SAS Who Dares Wins' Jason Fox on why needing to pay the bills got him a career on TV
Jason 'Foxy' Fox, a former Royal Marine Commando and SBS Sergeant, has spoken of the reason behind his unplanned journey to success on Channel 4's series 'SAS Who Dares Wins' after he was medically discharged from the Armed Forces in 2012.
Now a familiar face on TV, the star of Inside The Real Narcos and Foxy's Fearless 48 Hours spoke with Amy Casey, a broadcaster for BFBS the Forces Station, about how he never planned to make it big on TV.
He said: "I didn't even know what that looked like and basically tripped over it, fell on my face and found myself on telly, which was bonkers, but there we go."
Foxy is also a published author with The Sunday Times Bestseller Life Under Fire and the number one bestseller Battle Scars under his belt.
The veteran's latest show is a US version of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Special Forces: World's Toughest Test, which airs in America from January 2023, will star Britney Spears' sister Jamie Lynn, Scary Spice Mel B, R&B legend Montell Jordan and former White House Director of Communications Anthony Scaramucci among others.
However, the career he has now was never Foxy's ambition while he was serving.
The veteran joined the Royal Marines at 16 and after serving for 10 years, joined the Special Boat Service (SBS) as a special forces soldier.
As a sergeant in the SBS, Foxy took part in many operations including hostage rescues, counter-terrorism, surveillance and counter-narcotic missions.
Speaking with Amy Casey, a BFBS the Forces Station broadcaster, about how to avoid being financially scammed after he became a victim himself, Foxy revealed how the career he has now certainly wasn't planned when he left 10 years ago.
He said: "I got diagnosed with PTSD, got medically discharged, stumbled around the civilian sector wondering what the hell I was gonna do.
"Didn't know what the hell I was gonna do.
"Had a bit of a stinker really, found myself in a dark pit and then managed to claw my way out and genuinely was not looking for a career in media.
"I didn't even know what that looked like and basically tripped over it, fell on my face and found myself on telly, which was bonkers, but there we go."
After leaving the Special Forces, Jason used his military experience to support production crews who were working in environmentally hostile areas, such as the jungle, the Arctic or the desert.
In 2015, Foxy designed the SAS Who Dares Wins course which pushes 20 civilians to their mental and physical limits to see if they have what it takes to join the SAS.
However, according to Foxy, this career path was just as likely as any other because, like many, his life was less about lofty career goals and more about getting his finances in order.
He said: "There was no ambition.
"The only ambition was I needed to pay some bills, so this opportunity presented itself and I was like 'there we go'."
Ten years after leaving the military and transitioning to civvy street, Foxy is still loyal to the Armed Forces community and had this message for BFBS the Forces Station listeners.
He said: "Thanks for everything you do. I hope you're safe, wherever you are. If you're not, try and stay safe and always remember, if you're having issues, go and talk to someone."
If you or someone you know needs support with mental health concerns, you can find relevant information here – forces.net/audiencesupport
Cover image: Jason 'Foxy' Fox arrives to the 2021 GQ Men Of The Year Awards in London (Picture: REUTERS / Henry Nicholls).
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