To say that SAS Australia shocked viewers this year would be an understatement.
Gathering a slew of varied ‘celebrities’, both loved and… well… not so loved, the reality show’s premise pitted each of them against their biggest fears, testing their strength and casting doubt on themselves and their mental and physical abilities.
Yep, the show really didn’t do things by halves as the cast tackled a version of the real life selection process posed to SAS recruits.
Which is why as it finally comes to an end, we’re frankly in awe of the winners who made it through.
Of course, some of the show’s twists were expected – the likes of PR maven Roxy Jacenko and convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby quit the show early doors as the reality of the gruelling challenges were laid bare.
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But some genuinely surprised and impressed us to no end.
Former Miss Universe Australia and model Erin McNaught proved her immense determination and strength by lasting almost the whole way through, while the ever-brave Sabrina Frederick was just as quick on the show as she is on the AFLW field – another standout star from the reality tv show.
But in the end, only a few went the distance, and as the final challenge was posed to the celebs in the grand finale, the toughest came through.
Who won SAS Australia 2020?
The winners of SAS Australia 2020 were former rugby player and 2018 Bachelor Nick Cummins, Aussie comedian Merrick Watts and AFLW player Sabrina Frederick.
The three celebs made it through weeks of rigorous tasks involving freezing temperatures, mental torture and genuine physical injuries.
Also making it to the end was James Magnussen, but ultimately, he fell short via the staff’s decision, who made a call based on how real life SAS recruits would be selected.
Merrick Watts, Sabrina Frederick and Nick Cummins made it to the end of SAS Australia.
(Channel Seven)The finale tested the final five recruits, which also included rally car driver Molly Taylor, in a mentally demanding challenge involving an intense interrogation between being bound and blindfolded in a freezing cold room.
Molly ultimately pulled out of the challenge (a feat we really can’t blame her for, it was tough to watch, let alone experience).
Nick, Merrick, Sabrina and James pushed through.
The recruits were pushed to their uppermost limits.
(Channel Seven)Eventually, the recruits found out if they’d made it through, with the winning three embracing and whooping as they discovered they’d seen out the selection process, as well as now being free from the tough restraints of the course.
And what’s the first thing to do when one is liberated from such a place? Merrick told Now To Love he and James made a very deliberate pit stop on their drive back home from the set – McDonalds.
“We went straight to Maccas and had a massive thickshake. That was definitely the first thing we did when we left,” he said.
Now three months post-filming, Merrick said it’s taken a while for his body to recover.
“I still have some niggling injuries. I had two fractured ribs and impact damage on my back.
“The thing that is unseen from a viewers perspective is we have completely exhausted our bodies and actually changed the physiology of bodies because they’ve gone into a survival mode. We lost muscle and became very skinny.”
Yep, it was nothing short of gruelling – but while the physical effects might linger, the tough winners have learned that physical is only so important – one’s mind is where the real strength lies.
Want more on SAS Australia? Check out the stories below!
Tough as old footy boots: Sabrina Frederick is the real hero of SAS Australia – and it’s obvious why
https://www.nowtolove.com.au/celebrity/tv/sas-erin-mcnaught-almost-died-65937
Where exactly is SAS Australia filmed? This explains why you’re always seeing the celebs shivering
SAS Australia’s Ant Middleton spills on what he REALLY thought of the recruits
