Original subtitles

Selection for the SAS is cloaked in secrecy.

No-one knows what it is we do.

We're the thinking soldier.

And the truth about what it takes might surprise you.

GUNFIRE

An elite team of ex-Special Forces soldiers

is putting 30 civilians through the key stages of selection.

At the end of the day, would I have this guy next to me in a war zone?

Each task taken from the real process.

Let's get the dogs out!

Physical fitness is no more than a starting point.

The true test is of the mind...

Fear inadequacy.

The only thing that I'm really afraid of, is rejection.

I don't really believe that there's such a thing as a completely

weak person or a completely strong person.

..as each recruit is stripped back to their core.

There might be strong characters.

Fully submerged, under.

Once we start unchipping their armour,

we'll find out exactly who they are.

I feel like a boy in a man's world.

No other test asks as much...

Well done.

..or means as much.

Still alive!

..to the few who make it through.

I know this works. Show me that this works.

Argh!

Every man fears.

It's impossible to have no fear.

I think any time when there's been live rounds pinging past you

and you hear... MAKES GUNFIRE NOISE

..right past your ear and you know it's close,

you're not on a range, it's not playing, it's real

and these are inches away from you, those are times when you're scared.

Get in here and now! Get here! Get up. Get in here, now.

You have the ability to control things like fear,

because if you don't control it, that's when it becomes contagious.

Hurry up.

It's day five of the selection. 12 recruits are left.

Listen in.

After today, we're on the final 72-hour stage...

..for some of you.

We will cut the rest of the shit away.

I think you know who you are.

In the last four days,

the recruits have been through two key stages of the selection process.

The first revealed their characters,

the second exploited their weaknesses.

For the next 24 hours, chief instructor Ant and his team

of ex-Special Forces operators will focus on the recruit's fears.

Even though we're there as hard, horrible people,

we're still there to try and develop people, as well, you know.

Help them understand themselves and if you see potential in someone,

you'll look at ways of enhancing that potential.

They'll start by spreading doubt in the group, to see

if it's enough to make anyone hand in their armband and quit.

Go in there and have a look around and fucking grab them out, mate.

Just give them a little spill.

You're here by the fucking skin of your teeth.

Listen in. Number two.

You are on this fucking course by the skin of your teeth.

Listen carefully, OK? You're only here by the skin of your teeth.

I had a casting vote last night

and I cast to keep you in instead of someone else.

We play with their minds, to see how they react with it.

If they react weak, then they'll come off the course.

If they react strongly, they'll stay through the next day.

There's a fucking few of us that are wanting to cut you.

I understand, fully, staff, yes.

Your fucking attitude stinks. Yes, staff. Keep it to yourself.

It's planting the seed of doubt and you can see them,

they're just, like, tick, tick, tick, tick.

And it's a killer.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! That scares me. I scared myself.

That feeling of just, like, any second now.

It's just the feeling that you're never safe.

You feel safe... Don't. That's what they want.

19-year-old Calvin was almost cut from the course

yesterday for not pushing hard enough.

Everything you've got.

But he saved himself on the toughest challenge.

I've always wanted to be in the military.

My earliest memories of my grandfather is going to see him,

you know, in all his military gear or whatever it was.

Him bringing home things for me, like model aircraft

or whatever, to play with.

Why are you turning them around? So all the labels face the same way.

There's never been any pressure for me to join the military, there's

never been any pressure for me to do anything, but there's always

been the knowledge that, whatever I did want to do,

I'd be supported 100%.

For most people, soldiering can be a dream.

Personally, I never actually voluntarily went to join the Army.

I was forced in by my mother.

I was dragged down to the careers office.

The guy said it was two years' waiting list and a year's training.

My mum said, "That's far too long.

"He's got to be out the house by the time he's 16."

So, I joined the infantry two weeks later, aged only 15.

The recruits face a physical endurance test on a nearby beach.

But one of them is going to get special attention.

All of you get in the minibus, now. ALL: Yes, staff.

Having been impressed by Calvin's resilience yesterday,

the directing staff want to test his limits today.

You were that close to getting called yesterday.

That fucking close. Yes, staff.

You are here by the fucking skin of your teeth. I mean that.

Yes, staff. On you go.

Once that seed of doubt is sown, you have to have a strong mind to,

sort of, keep it at bay and keep it in its box where it belongs

and not let it take charge and rule your mind.

Choose a rock.

Pick up a rock.

Above your heads. Straight arms. Number 23, put that down.

That is not a rock.

Above your head.

Start fucking switching on, you.

