huge amount of trepidation.

How did you feel being the oldest recruit?

Yeah, I was the oldest there but when you get an opportunity to do something like this there was no thought process, it was just ‘Yes, I’m going to have a go!’. To be honest, I knew what would be my downfall and I was right, which is my cardiovascular. If you have to do anything to prepare yourself for some of the things that you need to do in this series, you basically need to train for a marathon. What was designed to rile me was Ant constantly saying, ‘Come on, Grandma!’ I remember looking at him and thinking, ‘I am actually old enough to have given birth to you. I’m not your grandma but I can be your mum.’ Maturity helps in situations like this because I hadn’t gone in there to reaffirm things about myself. The elixir of youth is not in a pot of cream, it’s your attitude.

What did you make of Ant the other DS staff?

They keep their distance. If anybody thinks that because it’s celebrities taking part in the series, the DS will be all chummy when the cameras are off, they are not.

Did you bond with anyone on the team?

I’ve got to be honest, my revelation from this whole experience was meeting Katie Price and realising how gorgeous she is outside of the other character she has. There’s these two sides of Katie and meeting the real Katie Price was just lovely.

Do you think fans will see a different side to you on this show?

Oh, I don’t know if you’ll see a different side because I’ve been around too long! 

 

JOEY ESSEX

EX-TOWIE STAR 

Why did you want to do this show?

I would say the main reason I took the opportunity was probably to show people who I really am. People see me on TV and they go ‘Yeah, Joey Essex. Oh yeah, he’s stupid’. But I feel like people underestimate who I really am, deep down inside. I’ve done loads of shows but I think this is the first one that’s going to show the deep layer under the skin of Joey Essex. I had heard about the show before, and I knew it would be such a crazy experience, but you come out of the other side a better person. 

Was it tough mentally?

It’s hard. The thing is, you’ve got to let your guard down, it’s mental. But the one thing you can’t do is show weakness in your mind. Everyone looks happy, everyone’s laughing and walking around going, ‘Yeah, we’re going to do well’, but really deep down, everyone’s miserable!

How did you find this experience, physically?

I found the physical challenges pretty easy. There were a few times where they made us run up a hill and back again, then do press ups. I was up and down before the others, so I realised I was probably the fittest there. It was weird though, I know I’m fit but I didn’t think I was that fit!

What was it like throwing yourself out of a helicopter?

Oh, that was horrible. It’s such a mad experience, it’s so hard to explain to people because it’s not just jumping from a helicopter, it’s landing in minus 13 degrees cold water, backwards. No one watching will realise how hard it is when you hit that water and then have to swim to shore. Just trying to come up to the top of that water, breathe and swim a few lengths was hardcore. Challenges like that are not really physical, my dad’s not fit at all but I guarantee he could probably do it, just because he’s tough and his mind is tough.

 

HELEN SKELTON

TV PRESENTER 

How would you rate your mental strength?

You really underestimate the mental side of this show. For me, what I found hard was that in the past when I’ve done all my adventure stuff, I’ve been part of a production team. I was part of the planning, I did the training and of course did the challenge. I was in full control.

How did you find Ant Middleton and the rest of the DS?

I took one day at a time. I’m not the kind of person who needs a routine but the fact that we never knew what we were going to do next, when we could relax and catch our breath, that was tough. At every stage they play with your mind, they drip feed information to make you think you’re going to do the most horrific thing ever. So your worst fear is something you constantly think is about to realised.

What did you think of the other celebs?

They all got there a day before me so when I walked into the room they’d all met each other, so that was daunting, I’m not going to lie. I was a bit intimidated because everyone had their little friendship groups straight away. But I tell you what, the warmest person in that room was Katie Price. She came straight up to me with the biggest grin, she was very warm and welcoming. I was really intrigued by the group because it was so different. I hate it when people come off shows like this and talk about being a family, but now having been through it, it’s true. There’s a bond there that you just can’t explain because only those people know how it felt to go through what we did.

Were there any rows?

Yeah, of course there were flare ups because there were so many different characters in there. Joey and Lauren fought like cats and dogs at times. They fell out with each other a lot, but I think it’s actually because they are very alike. I wanted to bang their heads together.

