SAS: Who Dares Wins latest: Ollie Ollerton reveals how the Special Forces shaped him

Not a lot of people know this, but I’m very good at… DJing. I’m currently sitting in my little DJ room that I built in lockdown. I love deep house music. I have a little mix at the weekends. 

My best friend is… Foxy [his SAS: Who Dares Wins co-star Jason Fox]. I’m saying that as he isn’t here, usually we’re together. I’ve known him for so long and we think the same. He’s always there for me. Even if we’re apart I’ll always get a text asking if I’m OK. He’s always there to support me and just check in. 

My nickname is… You’d be better off asking someone else. Chimp is what a lot of people call me. Ollie the chimp. Batchimp is what Foxy calls me. Don’t ask. 

The bravest thing I’ve ever done was…rescuing kids who’d been trafficked in Thailand. I funded it with my own money, planned the operation, and it was the first time I’d done something without weapons. On one of the raids we managed to save 20 children. 

My favourite TV show is… SAS: Who Dares Wins, of course. Not that I watch it. I’m there living it. But I like the depth and power of what it does to people. The human psychology of it is really inspirational. 

My perfect evening is…. sitting by the fire – I am addicted to my log burner – while watching a decent film or series. I loved Ozark on Netflix. Now I’m watching The Last Kingdom. Brilliant. 

The best thing my parents taught me was… a hard day’s work on my father’s side. Although often I was treated more as an employee than a son, but I learnt good lessons. My mother taught me compassion. 

I’d like to say sorry to… How long do you have? Probably my first real girlfriend up in Scotland. My first true love. She deserves that. 

The one thing I’d change about myself is… my ears. And I’d like to learn to find balance. Although my days in the Special Forces are behind me, I’m still an extremist. I need to learn to relax. 

The last time I cried was… yesterday when I hit my finger doing some DIY. Nah, I’m joking. But there’s a tiny tear regularly during films. I cry all the time. 

The first record you ever bought…I Found Lovin’ by The Fatback Band. 

It’s not good for my image, but I like… chocolate. I have a sweet tooth. Dairy Milk Fruit & Nut is my favourite. 

 

My greatest weakness is… chocolate. 

If I could pass any law, it would be…that all veterans who have done a certain amount of time don’t have to pay any tax. 

I drive… I have 10 cars. A lot of them need work, but I have a lot. My favourite is my motorbike, a 1971 CB750 custom Cafe Racer. It’s amazing. 

A shop I can’t walk past is… Hugo Boss. I can’t walk past any shop that sells designer clothes. 

The most expensive thing I’ve ever splashed out on is… my motorbike. 

My favourite place in Britain is…Shropshire. It has a low population and it’s so beautiful, lush and green. 

My last holiday was… New Zealand just before lockdown. It was for work but I had time for fun. We went to Costa Rica, too, and I did ayahuasca [a brew with hallucinogenic properties], which changed my life. I hope to do it again soon. Amazing. 

My perfect Sunday is… I have to have a roast dinner. I like to do some housework then sit by the fire and watch TV. 

I’m currently reading… an amazing book called Battle Ready by Ollie Ollerton. 

The best day of my life was… the day
I passed the Royal Marines training and my mum was there to see me. 

If I had half an hour left on Earth, I would… head to the top of a mountain with my dog Murphy. 

Ollie’s book, Battle Ready (Blink Publishing, £20), is out now. 

source: express.co.uk