You'll probably think to yourself, that's it,

that's the straw that broke the camel's back.

There's too much now and I can't regain from this, I'm going to fail,

when, actually, you're probably not doing as badly

as you thought you were.

Out in front of you. Hold it there.

Now, to the DS and back to me. Let's go!

That self-doubt can become quite overpowering

and you can become your own worst enemy.

Number 23. Is that for me?

Fuck off. Above your heads. All of you.

You can't give up at this stage, you know.

It will fuck you up, if you've decided to give up now.

You'd regret it.

Number 23.

I'm going to give you one more chance to come

and pick this back up. Do you want it?

Get back in there.

What am I scared of? Failure, I would say.

I hate it. I've failed in a lot of things in life,

but that's the one thing I'm not keen on.

Everyone ready? Go, go, go, go!

That's the biggest fear I have.

You were right on the edge.

Didn't you hand your fucking number in and then come back? Earlier? Yes.

Yeah. Yes. So, you gave it to him, turned around, walking away,

what were you thinking at that point onwards, before he called you back?

I wasn't... I was literally...

In my head, it was, just get to the minibus.

That was all I had in my head, just walk to the minibus.

I just didn't care.

23.

EERIE MUSIC PLAYS

You look tired. I am tired, staff.

I'm pushing to be as far as I can in this course.

I don't think you are. Can I ask why you think that, staff?

Because I don't think that you're pushing yourself physically

or mentally. You do not try hard enough.

You can do a lot more than you're doing now. I know that for a fact.

So, what's letting you down now?

Erm...

I don't know, staff.

Can you remember this morning?

Can you remember handing me your number? Yes, yes, staff.

Why did you hand it to me in the first place?

Just complete, erm...

..lapse of, erm, self trust, I think.

Guard!

He spent most of the course culling the physically weak.

Now, he's moving on to the mental,

so we need to make sure that we're switched on, I think.

It's impossible to really anticipate what they're going to do.

The 12 remaining recruits are split into groups.

One goes to the far side of the base with Ollie and Foxy...

..the other remains with chief instructor, Ant.

Number three, if you had to pick

the two weakest members in this team, who would it be?

27 and 26, staff.

Same question to number eight. 27 and 26, staff.

Same question, number five.

27 and 26, staff.

I went to a secondary school that was an all boys school.

I definitely had people repeatedly trying to get me

and make my life hell and successfully doing so.

Follow me.

I think people were always calling me gay.

I just thought one day, I was like, "Yes, I am."

Start banging them out. Let's go.

And because I was the only one that was out in a school of say, 1,000,

there was this one guy who just really, really went for me

the whole time.

He had a little knife and he was, like, flashing at me

and just things like, I'd be in class and he'd be like,

"I'm going to get you on the way to next class."

Just like, "I'm going to stamp on your head," and stuff like that.

Instilling, like, so much fear.

I think you've just got to keep a level head,

not take things personally, erm... Yeah.

Number 26, stay there. Number 27, come here.

Now that they're down to the recruits they think are strong,

the DS use more extreme tactics to push them even further.

Move faster. You sound like a fucking computer.

Is that what you are? Are you a computer? No, staff.

Are you? That's what you fucking sound like.

Move faster. You heard him.

When we start throwing in the mind games, getting them

out of their comfort zones, you will see a lot of people break.

Hurry up. Shout! Hurry up!

We find a chink within their character that we can exploit.

It's being able to cope with the mental strains

along with the physical fitness.

I cannot take stragglers forward with me.

Do you understand?

Why don't you remove me from the course, if you...?

Why are you asking fucking questions?

Are you the course instructor now, all of a sudden, are you? No, staff.

Are you the fucking course instructor?

Do you want to take my place, do you? No, staff.

No, because you fucking can't. Keep your mouth shut.

You came into my world. I did not come into your world.

If you don't want to be here in my world, then fuck off.

Does that make sense? I do want to be here, staff.

OK, but why are you fucking giving me orders, then?

I'm not, staff. You fucking just did.

You just told me why don't I fucking take you off the course!

Are you calling me a fucking liar? No, staff.

I'm not someone that will be easily beaten down.

One, two, three, four, five, facing that way.

What's wrong, number 27? Why are you crying? I'm not crying.

Stand here. Put your Bergens down.

Look, we've got the fucking chief instructor who thinks

he can take my place.

Ant brings the group deep into the surrounding woods to

a partially submerged tunnel.

When I say, "Go," you'll lead from the front,

down through the water into the tunnel.

As a team, you will move through the tunnel. 27, you will lead this. Go!

Come on, boys.