 

BRENDAN COLE

EX-STRICTLY PRO DANCER 

Being a dancer have you always had to prove your masculinity?

I don’t think I’ve had to prove my masculinity as such, but I want to prove that I am capable of anything that I am challenged with. With this particular programme, I knew how rough and tough it was going to be out there, so I’m glad I was able to show that side of me.

How was your physical and mental health going into this experience?

My mental strength is strong – I’m able to see the good in most situations, even if it’s tough. I consider myself a fairly strong person mentally and physically. If I’m asked to do something for a long period of time, I can do it. I have physical endurance and stamina and very little has ever phased me in my life mentally, when it comes to challenges in general. I feel like I am quite robust and resilient.

Was it a competitive environment?

I would say we were more supportive than competitive but at the same time when we needed to complete, people stepped up and were very strong. There were quite a few of us within the group who are naturally competitive, for example Lauren is a professional athlete, Tony is a professional boxer and I’m a professional dancer, so you expect us to be competitive. But then there were people like Helen who you might not expect to have that side to her – but she has.

It must have helped having that spirit between the celebrities?

Yeah, I think that’s good having those kinds of people around you because it fuels you to do better as well. You push each other on because let’s face it, we all wanted to do our best. You don’t go into a show like this to just make up the numbers, you want to come out on top and excel at every single thing. I went in there with the attitude that I want to be the best that I can be at every single point. There will always be someone faster or stronger, but it’s about being the best you can be in the moment.

 

NIKKI SANDERSON

SOAP STAR 

Why did you decided to go on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins?

God knows! The challenge. I love challenging myself and seeing how far I can push myself. 

What were you most nervous about before you started?

Everything! I was most nervous about the unknown because you can’t prepare yourself for something like this. You don’t know what they’re going to do, how they’re going to do it, how you are going to be treated. You know that you’re going to be sleep-deprived and there’ll be a lack of food. You know these things but it still doesn’t prepare you for it because knowing something and experiencing it are two completely different things, so I was just nervous about what was going to happen.

This course tests your mental strength as well as your physical strength, so how did you feel about both aspects of that going into this course?

Physically I knew I wasn’t going to be the fittest there but I knew that would be part of the challenge for me, to become fitter. But I was confident about the mental side of things, I’m not a quitter, I’m someone who always puts so much effort into anything I’m doing.

They throw you in the deep end from the word go. On the first day you had to jump off a cliff. What was that like?

I loved it! I loved the challenges, like throwing yourself down a cliff or chucking yourself out of a helicopter because I am a thrill seeker. I want to parachute, I want to jump out a plane, I want to do all these things because I love all that. I obviously struggled with the physical challenges of running up hills and all that kind of stuff.

Has the experience changed you in any way?

Yes, the whole thing is a life-changing experience just from the way that you think about things and the way that you feel. I just feel so grateful that I got an opportunity to do it. I already appreciate our forces, I really do.

 

LAUREN STEADMAN

PARALYMPIC ATHLETE

Did you want to push the boundaries of what someone might expect a person with disabilities can achieve?

I went on Strictly to change perceptions and show people that, actually, you can do whatever you want and if there was something else that I could follow up with to show even more of that, then it’s this show. I mean this is the total opposite of Strictly – there’s no glitter, there’s no glam. It’s grit factor! I wanted to show people that just your true grit and determination can get you really far, in a lot of different areas. It comes down to how much you want something and how much you believe in yourself.

How did you find it physically?

I actually don’t think that it’s that different from my own path of training. You don’t get to go to an Olympic games just because you’re good at sport. You have to be willing to push yourself and to be in the hurt locker more than you are in the celebrations and everything that comes after it if you do well. So, for me, I can lock into that athlete mindset of, ‘You know, this is going to hurt but it’s only a temporary pain and you’ll get through it’. I really said from the beginning that I didn’t want to be treated as different because then what’s the point?

What did you make of the others celebs on the course?

It’s quite interesting, because the first time you all sit in a ring together, you’re all sort of looking at each other and we had quite a great array of people from different areas, which was really nice. And things that you may have thought about people before, or seen on social media and stuff, actually, getting to meet these people you realise there’s more to them than you think you’ve seen.

