SAS star Sam Burgess brought to tears: ‘I lost respect for myself’

Lachlan Guertin
·Senior Entertainment Reporter
·2-min read

Former NRL star Sam Burgess was shown breaking down in a new trailer for SAS Australia, which Channel 7 describes as “the fight of his life”.

Alongside 18 other Aussie celebrities, the 32-year-old is set to undergo a number of intense physical and psychological tests when the show premieres next month.

SAS star Sam Burgess crying.
Sam Burgess was brought to tears in the new SAS trailer. Photo: Channel 7

The preview of the reality series shows Sam being interrogated by elite ex-Special Forces soldier and SAS Chief Instructor Ant Middleton.

“I lost my career, my kids and my marriage. I’ve lost it all,” he says.

“I obviously lost respect for myself.”

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The former Rabbitohs captain is also seen getting tear-gassed and falling off a cliff backwards into a lake, as well as admitting that he is scared of the dark.

“I will not quit the course,” he declares.

Channel 7 have announced that this year’s contestants will face ‘the most gruelling course ever seen in the UK or Australia’.

As well as Sam, the full lineup of celebrities includes Koby Abberton, Bonnie Anderson, Isabelle Cornish, Brynne Edelsten, Dan Ewing, Manu Feildel, Erin Holland, Emma Husar, Jett Kenny, Alicia Molik, Pete Murray, Jessica Peris, Mark Philippoussis, Jana Pittman, Kerri Pottharst, Heath Shaw and John Steffensen.

SAS Australia cast.
The contestants for SAS season 2 include Manu Feildel and Brynne Edelsten. Photo: Instagram/sasaustralia

“Sam took matters into his own hands”

The new look at the reality series comes shortly after reports that Sam Burgess allegedly ‘choked out’ one of the instructors during filming.

According to Fox Sports, one of this season’s tasks sees Sam and seven other celebrities ‘kidnapped’ in the back of a car and driven at speeds of up to 100km/h.

While the essence of the exercise was to see who would step up and rescue the other ‘hostages’, Sam took it one step further.

“Sam took matters into his own hands, ordering [John] Steffensen to pull the handbrake,” Fox Sports reporter James Hooper claims.

“Burgess reached over and put the soldier in a headlock, choking him out, before climbing into the driver’s seat and taking the wheel.”

An ambulance was reportedly called while instructors and producers were left “dumbfounded”.

In a statement to Yahoo Lifestyle, a Channel 7 spokesperson says: “The new season of SAS Australia, coming soon to Channel 7 and 7plus, is the most gruelling course in the world to date. All participants will be pushed to their limits like never before.”

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