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SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ollie Ollerton admits doing the show 'saved' him

He's one of the show's instructors

Author: Emma DoddsPublished 2nd May 2019

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins star Matthew 'Ollie' Ollerton has opened up about how taking part in the show 'saved' him after leaving the military. The 48-year-old, who stars on the show alongside Ant Middleton, opened up about struggling with alcohol after leaving the Special Forces.

He explained that he'd "underestimated" returning to the "real world" after leaving the military, saying, "When you are behind the wall, in the military and the Special Forces, you think you are invincible."

He continued, "You think you are going to rule the world when you come into civvy street... For me it was a struggle for 10 years. I bounced round the world trying to find my purpose but it wasn’t out there, I had to look within to find it."

Ollie, whose real name is Matthew 'Ollie' Ollerton, has written all about his alcohol struggles in an autobiography entitled 'Break Point', and spoke out about the problems he faced with drink, "I used that to stop the chatter that was going on. It wasn’t a good place to be in."

Camila Cabello

Real name: Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao

SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ollie Ollerton admits doing the show 'saved' him
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Camila Cabello

Real name: Karla Camila Cabello Estrabao

Thankfully, joining the show helped him to turn his life around, "I saw how powerful the show was. When Foxy went on national TV and talked about PTSD, it caused a ripple effect. I wanted to give it the best shot, so I cut drinking out for series two and by the time I got to the end of the filming, I felt really good.

"I thought, 'Why go back to that?' I do have a drink now but I am in control. The only way I could do that then was to sever drink. I am in a good place. The book has taken 48 years to write, it’s been 48 years in the making... It’s been a journey."

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