IT WASN’T BANTER, C4 BOSSES TELL ANT
Telly chiefs defend decision to axe Who Dares Wins star
CHANNEL 4 have hit back at Ant Middleton’s claim he has been axed for “military banter” on set – by insisting his “conduct off camera” was to blame for him losing his job.
The broadcaster’s statement came hours after Ant admitted he had made inappropriate comments while making hit series SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2020 – but said it was all part of the show.
In an explosive interview on Good Morning Britain, Middleton, 40, addressed his exit and admitted to “butting heads” with production staff.
Asked about a report yesterday of complaints by female crew about “inappropriate comments”, the former Special Forces soldier said: “There’s a new protocol that came in... that if they feel offended, or they want to complain, they can complain anonymously. So it’s obviously something that they’ve seen... a bit of military banter, they’ve seen a bit of military humour and they really felt offended.”
Turning his anger on show makers Minnow Films and Channel 4, he added: “It’s all smoke and mirrors. From the last episode of SAS: Who Dares Wins, it became a half-scripted sort of reality show.
“Full control was taken for health and safety. And after that show, I said, ‘I’m not going to film any more, I’m done with SAS: Who Dares Wins’.”
But the channel 4 statement revealed: “Our decision not to renew Ant Middleton’s contract and not to work with him again was solely based on his personal conduct off camera.”
A spokesman for Middleton refuted the allegations.
SERVES FOUR INGREDIENTS ● 3 medium size sweet potatoes (roughly 1kg) peeled and cubed ● 1 large red onion, diced ● 2 cloves of garlic, minced ● 3cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped ● 1 tbsp of olive oil ● 40g of salted peanuts and extra for garnish ● 1.5 tbsp of curry powder ● 1 tsp of cumin powder ● 1 tsp of chilli flakes (easy to take out if you don’t like spicy) ● 1 tbsp of smooth peanut butter ● 400ml of coconut milk ● 250ml of veg stock ● 400g of tinned chickpeas, drained and rinsed ● Juice of 1 lime ● Salt and black pepper 1 Heat your olive oil up in a large cooking pot or cast-iron pot. Add your onion, garlic and ginger with a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Cook on a medium heat for 5 minutes until the onions are soft. Then add your 40g of salted peanuts and mix through. 2 Add your peeled and cubed sweet potato alongside your curry powder, cumin powder and chilli flakes. Coat the sweet potato well in the spices then add the coconut milk and peanut butter, making sure to melt the peanut butter into the coconut milk. 3 Add the rinsed chickpeas, the lime juice, another pinch of salt and pepper and the veg stock. Stir well to combine and pop the lid on. 4 Cook on a medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure the chickpeas stick to the base of your pan. Serve with rice, fresh coriander and chopped peanuts.
THERE aren’t many of us who’d find it easy talking to family about death. But it’s reassuring to know that discussing your funeral plans with loved ones can ultimately be a comfort to them.
For when a relative passes away, it’s often a consolation to those left behind that they were able to fulfil their final wishes. That’s why it’s so important to let others know what you’d like for the service and so on.
And talking and planning early means you can choose a truly personalised funeral that reflects you and your unique character.
Planning ahead also means you can take care of funeral costs – which spares grieving relatives extra distress at a difficult time.
Raegan Drew, a funeral director for Co-op Funeralcare, says it’s important to normalise the subject, so speaking about death now can really help. It can also be heartening to know you’ve taken a lot of worry away from those close to you.
“Even knowing what song someone might like to be played can be a great help to a person who is grieving,” says Raegan. “Feeling they’ve been able to do something for the person who has passed away can bring them some peace of mind.
“It’s the same for those who come to discuss their funeral plan with us. It’s not morbid; we have a cup of tea and a chat, and I think they leave feeling relieved that everything is sorted.”
Planning ahead can be simple with Co-op Funeralcare. You can organise and pay for your funeral in advance. There is a choice of four fixed funeral plans along with a tailored plan for your individual requirements. With this bespoke plan, it’s possible to choose elements that reflect your personality and interests in life, allowing others to more easily celebrate the life someone has led as well as mark their passing. Arrangements can be kept simple, or there are more elaborate choices for those who want to decide on everything – from floral tributes and orders of service to the type of coffin and the route of the cortege. Whichever you decide, it gives you peace of mind that your loved ones are protected from rising funeral costs and saved from making difficult decisions when you’re gone. And it makes sure that your funeral is exactly how you want it to be.
So remember, it’s OK to talk about death and start planning your funeral now.
‘It gives you peace of mind that your loved ones are protected from rising funeral costs’
FOUR of STV News’ most familiar faces are about to reveal if they are as bright as they look.
News at Six anchor John MacKay, weatherman Sean Batty, reporter Laura Boyd and sports presenter Chris Harvey will take part in an online pub quiz – titled
Are You Smarter Than An STV Presenter? – which is being hosted live on Facebook tonight.
They will compete against each other – and hundreds of other Scots – to raise money for the STV
Children’s Appeal in partnership with The Stayin’ Inn.
A nervous John joked: “History, geography, philosophy… I know nothing about any of them.
“But given that news anchors are among the most trusted people in society, who is going to argue with my answers if I say them with anchorman authority?”
The event is free but quizzers are encouraged to take part in an online raffle, with proceeds going to the STV Children’s Appeal.
The quiz begins at 9pm at facebook.com/thestayininn