Bear Grylls passed SAS selection on second try – no mean feat for this demanding course
"I failed SAS Selection the first time. People don't know that. They just see the headline."
Those words were shared on X by British adventurer and survival expert Bear Grylls, who went on to serve as a reservist with 21 SAS from 1994 to 1997.
But rather than dismissing his failures, the 51-year-old Honorary Colonel of the Royal Marines now says he is proud of them.
The UK Special Forces (UKSF) selection process is widely regarded as one of the toughest in the world's armed forces.
While reservists follow a slightly different pathway, the extreme physical demands and intense psychological challenges of the training remain largely the same.
BFBS Forces News explores the selection processes for 21 and 23 SAS, and the arduous months that follow.
Who Dares Wins
"120 of us lined up on day one," Grylls said. "They told us 'there'll be four of you at the end of this'.
"I got about halfway through. I wasn't fit enough. Strong enough. Smart enough. Good enough."
The pass rate for those attempting to join the SAS, including the reserves, is notoriously low, typically around 10% – and with good reason.
The Aptitude Phase – known as the Hills Phase – is the first stage of selection, taking place in the Brecon Beacons in Wales. Over three weeks, candidates are tested on a series of marches against the clock.
Carrying progressively heavier bergens, this part of the course tests navigation under arduous conditions and will push applicants to their physical and mental limits.
The iconic "Fan Dance" – a name synonymous with pain – is a 24km march conducted during the first week and involves ascents of Pen Y Fan.
Carrying a weight of around 30-35kg plus a rifle, candidates must complete the route in under four hours and 10 minutes.
The phase culminates with the "Long Drag", a 64km trek that must be completed in under 20 hours.
Honing the skills
For those joining the reserves, applicants will undertake a further period of training on the Standard Operating Procedures and Tactics Course (SOPTAC) – an intensive period of instruction and assessment on Special Forces tactics, techniques and procedures.
A demanding phase of an SAS reservist's training, emphasis is placed on individuals quickly learning new skills while under extreme physical and mental pressure.
Upon completion of the SOPTAC, successful candidates aiming to join the regular 22 SAS unit move on to the Jungle Phase in Belize or Brunei, widely regarded as the most demanding stage of the entire selection course.
The next phase tests a candidate's ability to operate and survive behind enemy lines. A touchpoint for all UKSF pathways, Surveillance Reconnaissance, Signals and SERE (Survive, Evade, Resist, Extract) training simulates real-world challenges that can be faced in hostile environments.
Evasion and survival skills are taught and cover a wide spectrum – including bushcraft and camouflage – while resistance to interrogation places candidates under extreme stress, including sleep and sensory deprivation, and stress positions.
The final phase of selection – Continuation Training – equips SAS reserve soldiers with all the core skills required to be considered fully deployable, including Close Quarters Combat.
Both 21 and 23 SAS continue to operate within the same UKSF structure. Beyond serving as a backup, they carry out their own missions and support regular forces, seamlessly bridging civilian life with the demands of elite military service.
Serving for three years with 21 SAS until a major free-fall parachuting accident cut his time short, Bear Grylls acknowledged the path to success into the elite squadron "wasn't a straight line".
"I'm proud of my failures now. I don't run from them. I'd hate people to think I've gone from success to success. That's not success. That's not real," he said.
"It goes down before it goes up. There's only one real failure: giving up."
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