Inside Ant Middleton’s game plan to save himself from financial ruin and recapture TV fame – but all is not as it seems

TEN years ago, Ant Middleton was on cloud nine – he landed his big break on TV after retiring from the army and with it came almost immediate fame and fortune.

Fast forward to today and the has very little to his name – having been axed from show , facing bankruptcy after failing to pay a £1million tax bill and being sued by the MOD. Last week, Ant announced his return to TV – a new “high-octane reality series”, Special Forces Trilogy. But we can reveal his bid to recreate the show’s glory days with his very own rip-off version is not all as it seems.

Ant Middleton is returning to TV – with his very own showCredit: Seven The star almost lost it all when he was axed from SAS: Who Dares Wins in the UKCredit: Simon Jones

It’s been four years since Ant was abruptly axed from SAS: Who Dares Wins over his “personal conduct”, which he later claimed was a “witch hunt”, but he has since moved his family to .

He made a series of problematic comments about the and , which Channel 4 bosses felt didn’t align with their values or views.

Reports also circulated that Ant had been fired after female crew members raised concerns regarding “inappropriate comments” he had made. He denied any knowledge of making such comments.

Since then, a series of financial disasters and highly controversial events, ranging from to being banned as director of his own company, have left Ant blacklisted in media circles.

Undeterred, Ant plans to stand as an independent in the 2028 London mayoral election, and we can now reveal that he is pinning all his latest TV career hopes on a brand-new UAE-based show.

Ant doesn’t just want to claw back his fame – he also wants his fortune.

Insider

A source told The Sun: “Ant has never really let go of what happened with .

“He always claimed he was leaving anyway, but everyone knows he was axed.

“He really believes he’s meant for TV and has been waiting for the perfect comeback.

“Don’t forget, this is the man who really thinks he can be Mayor of London, so he’s sure he can make this work.

“Ant doesn’t just want to claw back his fame – he also wants his fortune.

“He’s hoping that if this works, it will lead to more TV offers and he can finally be back where he thinks he belongs.”

Ant’s upcoming 10-episode series Special Forces Trilogy – which will be narrated by his good friend and The Business actor – has an SAS: Who Dares Wins ring to it.

The programme will see 20 civilian contestants put through elite special forces-style challenges, testing their physical and mental endurance.

Former UK Special Forces soldier and ex-Royal Marines Commando Middleton will front the series, alongside former Special Forces soldier Ollie Ollerton, ex-SAS Operator Jay Morton and former Gurkha Nirmal Purja.

Announcing the show, Ant said in an video: “I will be bringing my SAS franchise to Dubai, so if you think you possess the physical, psychological, and emotional attributes to become the all-round fitness individual on the planet, register now.

“Do not miss out. One course, one winner. Dare to win.”

Ant also explained in the caption that he is “extremely proud” of the new show, which he describes as “so real, raw, challenging and authentic” that viewers will think they’ve been transported back to his TV debut on SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2015.

Despite his enthusiasm, the contestants must be residents of the , and insiders told us Ant’s team is said to be attempting to “manage his expectations” of what he sees as the second coming of his SAS: Who Dares Wins days.

The source added: “People close to Ant are trying to get him to manage his expectations with the new show.

Ant has had a series of money troubles over the last few yearsCredit: Social Media – Refer to Source He has been working in Australia and moved to DubaiCredit: Instagram Ant (centre) and (left to right) Jason Fox, Ollie Ollerton, Jay Morton and Mark Billingham. Ollie and Jay will be working with Ant againCredit: PA

“This is a Dubai-based series, and only for residents of the UAE. It’s unlikely to go global and straight away rules out a huge amount of his followers.”

Ant spent years fighting for his country during his military career in the Marines and the Paras, but the British public now know him best for being axed from SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2021.

The news was a huge dissapointed to his legion of fans, but Ant tried to insist it was his decision, claiming he had “achieved everything I could with the format”.

A Channel 4 spokesperson set the record straight and said at the time: “Ant Middleton will not be taking part in future series of SAS: Who Dares Wins.

“Following a number of discussions Channel 4 and Minnow Films have had with him in relation to his personal conduct, it has become clear that our views and values are not aligned and we will not be working with him again.”

He had been the Chief Instructor on the programme from 2015 until he was let go.

Since his departure, he told The James Smith podcast: “Witch hunt? I never thought that existed until the latest shenanigans with SAS UK.

“Ultimately, people can see through it and know I was pushed before I could jump.”

