While Marnie Simpson has always been a fan of the Channel 4 series – which sees celebs being pushed to their limits by a team of ex-special forces soldiers – the former Geordie Shore star, 32, tells Closer that it was more challenging than she ever could have imagined.
And as if it wasn’t already hard enough, she took part in the gruelling course just 10 months after welcoming her son, Oax, now two, with husband Casey Johnson, 29. Marnie, who is also mum to four-year-old son Rox, explains she was living off very little sleep, struggling with health problems and hadn’t had time to prepare. Here, she tells us all about her experience…
Why did you want to sign up for the show?
I’ve done so many reality shows that involve drinking, arguments and getting with boys during my twenties, so when I reached my thirties, I wanted to challenge myself. But because I’ve done all these stereotypical types of reality shows, I wasn’t prepared for SAS. It took me by surprise how tough it was. Even though I’m a massive fan of the show, I watched it thinking, ‘There’s no way this is 100% real’. I was thinking that in between the challenges they were all getting a cup of tea and a blanket. I was so shocked.
How did you prepare for it?
I found out I was going in three weeks before, so I had no time to prepare at all. I wish I’d taken the show’s advice and trained. They also told us to take a pill to delay our period and, again, I ignored that advice, which I should not have done. That made it even more tough, being on my period, because I was emotional and I felt sluggish.
What did you find the hardest?
I found everything about it hard. I realised I’m quite a negative person. I think the whole thing was scary and terrifying, but it definitely pushed me. You have to be mentally tough, and I’m not as mentally tough as I thought I was.
The show was filmed in New Zealand. How did you feel leaving your young sons?
I was only 10 months postpartum. My son had colic for eight months, so I’d literally not had any sleep for eight months and went off and did the show. I was having health problems with my thyroid from the pregnancy and I’d had a C-section, so there was a lot going on. Because I passed the medical, I was like, ‘I can do this’, and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. But I don’t think I was mentally ready. I think it was too soon after having a baby.
What did your family think?
My mam was really worried. Casey was just like, ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to do this’. They were just concerned and worried for me.
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins will air on Channel 4 every Sunday and Monday from 22 September at 9pm