 

JACK MAYNARD

YOUTUBE STAR 

Why did you decide to do this show?

I definitely thought it was time for me to come back to TV, and I wanted to come back in a really good and positive way by setting myself a huge challenge. So when this show came knocking at the door, the timing felt right for me. It was a huge opportunity and it’s something you can’t really turn down. I was really interested to see how far, more mentally than physically, that I could push myself.

Were you worried about showing your vulnerability on TV?

Oh, absolutely. For me this show was probably 90% a mental challenge because I had obviously been on a similar show to this before and it wasn’t kind to me, so it was a big decision for me to take on the show. It was probably the best thing I could have done for myself. Going into something where I knew I was going to have to push myself and just concentrate on what I was doing that day, almost hour by hour, was a big decision for me at the time but it was absolutely the right decision. I very much felt like if I could put myself through this and come out the other side, then I could do anything. I think this is probably the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life.

It sounds intense but did you have any funny moments?

Oh yeah, we laughed a lot. We had a really good bunch of people. Joey and Tony are hilarious! There was one point when Joey was giving us the Joey Essex dictionary. All these words he has made up but uses in every day life. He was telling us what they are and what they mean, it was unbelievable what he was coming out with! Katie was great because she had so many funny stories from things that she had got up to in her life. Everyone was so interesting, we had a lot of fun together.

 

TONY BELLEW

FORMER-PRO BOXER 

Did you feel in good physical shape going into this challenge?

I soon learned that being a former athlete was very, very tough, because you’ve got set demands for yourself and your body that you used to put on yourself, but I hadn’t been active or near a boxing ring for a year when the show started. I’s hard to stay motivated, to be honest. So I tried to get in the best shape I possibly could to prepare me for it, but nothing could have prepared me for what was ahead! Part of the real battle of this course is mental, the mental side of it.

How did you find the other celebs?

Brendan was a lovely guy. I mean, I got on well with everyone to be fair. I’m a pretty easy going person. I get stereotyped as this big, horrible, aggressive guy. Honest to God, I’m just a down to Earth, normal person. I keep myself to myself. I hate the spotlight. People will say, ‘Oh, why are you doing the show?’ I did it because I just love the SAS. I love soldiers, I love army, I love war, I love fighting. And they’re the masters of it.

How does that fear compare to stepping into the ring?

When I’m fighting, I’m never nervous. I enjoy fighting. I’m excited by the thought of having a fight. I know that doesn’t sound normal and I know people very rarely grasp what I’m saying, but I’m excited by having a fight. I really am. I look forward to it. I love fighting. I wish I could carry on fighting forever. I would have a fight every single week if I could. I just love the fact it’s one on one. The fear of heights is about the fact I am not in control.

 

YASMIN EVANS

RADIO DJ 

How was the camaraderie with everybody in camp?

I honestly have made bonds for life with these people. I could not have asked for a more perfect group of people to do this with, if I’m honest. It’s so crazy because no one else will understand other than the people that went through it with you, it’s really quite emotional. I’m tight with them, and I can call them my mates now, and I can talk about it. For me, it was the emotional journey that I will cherish forever. It’s just changed the way that I see myself, I believe in myself, and I have these bonds with people that I never thought I’d ever connect with. Lockie was my rock in there, and I don’t think he realised that. He’s just an amazing person, he was my support system, and I knew that I was lucky to have him. Whatever I asked of him, he would do it with no problem. He got me through so many dark, cold nights. Brendan too, there was one day my feet were so sore and he literally scooped me up. I’ve never been scooped up in my entire life, but he scooped me up and carried me into camp one day. It was so dramatic. I was so dramatic!

How did you cope with the toilet and shower situation?

Well, I’m not a prude. So if I got to go, I’ve got to go, honestly! But the thing is, I had to reign in my toilet chat, because Fash was very traditional in terms of, ‘Ladies, if you need to go to the toilet, just say you need to go to the toilet’. I would say, ‘I really need to pee, so I’m going to do that.’ And he would be like, ‘Just say you need the toilet!’ And I’d be like, ‘Oh, Fash. I’m sorry. Sorry, I’m sorry.’ And it got to the point where we had to pee next to each other, and it absolutely stinks! At first we showered with our soap, and then afterwards we were like, ‘Forget that.’ Also, you had to go to the toilet in pairs. We all got pretty personal very quickly! 

