The brutal reality of SAS Australia: The Biggest Loser’s Shannan Ponton experienced panic attacks and memory loss during the gruelling challenges
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Former Biggest Loser trainer Shannan Ponton was completely out of his comfort zone during the gruelling challenges on SAS Australia.
But some of the 46-year-old’s most brutal experiences on Seven’s military-style show likely won’t be shown on television.
Speaking to Woman’s Day on Monday, Shannan said he ‘blacked out’ and lost large chunks of memory during the physically and mentally draining tasks.
The brutal reality of SAS Australia: Biggest Loser trainer Shannan Ponton experienced panic attacks, memory loss and was stripped NAKED by celebrity co-stars when out cold
The father-of-three told the magazine he had panic attacks, memory loss and a ‘psychological meltdown’ during filming.
Shannan said he first experienced memory loss on the show after falling into Lake Jindabyne from a helicopter in the very first episode.
‘Your eyes and vision go weird, then my hearing went and then I just blacked out,’ he recalled, explaining things ‘go psychedelic’ before losing consciousness.
The trainer likened the experienced and sensation to running low on blood sugar while workout out to exhaustion.
‘Your eyes and vision go weird, then my hearing went and then I just blacked out’: Shannan said he first experienced memory loss on the show after falling into Lake Jindabyne from a helicopter in the first episode
‘It ended up with me having to be stripped naked by my fellow recruits and dressed in warm clothes’: Shannan (far left) said one of his memory loss moments lasted longer than one hour and resulted in leaning on his celebrity co-stars
Shannan said one of his memory loss moments lasted longer than one hour and resulted in leaning on his celebrity co-stars.
‘It ended up with me having to be stripped naked by my fellow recruits and dressed in warm clothes. That day there was a blizzard and the wind chill factor would have been in excess of -10 degrees – absolutely freezing,’ he confessed.
Actor Firass Dirani, who is locked in a feud with Shannan at the moment, previously referenced Shannan’s ‘memory loss’ in a comment to Daily Mail Australia.
‘He lost his memory and doesn’t even remember this’: Actor Firass Dirana, who is locked in a feud with Shannan at the moment, previously referenced Shannan’s ‘forgetting’ how he helped him during hypothermic shock in a comment to Daily Mail Australia last week
Last week, the House Husbands star unleashed a blistering response to former Biggest Loser trainer Shanna, branding his behaviour on-set as ‘juvenile’.
‘Who the f**k is he to tell me how to act? I wasn’t there to be compliant or hide. Or be a sheep. I went there to be me, and I didn’t fit into the construct of who he thought I needed to be,’ Firass raged.
‘It’s utter hypocrisy coming from him, who got hypothermia – right next to me on a beach – and was shaking so uncontrollably hard it was almost impossible for him to utter the words “help”. But he eventually turned as he was convulsing, and asked for “Helllpppppp” and I then wrangled and assisted “Mr strong PT” in getting his gear together because he couldn’t use his hands and was going into hypothermic shock.’
‘He lost his memory and doesn’t even remember this. This the “juvenile” he is talking about?’ Firass added.
The men have since escalated their feud, with Shannan likening Firass’ behaviour to a ‘sociopath’, while Firass hit back by calling the trainer a ‘redneck’.
SAS Australia continues Monday from 7:30pm on Channel Seven
Tune in: SAS Australia continues Monday from 7:30pm on Channel Seven