The recruits haven't been told what their final objective is

or what's at the end of the tunnel.

Move, move, move, move. Go, go, go, go!

Keep working. Guys, get on your arse, it's much better.

Got to try turning round on your arse and push with your legs.

Pretty much every time you go out to do your job,

you're working behind enemy lines.

There is, obviously, fear, because you're going into hostile

environments where you're literally going into areas

where people want to kill you.

Your mind is running at 1,000 miles an hour.

Ah, fuck me!

You're never too sure what's going to happen,

so, that anticipation in itself is going to breed fear of the unknown.

Come on, lads.

Boys? Oh, shit! Boys, there's no way of getting through.

We've got to go back. Fucking hell. All right.

If you want to turn round, if you can't shuffle back,

you're going to have to come to the end and turn round here.

What?

For any SF operator, you have to be used that the situation will change.

It's not a fact of, "This is shit, this wasn't supposed to happen."

"It's OK, this has happened, now let's deal with it

"and get on with the mission."

GUNFIRE

SHOUTING

Come on. Fucking move. Come here. Fucking move.

The tunnel wasn't the real test. Up! Let's fucking go.

Let's fucking go. Move!

Do not open your fucking eyes or I'll kill your whole fucking team.

Up!

The real test, is how the recruits cope with being kidnapped.

Get up! Move! Close your fucking eyes!

Move, move, move, move.

If anyone wants to be a fucking hero...

This is all about losing control and that shock of capture,

when, suddenly, you find yourself in one environment

and now you're completely at the mercy of someone else.

Not having control is petrifying,

absolutely petrifying and I can remember it being done to me.

If you haven't been kidnapped before, even if you know

that it's a training exercise, it's still very scary.

If you don't compose yourself and if you don't get

a grip of yourself, you can go haywire,

you can completely lose the plot and that's when everything goes to shit.

LOUD CLANGING NOISE

LOUD CLANGING NOISE

It's easy to say you should remain calm.

But what you should do, is try and take in as much

information of what is going on around you as possible.

LADDER CLATTERS

The situation awareness. What am I treading on?

Is it hard ground or is it gravel?

How many men were there?

What did the guys sound like? What kind of weapons did they have?

The DS simulate a violent beating with Colin in the role of victim.

My own personal background, coming from, like, a broken home,

some of the beatings I had as a young kid, those

types of things can, from a very early age,

build a mental robustness.

I think my upbringing helped in a lot of ways, in selection.

You know, when I was cold, wet and hungry, it wasn't

somewhere I hadn't been before, when I was rough and thrown about.

I'd been there before, I knew how it felt.

I was comfortable in it without having to enjoy it.

It was somewhere... It was a place I'd been before.

DOG BARKS

I've surprised people in the past about my tolerance for pain.

I know that people are going to be trying to whittle me down,

try and expose my weaknesses, but I have the attitude of,

"Fuck it", and carry on.

So, no matter what you face, you just go, "Fuck it. Let's go."

At the time, it doesn't really make sense

until you're actually out in the theatre of operation.

You think, that's why they do that.

My lower back is fucked.

But enduring the kidnap is not the end of the test...

Man, that was painful. ..for one of the weaker recruits.

26.

I'm going to give you the first question. How many men captured you?

How many men? Four.

OK, how many grenades went off? Two.

How many vehicles were there? One.

How many right turns did you make?

Come on. Six right turns.

Fuck it. That's not even fucking close.

Some of the others were close. That's not even fucking close.

Name me three people on the course weaker than you.

27. One.

It's fucking hard, isn't it?

Erm, there's Matthew. He's number 30.

Weaker than you?

Erm, the third one...

There's two there. Was there two?

We don't have a third. He's the third. Oh, right.

So, basically, he's admitting his fucking gone.

Guard.

Like I say, for a stand-up, for thinking on your feet,

for fucking being clever with words,

this is one area where he could actually be quite strong,

but under pressure, fucking hell. Fucking one wagon?

There was fucking six right turns? What the fuck?

How many right turns to you reckon, when we were thrown in the car?

Were we all in the same car?

Oh, there was two cars, I think, yeah. Oh.

Everyone, get in your PT rig,

get outside on the black line.

Fucking move it!

Now!

It's nearing the end of day five.

The recruits have been physically and mentally pushed since 2am

and now face another physical thrashing.

They have no idea when it will end.

Can you not run? 27, come here.

Can you not run? No, staff.

You physically cannot run? No, staff.

What's wrong with you? My Achilles is fucked.

You will just do the exercise up and down, OK?