JOHN FASHANU

FORMER-PRO FOOTBALLER 

Why did you want to put yourself through this SAS process?

I’d seen the show before and saw some of my co-footballers and friends doing it. I thought it was something that was going to test me 100%, physically and mentally. It was a real challenge, I love a challenge, whether it’s boxing, football or martial arts, I love that type of thing.

Were you physically ready going into the course?

When I went into it, I was forgetting I’m not the same age as I was when I was winning the FA Cup final in 1988. Things have changed. I went into it believing I was Jackie Chan, but it was hard! The confidence I had built up with my martial arts and experiences, you needed everything on that particular platform. It was tough.

What about mentally, were you ready for how tough it was going to be?

The mental side of it was a challenge, the physical side was OK. I don’t mind if I break down, that’s fine, but the mental trauma we went through while we were there was just something else. It was a battle, psychologically. It’s a war because you’re battling against yourself. You’re telling yourself you have to do these things and you can’t give up. 

You’ve got four black belts in different martial arts, did that come in handy at all?

I’m not going to lie, when we had to do the boxing challenge, my martial arts training came in bloody handy! I beat them, even a young man like Joey! I was physically and mentally exhausted but when the boss told me to fight, I had to fight. Losing wasn’t an option. Although I couldn’t fight any of the ladies – I would have preferred to get my teeth knocked out and walk out a loser!

What did you think of the other celebrities?

What I realised was that I was in a pit with everyone and everyone’s a winner. Everyone there, in their own way, has been a winner or had to face situations that have made them winners. The other celebrities, like myself, were not prepared for the level that this pushed us. I thought that I was going to have a great time, see my old friend Katie Price, have a nice burger and chat after filming. No, forget it! Everything is raw, competitive, you’re competing for everything, even chairs to sit on! You have to be ready for a fight every minute of the day. I don’t think anything could have prepared us for what we were going into. There was me thinking I was a God and could get through everything. I couldn’t and I don’t think I want to go through anything like that again.

LOCKSMITH

DRUM & BASE STAR  

Did you prepare physically for this experience?

Yeah, I’ve been training at a decent level since I was eight years old, so that’s something that was always a part of me, always inside me. That didn’t quite change, but what did change was that specific-ness of what I was training for. Once I knew that I was going to be on the show I started training in a way I thought some of the SAS operatives would in order to prepare for it. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing, basically, but I tried my hardest to train for it!

So what sort of things were you doing?

I was going on 10k hikes carrying a heavy bag. I was doing sprints with weights on my back. I was doing a lot of high volume training, 100 push ups, 300 sit ups, a lot of work, a lot of body weight exercises. I was trying to make it as specific to the SAS, or more actually, the movies that I’ve seen! I’ve got a bit of OCD, so I feel like if I’m going to do it, I’m going to have to go all the way to the end, that’s my mentality.

What did you make of the other celebrities when you got out there?

I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t judge a book by its cover. I like to give people time to prove what kind of person they are. So I didn’t go in there with any preconceived ideas or pretense. I generally don’t watch a lot of TV, so I hadn’t really got a gist of what their personalities were like. So when I went into the SAS, I just had an open mind, and they were a great bunch, fortunately. We looked after each other and we got through it together. To be honest, that was very surprising for me as that helped me open up.

Did you bond with anybody in particular?

Yeah, I think the people I bonded with the most were Tony and Lauren, funnily enough, the two sports people. I reckon that was probably because I’ve always been a fan of athletes, people who push themselves to their absolute limits. That’s what I gravitate towards, because I’ve always wanted to jump out of my comfort zone and challenge myself. I never trained to be an athlete, but I’ll try my hardest to come close. So I gravitated towards them, and I gravitated especially towards Lauren for her calmness. She was just cool, calm, and relaxed. She’s a beast, though, don’t let her smile fool you! And Tony, we had so many things in common, which I didn’t think we would have. I just didn’t think I would find someone in there that I would make friends with for life, to be honest.