Simone Holtznagel knows a thing or two about reality TV shows set in the wilderness. Though, she admits, she was much more prepared for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! than she was for SAS: Australia.
WATCH: SAS: Australia first look
The 28-year-old model says last year’s Sydney lockdown played a major part in her decision to sign up for SAS. After spending so much time indoors, Simone wanted to “challenge myself and take myself out of my comfort zone.”
She certainly did, with the contestants facing brutal challenges early on in the season. Within the first 48 hours alone, recruits were set alight, almost drowned and made to conquer a fear of heights. Simone also fell off the boat and into the water “within the first minute of arriving” on the show – which wasn’t great, since she admits to struggling with confidence in the water.
And then there were the tough living conditions at base camp, where recruits retire to eat, sleep and “refresh” themselves after a long day of being screamed at by the Directing Staff.
It’s no wonder Simone describes her experience on the show as “tearful.”
“I knew it was going to be difficult, but it was just so real. I don’t think I was prepared for how overwhelming it would be,” the model says in her official statement about SAS.
“It surprised me just how real the experience was. It’s unlike anything I’ve been involved with production-wise. There was no interaction with anyone besides the DS and other recruits. It was really difficult to be surrounded by crew and not be able to speak to anyone.”
In a new interview with The West Australian, the star also said she was probably a little naïve about what she was signing on for.
“When they asked if I wanted to be a part of the show, it was when we were in the midst of lockdown so I thought it would be a great challenge and something to work towards,” she told the publication.
“I just looked at it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I really shot myself in the foot in doing SAS… when I did I’m A Celeb, I did absolutely everything, like I didn’t even second guess anything.
“But this time around, doing SAS, I did doubt myself a lot. But I think that’s just because, you know, I was very much out of my comfort zone, out of my league. And obviously, a lot of people were actual athletes, which I am most definitely not.”
Simone’s not the only one who struggled with the course, which consists of mostly water-based challenges this season.
“Water is a fear that many people experience,” Chief Instructor Ant Middleton reveals. “This might be associated with the shock of cold water immersion, the fear of drowning or the sheer power of the sea. Incorporating water into our tasks is an effective tool to face these fears and learn to manage our response.
“With each season I try to switch things up; that way, the participants will never know what they are coming into. This isn’t some yoga retreat where you go find yourself. It’s going to be a harsh, brutal lesson from day one.”
READ NEXT: How Anna Heinrich trained for SAS Australia
According to DS Ollie Ollerton, the 2022 recruits have it tougher than ever before.
“This is psychological warfare from the DS and also self-created by the recruits. This season is brutal from the ground up,” he says. “The recruits’ accommodation is grim, the tasks are incredibly challenging and the finale is epic.”
SAS: Australia premieres Monday, February 21, 7:30pm on Channel Seven and 7Plus.
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