After Ant’s Who Dares Wins axe, the Middletons relocated to Australia, where he fronted spin-off show SAS Australia: Who Dares Wins, but the last series aired in 2023, and a fifth series is yet to materialise.

Despite this, Australia’s Channel Seven recently confirmed it will be back in a different guise – as SAS: Australia v England, in 2026.

However, it’s yet to be confirmed whether Middleton or co-star Ollerton will return for the show, which will feature former stars Natalie Bassingthwaighte and Ryan Moloney.

Ant did have another Oz-based production in the pipeline, in the shape of The Amazing Race Australia, alongside his brother Dan.

However, it was revealed in April that the pair had been disqualified after Dan allegedly became involved in a heated off-camera argument with twins Luke and Scott O’Halloran.

While Ant wasn’t involved in the spat, he and Dan were removed from the show.

Network 10 said in a statement: “Following a breach of the production’s code of conduct by one contestant, on a day off during production, a team from Australia was disqualified and swiftly sent home.”

‘A lot riding on new show’

A month earlier in the UK, Ant and his wife, Emilie Middleton, were banned as company directors for four years, after his Sway and Starting Limited company failed to pay more than £1 million in tax between 2019 and 2022.

That was despite more than £4.5 million being paid into the company’s accounts from 2020 to 2022.

Ant will be pushing contestants to their limit on his new showCredit: Minnow Films Ant is planning to run for London Mayor in 2028Credit: PA His beloved wife Emilie who has stood by him throughout it allCredit: Alamy

According to the Government website, the Middletons took out nearly £3 million from the company in the form of a director’s loan account by the time the company went into liquidation in December 2022, and Ant agreed to repay £300,000 of the director’s loan as a “full and final settlement with the liquidator”.

Dave Magrath, Director of Investigation and Enforcement Services at the Insolvency Service, said: “Companies not paying the tax they should deprives the government of the money it needs to pay for the country’s defence services, our NHS, schools and universities, and transport systems.

“Ant and Emilie Middleton had legal and financial duties as directors to ensure their company paid the corporation tax and VAT it owed. Instead, they were taking millions of pounds out of the company at that time.”

In May, Ant was forced to offload his sprawling, five-bedroom family home after his business debts left him facing bankruptcy.

He sold his and Emilie’s rural Essex retreat for £1.35 million, after splashing out £1.16 million on the property in 2019 – landing them a near £200,000 profit.

However, the TV tough guy initially advertised the plush pad for £1.5 million.

The forced sale of the couple’s home had been reported in a liquidation update for Ant’s company Sway and Starting, but because it was not a company asset they were free to keep any profit after their £300,000 debt was cleared.

He is of the mindset that he is someone who should be earning a lot of money and he’s determined to do just that.

Insider

Another controversy emerged last month, when the (MoD) announced they were suing Ant over an alleged breach of contract.

The High lawsuit claims he broke a non-disclosure agreement – but former Special Boat Service sniper Ant has vowed to use the legal action to “fortify” his running for Mayor of London.

When asked on X if him being sued by the MoD is “the beginnings of an establishment takedown”, he replied: “The people have clicked on straight away!

“Their timing gives this whole circus away! I will use it to my advantage. This has just fully fortified my running for London Mayor and why I and the people must make this happen!”

When a social media user wrote to Ant: “And the Government smear campaign begins,” he replied: “Overtly yes, covertly for a few months now! Fear not Chris, I’m super proactive and am always 2-3 steps ahead. No change, no change! The mission remains the same… An Independent Mayor of London.”

While Ant is desperate to take control of London in the future, he and his family fled to Dubai last year.

The TV star has since admitted it was a “no-brainer” to relocate to the UAE, for the sake of his children’s safety.

He told The Sun: “The children are safer in Dubai with what’s going on in the UK at the moment with knife and gun and muggings.

“It’s cleaner, the education is good, there’s loads of opportunity here, so it was a no-brainer.”

Ant – who served four months of a 14-month sentence in 2013, after he assaulted two officers outside an Essex nightclub – is clearly hoping to clean up London’s streets in the future, but he has a new TV series to focus on first, and he will be desperate to avoid any further career controversies in Dubai.

The insider added: “A lot is riding on Ant’s new show.

“He is of the mindset that he is someone who should be earning a lot of money, and he’s determined to do just that.

“And he won’t want any more controversies to affect his Mayor of London bid.”

If he will manage to keep a clean slate and get his new show off the ground remains to be seen. One thing’s for sure though – Ant’s natural survival instinct and ability to fight means he won’t be giving up anytime soon.