1 DESERT HEAT

The World War Two drama telling the true story of the creation of the Special Air Service (SAS) is set in Egypt and Libya, yet most of the desert scenes were actually shot on location in Morocco. Producer Stephen Smallwood had hoped to film there early in 2022, but delays caused by the country’s strict COVID-19 protocols meant they couldn’t begin until June.

‘Filming in the desert at the height of Morocco’s summer was madness,’ says Stephen, as he joins TV Times for an exclusive interview. ‘If you are out in the sun in 50°C heat carrying a camera or a sound boom for more than 15 minutes, you’re likely to pass out.

‘We had so many cast and crew suffering from heatstroke during the shoot and one of the Moroccan crew members collapsed and was unconscious for 20 minutes. We had two doctors with medical crews and ambulances following us wherever we went, to revive people.’