'It is hard to define within a few words what it is you're

'looking for,

'but it is definitely people that have got the mental ability'

to sort of push themselves even when they are absolutely knackered.

When you're in the field and you're sort of drained,

it can be scary, but I think you learn to sort of slow everything

down a little bit,

you temper everything to what you're capable of at that moment in time.

Straight to press ups.

Go on, up.

'I haven't got my heart set on being the first person across the line.'

For me, it will just be... It'll be more about just finishing.

I think I used to be more competitive.

Now I'm more like self-assured and I'm OK with not being the winner.

Don't need to be the winner. I just need to do the best that I can do.

Come on! Waddle in!

Get down and waddle in like a proper duck!

Quack-quack!

Along with Anthony, Mick was singled out as weak by his fellow recruits.

I'm not a quitter.

Even with the drinking, you know, I don't say I quit drinking.

I retired.

And people are like, you've just replaced the drinking with running.

What are you running from? You're running from yourself.

I'm like, yeah.

It's the closest thing to smashing yourself up with drugs

and booze, I guess.

It's easier for you to give me your armband. Sir, no staff.

Get waddling.

I want to be alive. I want to feel.

After an hour, most of the recruits are allowed back to the dorm.

But the DS continue to focus on Anthony and Mick.

'In a combat situation, you're not going to get someone there to

'motivate you to push through to the end.

'We want self-motivated people.'

It's your own motivation that will be you through the course.

It's your self that will fail you.

27, come here.

Yes, sir.

What you will do, you'll go back and get changed into your combat rig.

OK? Yes, staff. You will eat some food. Is that understood?

Yes, staff. And you will await the next detail. Yes, staff.

Sorry, staff. Is that understood? Yes, staff.

Off you trot. Thank you, staff.

Oh, mate. How are you feeling, bud?

Just... Soldiering on. Yeah.

Argh! Jesus fucking Christ!

Look at the state of Anthony.

He's lost the plot a bit today.

He's lost it, eh?

Yeah. Physically, he's all there, but he just lets himself down.

He's done really well though cos he's a really soft and gentle lad.

He's done really well. Mm.

This way. Stand against the shutters.

Kneel down. Hands behind your back.

Now that he's made it through the day,

the DS want to find out more about recruit number 27,

Anthony.

27, I can't quite put my finger on you.

You seem like you lack a bit of confidence.

Would I be correct in saying that? No.

I'm wrong? Yes.

So, you're quite an outgoing person, are you?

Not necessarily outgoing, but quietly confident.

You're quietly confident?

Have you got any hobbies?

My work is my hobby now.

And your work is? I'm a professional dancer.

A professional dancer, eh?

You like to dance. What type of dance?

Um...

I've been trained in ballet, contemporary jazz, tap...

Everything really... Ballet...

What made you get in to ballet? What made me get in to ballet? Mm.

Um...

I got kicked out of school.

And that was an opportunity for me to actually think about what

I was passionate about. I got kicked out of school.

I didn't go and fucking jump in a leotard

and throw myself in the fucking splits, you know?

Guard. Head down.

Since day one, the DS have maintained a distance from the recruits,

but they're about to change their tactics.

Everyone, out here.

Oh, banoffee pie. Come on then. Come and get it.

Pudding, lads.

Everyone, out here. Pudding out here now!

It's just your nature, you just suspect everything, don't you?

Even when they're nice, it fucks with your head.

Why are you being nice? Stop being nice!

There's a small step, so I'll let you know when to step.

The DS want to see if the change in their attitude will lead to

any recruits letting their guard down.

Pull up a chair, if you want.

This is not an interrogation. This is not an interview.

This is nothing more than a chat, OK?

It's not a trick, or anything like that. Yes, staff.

Two bags, mic...

You all right?

Yeah. What are you doing?

Just taking in my surroundings, just in case!

Do you want any of this?

Um... Help yourself.

You do surprise me. I can't help it.

I just love chocolate. So do I.

So do I, mate. Can I go for the fruit? Yes, you can.

Course you can. The healthy option.

More sustained energy.

Do you want any of this? No, staff.

I'm going to offer you the chance to make a phone call. OK.

A couple of minutes, just to say hello. I've got your next of kin.

'We put them in to a friendly environment

'and see whether they would actually they would be tempted to make'

that call home cos doing that will trigger so many emotions that

could mean you lose determination to continue on the course.

I'm going to offer you a two minute phone call with him. OK. OK?

Definitely know what it's like, missing your girlfriend,

your family, all that kind of stuff.

I will give you the opportunity to give Natasha a call.

