Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will begin on Channel 4 on Tuesday, and viewers will get to see Matt Hancock punched in the face during the series.
The former Health Secretary is shown in a clip to be pitted against Jermaine Pennant in a boxing clash with the two striking each other in the head.
Former footballer Pennant told a press conference: “It was imperative I won because I would not be allowed to walk the streets again if I didn’t. I was just very grateful that I won and I saved face.”
Hancock was one of 16 celebrities set to take on gruelling challenges in the jungles of north Vietnam. Gareth Gates, Melinda Messenger, and James Argent are among the other names to face the tasks set by ex-special forces officers.
Hancock had the Conservative whip removed in November 2022 when he took part in I’m a Celebrity… but is still the MP for West Suffolk. The Health Secretary during the pandemic was forced to resign for breaking his own social-distancing guidelines when he was secretly filmed kissing his aide and now partner Gina Coladangelo in his office.
But if the fallout from the saga was tough, Hancock says the Channel 4 show — which has already been filmed — was his most testing experience yet.
“Being on SAS was like nothing else I’ve ever experienced,” he said. “It’s one of the toughest physical and mental things I’ve ever done. It really opens your eyes and makes you look into yourself.
“After coming through the most challenging period as Health Secretary during the pandemic, I wanted to push my limits.”
Hancock is set to step away from politics when his term as MP runs out. Earlier this summer, he filmed himself lip-synching to I’m Just Ken from the Barbie soundtrack.
Perhaps hopeful viewers will want to see more of Hancock or enjoy watching him endure physical suffering, and Channel 4 has now released details of the new series.
When will Celebrity SAS be on Channel 4?
The series will launch on Tuesday, September 26, before moving to Sunday nights from October 1, and will run for seven episodes. The first episode is at 9.30pm and the rest will be 9pm.
The SAS officers are Mark Billingham, Jason Fox, Rudy Reyes, and Chris Oliver.
Who are the celebrities on Celebrity SAS in 2023?
Montana Brown
First up is the Love Island star who has recently become a mother. The 27-year-old has said she was shocked when she struggled to conceive her first child even though she was in her twenties.
Teddy Soares
Another Love Islander, Soares was on the receiving end of one of the most infamous rants in the show’s history in 2021. These days, he is the face of an All Saints advertising campaign.
Zoe Lyons
More commonly seen on panel shows, the comedian has also been confirmed to be taking part. Lyons was one of the headliners of the London Underbelly festival in 2021.
Kirsty-Leigh Porter
The actress is best known for playing Leela Lomax on soap Hollyoaks. She has previously taken part in a celebrity version of The Weakest Link.
Perri Shakes-Drayton
The Londoner was once one of the world’s best 400m hurdlers and was the European indoor champion over the distance minus the barriers in 2013. The 34-year-old retired from athletics in 2020 and became a mum that year.
Jon-Allan Butterworth
The former soldier might be better placed than most to take on the SAS challenges. Butterworth lost his arm on a tour of Iraq and went on to become a Paralympic cycling champion.
Danielle Lloyd
The former glamour model is now a presenter and is a friend of Coleen Rooney, whom she backed in the Wagatha Christie court case.
Jermaine Pennant
The former Arsenal, Liverpool, and Leeds winger has lived a wild life on and off the football pitch — once famously parking his Porsche at a Spanish airport and then forgetting he owned it. Things have not been straightforward in his retirement, either, as he refused to take part in a lie-detector test on the Jeremy Kyle show and was later taken off air on Sky Sports after being accused of slurring his words.
Melinda Messenger
The former glamour model has become a well-known presenter of Live from Studio Five and Cowboy Builders. She will be taking tips from her fiancé — survival expert Dr Raj Joshi.
Gareth Thomas
The Welsh sporting great is a legend of both rugby league and union — and is one of the best-known advocates in the sports for LGBT causes after coming out himself. He might fancy his chances on SAS having previously completed an Ironman Triathlon after being diagnosed with HIV.
James Argent
Arg, as he was known on The Only Way is Essex, has this year unveiled himself as a reformed figure having lost weight and overcome a drug addiction.
Amber Turner
Another TOWIE star, Turner is these days a model and Instagram influencer.
Gareth Gates
Can you believe it has been more than 20 years since Gates sang on Pop Idol? These days, he is more likely to be seen on stage in London’s West End and is rocking a new look.
Michelle Heaton
It has been a busy year for the former Liberty X singer, who appeared on ITV series Dancing On Ice back in February, though she didn’t make it all the way.
Siva Kaneswaran
Another Dancing on Ice veteran (it’s almost as if this group follow each other around), Kaneswaran is famous for being in the 2010s boyband The Wanted.
Matt Hancock
Hancock seems to be slowly moving onto the celebrity circuit himself, having appeared earlier this year on... Dancing on Ice.
The question might now be — which show will he appear on next...?
