Former EastEnders star Maisie Smith has spoken out about how difficult she found it taking part in this year's series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
At just 21-years-old, Maisie is the youngest recruit out of this year's line-up which also includes TOWIE stars Ferne McCann and Pete Wicks, as well as former Strictly pro AJ Pritchard.
Maisie was asked to take part just four weeks before the star so she only really had month to prepare.
"In that month I just went absolutely crazy! I was just hitting the gym every day and trying to beat all my personal bests. I was running on the treadmill with weights on my back for hours," she explained.
"We got to Jordan a few days before and me and Jade were running on the beach and I'd have her on my back and then we'd swap over. It was just really intense fitness that I never used to do at home."
Asked why she decided to stay yes to doing the hardcore show, Maisie said: "You know what? I'd seen the show and I remember watching it thinking, 'Wow. What a strong bunch of people'.
"I really just wanted to put my mental and physical strength to the test. I'm very competitive. I've always loved pushing myself and seeing my limits. It's the perfect challenge for me, is what I thought."
Asked if she found Chief Instructor, Rudy Reyes and his team of Directing Staff Foxy, Billy and Remi "intimidating", Maisie said: "Yeah. I think they were. I did find them quite intimidating.
"I feel like there were certain moments when I was out of my comfort zone or if I didn't do well in a task, they were quite good at making you feel belittled. That was something that you have to really overcome and try and find your sense of self.
"I felt like I was a little kid at school again getting told off. I'm not an argumentative person. So, when they were just shouting at me for completely messing everything up or just doing something really stupid, it was like, 'Oh, God'.
"It is really scary. I feel like I'm getting told off by my mum again as a kid. But they're not doing it to make you feel like crap, they do actually want you to succeed. It’s tough love, I guess," the former soap star added.
Perhaps Maisie will end up convincing her boyfriend Max George to take part in the next series of the Channel 4 show.
The romance between the new couple has been hotting up in recent weeks and they were even spotted kissing and cuddling whilst shopping for home essentials - fuelling rumours that they've already moved in together.
Summing up her Celebrity SAS experience, Maisie said: "Looking back, I can't relive the pain and the exhaustion that I felt. I only remember just feeling so empowered and strong.
"It was brutal and it was pain I'd never felt and exhaustion, dehydration, all of that. But it was also the moment I felt the best in myself. It just completely changed my outlook on everything."
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is back on Channel 4 on Sunday 4 September at 9pm.
