Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins UK vs Australia first look signals high-stakes North Africa clash

Channel 4 has released a first-look trailer for Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins UK vs Australia, confirming that the eighth series will premiere January 4 at 9 p.m. The eight one-hour episodes will feature 14 celebrities from the United Kingdom and Australia facing what producers call the most punishing challenge of their lives in North Africa.

In the trailer, Dani Dyer, the Love Island alum, bursts into tears in the interrogation room, and Gabby Allen is seen screaming for help after appearing to be trapped underground during a challenge. The UK lineup includes Dani Dyer, Gabby Allen, Jack Joseph, Cole Anderson-James, Ben Cohen, Toby Olubi and Graeme Swann. The Australian participants are Jessika Power, Ryan Moloney, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Brad Hodge, Emily Seebohm, Mack Horton and Axle Whitehead. Chief Instructor Billy Billingham MBE and his team Foxy (Jason Fox), Rudy Reyes and Chris Oliver return to push the recruits to their limits. Channel 4’s press materials describe the format as a test under extreme pressure, with every mistake punished and bonds potentially snapping as teams vie for victory.

The eight episodes will air on Sundays and Mondays at 9 p.m., continuing the show’s tradition of high-stakes physical and mental challenges set against a harsh environment. The series is filmed in North Africa, a setting that producers say will intensify the course’s demands and test the competitors’ resilience under pressure. The UK and Australian recruits are juxtaposed to explore whether national pride can carry participants through a course designed to expose weaknesses and push egos to the limit.

Several participants spoke publicly about what drew them to the show. Dani Dyer said she has long watched the series and wanted to test herself, acknowledging she will be “completely out of my comfort zone” but hopeful she can shut out the voices in her head and reach the end in a way that would make her proud. “I’m nuts, but I think I will be good at it,” she added, explaining her desire to prove something to herself rather than to others. Recruitment numbers and personal motivations hint at a mix of professional athletes, reality stars and entertainers stepping into the British–Australian rivalry on the brutal terrain.

On the Australian side, Jessika Power, Ryan Moloney and Natalie Bassingthwaighte are among the familiar faces, joined by Brad Hodge, Emily Seebohm, Mack Horton and Axle Whitehead. Power, who previously appeared on MAFS Australia, spoke about wanting to show a side of herself rarely seen by the public, citing a personal journey and a desire to emerge with confidence, discipline and purpose. Ryan Moloney, known to viewers as Neighbours’ Jarrod “Toadfish” Rebecchi, framed the opportunity as a once-in-a-lifetime challenge and said he planned to give it everything.

Channel 4 has positioned the upcoming series as a continuation of a format that blends physical endurance with psychological testing, framed by national pride and competing teams. The network’s official materials promise a high-spirited but ruthlessly demanding experience, with leaders at the helm to push participants to their limits. The first-look trailer and press materials suggest a dramatic return for fans, pairing a familiar cast with a new continental showdown over a landscape that will test every recruit’s stamina and nerve.

Industry reporting in June indicated the production would move to Marrakech for the North Africa setting, signaling a broader scale and cost considerations in the show’s evolution. The eighth series follows a recent season that veered toward more compact shoots in Wales due to budget constraints, underscoring Channel 4’s intent to deliver a visually expansive and high-intensity installment for the holidays and early 2025 audience. Past participants have included a mix of sports figures, reality personalities and actors, with some entrants advancing while others fell short of the final hurdle. The dynamic between UK and Australian recruits remains a central narrative, reflecting the series’ long-running premise that national pride can be both a source of motivation and tension under pressure.

As the broadcast window opens January 4, viewers can expect a weekly cadence of revelations, challenges and emotional moments, with the core team of instructors guiding and evaluating the recruits as they navigate the course’s demands. The series’ framework continues to emphasize resilience, teamwork and mental toughness as central to enduring the most punishing of tasks in a harsh desert environment.