'I am a Premier League winner who coached Sam Thompson - he was a nightmare'
Sam Thompson was tough to manage during SAS: Who Dares Wins
Channel 4
When former Premier League star Wayne Bridge joined the first cast of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019, he could not have known how difficult it would have been.
Forced into gruelling tests that the British military assigned to create the very best soldiers, it is quite the lifestyle change for many celebs who are used to being pampered head and foot.
And while Bridge would go on to win the inaugural television series, trying to lead a team including reality TV star Sam Thompson made the task even harder.
Speaking to GB News on behalf of Betfair, the former Chelsea star, who won the Premier League in 2004/05, revealed how life was tough during SAS: Who Dares Wins - even when the cameras weren't rolling.
Sam Thompson was problematic on SAS: Who Dares Wins
Channel 4
"It is a lot harder than what you see on the telly because they condense it down to a few hours. You get no sleep, you get beasted more than what you see," the former left-back said.
"For me, it was a good show to do because I've always been big on my fitness.
"I've grown up where if people tell you to do something, you do it.
"Whereas you've got someone like Sam Thompson, who I absolutely love, and I'd say to Sam, 'right, do this'.
"And he'd do something totally different and you'd be like, 'Sam, what the f*** are you thinking'.
"It is a fairly simple thing for me, they tell you to do something, or how to do it, you do it how they told you and physically, I've always trained.
Thompson was often on Bridge's team and was almost always the foil as the former left-back flourished in the difficult situation.
Wayne Bridge won the first SAS: Who Dares Wins - but it was not easy
Channel 4
And while it made for great TV, it was easy to tell that it was taking a toll on the rest of the team.
Thompson, who is quite the cheeky chappy and whose playful personality endeared him to millions on I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here in 2023, was close to tears after being berated by Ant Middleton and his SAS team.
"You are a f***ing maggot of the highest order. It's not a f***ing joke," one army veteran screamed in his face as his team-mates watched on, including Bridge, after messing up one task.
The first series of SAS: Who Dares Wins aired in 2019 and has since been hugely popular
Channel 4
Thompson did not last much longer after that while Bridge went the whole way while the TV series has since become hugely popular and been tried out by a host of celebs since including ex-Tory politician Matt Hancock, former Atomic Kitten singer Kerry Katona and reality TV star Joey Essex.
But while the celebs are put through their paces, including jumping out of helicopters, running up mountains and even being forced to beat each other up, it pales in comparison to what real SAS soldiers have to face.
Bridge added: "They are a different breed and we obviously go through a condensed version which is a piece of p*** compared to what they go through.