C4 TELL ANT: IT WASN’T BANTER

Channel slaps down SAS star’s TV claim, blaming sacking on his off-screen conduct

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 losing his job.

The broadcaster’s statement came hours after Ant admitted he had made inappropriate comments while filming hit series SAS: Who Dares Wins – 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 ex-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’.

“I wanted to part in a healthy way and in a positive way. And they knew I was going. And all of a sudden they dropped this bomb... [that] I’ve been axed.

“Ultimately what they’re doing they’re protecting their brand.

“The course is a hardcore course. It’s gritty, you’re going to see inappropriate things. PC patrol have kicked in, the woke patrol have kicked in, to the point where we can’t say anything.” He also

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is suggested the “inauthentic” show was not close enough to real military life.

But yesterday Channel 4 said it was Middleton’s conduct filming two series in 2020 that had been unacceptable, not just jokes he made as part of the show.

It said: “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 and is not related to his on-screen persona.”

A spokesman for Middleton refuted the allegations, claiming he is “always disciplined and utterly professional”.

Earlier this week, Channel 4 had already made it clear it did not foresee working with Middleton again.

Middleton previously faced a backlash over comments he made about Black Lives Matter protests and Covid.