'We're human beings, you know.

'We think about families, we think about loved ones.

'We're not fearless in the sense that we don't have those emotions'

built in.

Are you close to your mum? Yeah.

It's just how we deal with them that gives us the best chance.

Hello, can you hear me?

It's John.

I wanted you to know that I'm all OK.

And that I've got about 48 hours left.

But, yeah, I'm really, really enjoying it.

OK. Bye.

'The right move is not to make the phone call.

'It triggers emotions in you that really should be left at home.'

You're going to have to take it outside cos you can't get

a signal in here. Then you can speak to her.

No, staff. That would make it too easy to quit. To quit? Mm.

What do you mean?

If I talk to her, it'll remind me of the comforts at home and then when

things get tough in the next however many hours, easier to go home.

The 12 remaining recruits now face one of the most intimidating tests

on special forces selection.

I feel like I'm strong

but until I've actually had something that I can't conquer,

I don't really know what my limitations are.

Watch your footing when you come up here.

This dive is about confidence.

You come on to the edge of the board,

you turn around,

put your heels on the end, OK?

And then you will simply fall backwards.

Are you fucking serious?

I was in Afghanistan.

Every time I was going through that door,

that fear drove me through that door because it made me focus even more.

That fear of knowing that I'm in

such a vulnerable and dangerous situation.

Everyone thinks fear is negative. That fear is needed.

'It keeps you alive.'

23, off you go.

'But you can't be seen to show that fear.'

Look forward.

First to attempt the drop is 19-year-old Calvin.

Again, gentlemen, if you do not pay attention to detail,

you will hurt yourself.

Next up - recruit 22, Mick.

I did not ask you to do a backwards somersault.

Recruit number 26 - student Kane starts panicking.

Positive?

Just think about what you're doing first. I know, staff.

You can go over there and have a look. I can't, staff.

I'm sorry.

OK. Thank you, staff. All right. Get your warm kit out of there.

Put your warm kit on.

He quits the course.

When you're dealing with people in the field that

are totally engulfed with fear,

it's a really difficult thing to try and snap them out of,

and you need to remain calm

and not let the situation get a grip of you.

Yes, staff. Fuck!

Concentrate.

You haven't come this far to quit now, have you?

No, staff.

This is where this kicks in. I know this works.

Show me that this works. Is that understood? Yes, staff.

Knees straight.

Go on, Anthony. Go on, Anthony, you've got this. Keep quiet.

Don't look. Backwards.

Go! Go! Go!

Ugh!

Look at me, look at me. Come forward.

Compose yourself and just simply drop backwards

like I showed you.

Fuck! Ugh!

Get some balls about you!

You're going to have a whole team go down

because you can't fucking grab your balls in your hands

and do what's asked.

HE SHOUTS

Good! Next man.

Good work. Get out.

Hands through.

HE SHIVERS

Let's get this hand through. That's it. Turn round to me.

I really appreciate this, guys. That's all right.

I'm OK now. I've got the rest. I've got it. It's fine.

You need to sort yourself out, mate. Thank you so much.

Bring the OP in. Answer me. Yes, staff.

Listen in! Form up here in the assembly area.

The recruits have now completed the first three stages of the course

and are expecting the DS to cut some of them tonight.

It's very clear to us that the

majority of you are struggling mentally.

Cos the stronger members amongst you are crumbling...

..and the weaker members amongst you are so far behind it's unreal.

It's only going to get harder

physically and mentally,

and tomorrow morning we will find out who moves forward

and who doesn't.

No-one is safe at this stage.

Is that understood? Yes, staff!

Away you go.

Ant wants the recruits to have an uncomfortable night's sleep

while he is deciding the final six.

To help him a narrow down the field

and make the decision

he has one final mind game up his sleeve.

Since day one, recruit 15 has kept a deliberately low profile.

Number 15.

Hey, buddy. Are you all right? Nice to see you, man.

The DS have had a man on the inside since the beginning, ex-marine Ross.

He was basically that far from breaking. Was he?

They know they're both probably the weakest pair now

and they were both like that, "Yeah, next time I'm out of it."

And tomorrow they'll use their mole

to tempt the recruits into withdrawing.

As long as he's not last or he's not struggling the most, he won't quit.

Let's see how he gets on tomorrow.

Let's get the dogs out! DOG BARKS

Next time...

There will be a hunter force which is out looking for you.

The longer you can evade capture, the less time you will

spend in captivity and therefore in interrogation.

Behind enemy lines you are there for the guy that's stood

either side of you.

Subtitles by Ericsson