Former Royal Marines solider Ant Middleton has broken his silence after it emerged he's been dropped by Channel 4, meaning he will no longer take part in popular show SAS: Who Dares Wins.
News broke last night (Monday 1 March) that Ant would no longer be working with the channel, with a spokesperson for Channel 4 telling the Mirror, "Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.
“Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.”
Not long after the statement, 40-year-old Ant revealed to his social media followers that it's time to "move on".
He wrote, "After 5 incredible years I’ve decided it’s time to move on from SAS Who Dares Wins UK. Big respect to my fellow DS – it’s been a journey I’ll never forget. Thanks to everyone that took part and made the show what it is. Really excited about the future and what’s coming this year."
The former Chief Instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins later shared another message with fans, simply writing, "Stay positive."
CHECK OUT the rumoured line-up for Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins rumoured line-up
1 of 13AJ and Curtis Pritchard
Celebrity brothers AJ and Curtis Pritchard are reportedly set to make history as the first ever sibling duo on Celebrity SAS. It's claimed that Curtis, who rose to fame on Love Island in 2019, and AJ, best known as a former professional dancer on Strictly, "want to show they are more than just two good-looking lads and can get properly stuck in".
2 of 13Maisie Smith
Having played Tiffany Butcher-Baker on EastEnders on and off since 2008, Maisie Smith quit her soap role earlier this year. Fans are waiting for her next TV appearance, which is believed to be Celebrity SAS, with bated breath.
3 of 13Pete Wicks
Essex lothario Pete Wicks rose to fame on TOWIE after joining the cast in 2015, but will he fare as well on Celebrity SAS as he does with the ladies of Brentwood?
4 of 13Calum Best
There's not many shows Calum Best hasn't been on - Love Island, Celebrity Big Brother, Celebrity Ex on the Beach and Celebs Go Dating to name but a few - and now he's rumoured to be adding Celebrity SAS to his extensive resume.
5 of 13Dwain Chambers
Dwain Chambers is one of the fastest European sprinters in racing history but faced a major career setback in 2004 when tested positive for a banned substance. His lifetime ban from the Olympics was overturned in time for him to compete at London 2012.
6 of 13Ashley Cain
Ashley Cain is a former professional footballer turned reality star who has appeared on the likes of Ex on the Beach and The Challenge. Earlier this year, he raised £1.5million to fund specialist treatment for his daughter Azaylia who tragically passed away in April.
7 of 13Jonathan Broom-Edwards
After winning gold in at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020, high jump star Jonathan Broom-Edwards is set for another major challenge.
8 of 13Ferne McCann
First Time Mum and former TOWIE star Ferne McCann was reportedly top of producers' wish list for the upcoming series so we could see her put through her paces very soon.
9 of 13Fatima Whitbread
Legendary athlete Fatima Whitbread is one of only two women in history to have thrown the old style of javelin further than 75 metres, but is perhaps best known these days for getting a cockroach stuck up her nose on I'm A Celeb in 2011.
10 of 13Shannon Courtenay
Also known as The Baby Face Assassin, boxer Shannon Courtenay is certainly made of strong stuff having knocked out three opponents in her last eight fights. She also held the WBA female bantamweight title earlier this year but was stripped of her belt after failing to make weight in time for her match with Jamie Mitchell.
11 of 13Amber Gill
After winning Love Island back in 2019, will Amber Gill be as successful on Celebrity SAS? And how will she react to reuniting with Curtis Pritchard?
12 of 13Jade Jones
Jade Jones is no stranger to reality TV, having previously taken part in Celebs Go Dating, but she's best known as an Olympic Taekwondo champion.
13 of 13Jennifer Ellison
Legendary soap star Jennifer Ellison, best known for her role on Brookside, hasn't been seen on our screens much since appearing on Dancing On Ice in 2012, so it's about time she made a comeback.
A number of famous faces were quick to comment on Ant's post, singer Olly Murs wrote, "Gutted 😢 SAS won’t be the same without ya!," with former footballer Wayne Bridge adding, "Good luck for what’s next geez not that you need 💪🏻 loved the show from day one you will be missed."
Hollyoaks star and former SAS: Who Dares Wins contestant, Nikki Sanderson, then added, "It was an honour and a privilege to be able to be a part of SAS Who Dares Wins, an honour to be lead by you and the other 4 incredible staff. You will be missed. Wishing you all the best for the future! xx."
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The decision by Channel 4 comes just months after Ant was forced to apologise after making comments about the Black Lives Matter campaign, as well as backtracking on comments he made regarding Boris Johnson's self-isolation scheme during the height of the coronavirus pandemic last year.
Ant first appeared on SAS: Who Dares Wins when the show first hit our TV screens back in 2015. The former solider has since appeared in every series as the Chief-instructor, as well as a number of celebrity specials.
He's also fronted a number of other shows such as Mutiny and Escape, as well as documenting his climb of Mount Everest in 2018 on his show Extreme Everest with Ant Middleton.
It's thought that Ant will still appear on the next series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, which was filmed last year, but Channel 4 are yet to confirm if future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins will go ahead without him.