John Barrowman quits Celebrity SAS in record time leaving viewers unimpressed
As reality television goes, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is notoriously the hardest, both emotionally and physically.
And by the sounds of things, the 2024 instalment is tougher than ever, after one big-name star - none other than musical icon John Barrowman - quit the series in record time this week after just half an hour.
The fan-favourite series - led by Royal Marine Commando, Jason Fox - sees A-list stars put their physical and mental capabilities to the most extreme of tests in a bid to raise money for cancer.
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The series sees them endure a quasi-military training, where they're dragged through hostile and unforgiving warfare environments.
The Doctor Who favourite - who played Captain Jack Harkness in the much-loved sci-fi series - appeared during Sunday night's opening episode (22 September) alongside several fresh-faced stars.
Within minutes of the gruelling armed-forces survival series kicking off, however, and the 57-year-old was later seen vomiting.
He then threw in the towel after just 32 minutes, saying: "I just… it’s not for me, I know who I am and what I’m about, it’s not for me.”
Barrowman also declined medical assistance, as he told Mark Billingham: "No… I’m done."
Speaking to The Sun this week, the actor lifted the lid on his reason for quitting.
Barrowman explained to the publication that he had eaten some vegan food, adding: "I would never eat tofu in my life, but you're so hungry, you just eat it."
On top of that, Barrowman also complained about the subsequent two-hour long car journey through the desert, which he says gave him severe motion sickness.
He said: "Then it was projectile vomit everywhere and the tofu came up. I thought, 'I'm not going to make myself ill or hurt myself in order to try to prove something that I don't need to prove'."
Some viewers were left disappointed by Barrowman's efforts on the show, however.
Taking to social media, one penned: "I hope John Barrowman wasn’t paid for that pathetic effort," while another went on to ask, 'Already?!?!' when it was announced that he'd quit.
A third said: "That was totally weird – John Barrowman threw up multiple times and then said “this is not what I’m about” as he quit – what was that all about?"
An excruciating interrogation by officers also sees the stars reflecting on the highs and lows of life in the spotlight.
In Barrowman's case, he recalled being accused of 'flashing' co-stars on the set of Doctor Who, claiming he was saddened by implications he was a 'sexual deviant'.
"The press made the allegation that I was going around putting my d*** on everybody’s shoulders," he said. "Having that happen to me ruined me, but this course is going to help me push through this and I want people to see the kind of person that I really am."
He said he would 'do something stupid' if he was 'being stupid', adding he would 'shake and waggle or I might do a scene where I might have one of my bollocks hanging out'.
He continued: "The press made it out that I was a sexual deviant. We’ve all done stupid things and silly things, but what’s been said about me will never go away now."
Topics: Celebrity, TV And Film, Reality TV, Channel 4, UK News
Rhianna Benson