A handful of celebrities bowed out of the competition on Monday night, while one was forced to leave
One star was forced to leave the Channel 4 show immediately (Image: Channel 4)
A Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins contestant was left in tears after being medically withdrawn from the programme. The gruelling Channel 4 show kicked off with 14 well-known personalities attempting a scaled-back version of Special Air Service selection training.
In an unexpected format change, this year’s series has divided participants into Team UK and Team Australia. However, both squads suffered losses during Monday’s (January 12) episode, with several celebrities departing after merely four days.
Team UK saw the exit of social media stars Jack Joseph and Cole Anderson James, who both confessed they were unable to continue with the challenges.
Meanwhile, Australian actor Axle Whitehead, 45, was forced to withdraw from the contest. The Home and Away star sought medical attention after experiencing numbness in his arm, reports OK!.
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The programme’s chief medical officer, Dr Laura, examined Axle’s condition, enquiring whether he was experiencing pins and needles in his arm. Following the actor’s confirmation and a physical assessment, she reached her conclusion.
“Okay, so we’ve got neck pain. We’ve got numbness and tingling in this arm and you’ve got reduced power in [the other arm],” she explained, before concluding: “We can’t keep you in, we’re going to have to medically withdraw you.”
The actor immediately became emotional and appeared devastated by the news.
Prior to his departure from the show, the television personality had discussed his medical history. “About 10 years ago I went for a Thai massage and ruptured a disc.
“I had to have three operations on my back and it’s been a long journey to get back to my former self,” he explained.
Axle continued: “I had no idea what it’s like to live with chronic pain until I went through it. It affects every part of your body. But the psychological aspect, that’s probably toughest.”
The Australian star admitted that the injury left him worried he might never run again, causing him to lose his self-assurance. However, it appears SAS has helped rebuild his confidence.
Prior to the programme being broadcast, Axle described his time on SAS as “life changing”. He told Channel 4: “For me, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins was a life changing experience and I don’t say that lightly.
“It redefined my relationship with fear and resilience. I have never been pushed to those limits in my life. It gave me back my confidence that I’d lost over the last few years.
“The sense of comradery and laughter within the group is something I’ll treasure for the rest of my life. I’d do it again in a heart beat!”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is streaming now on Channel 4
