SAS: Who Dares Wins star Ant Middleton expressed his grief over the death of his "little brother" Liam Payne, as he got the news while live on air on ITV's Good Morning Britain. The two first got close when they filmed a documentary together. In speaking with hosts Richard Madeley and Kate Garraway, he described Payne's demise as "a tragic loss."
"I was just shocked, I was lost for words to be honest. He was such a positive outgoing guy who I believed just lacked a sense of belonging when he left the band. And when we did our special together in Namibia I could relate with that because when I left the military I sort of lost my sense of belonging."
He continued, reflecting on their brotherly bond,
"We had a great conversation on how that sense of belonging is lost and we try and re-identify ourselves and re-establish ourselves and we became very, very close after that and he would call me. I only lived about an hour away from him so I'd jump in a car and go to his and we'd have lunch and spend some evenings together and we just built that brotherly bond together."
Who is Ant Middleton?
According to his official website, Ant Middleton is a "beloved figure renowned for his mastery of extreme adventure." He's served in the UK's elite forces, such as the Marines, 9 Parachute Squadron, and Special Boat Service. He enrolled in the armed forces at the age of 16 and quickly scaled the ranks.
While there, he served as a point man/lead scout, primary fires operator, and sniper. He eventually bagged a coveted accomplishment in the Special Forces Selection, known as the 'Holy Trinity' of the UK's Elite Forces.
On-screen, Ant Middleton is famous for his work as the Chief Instructor on the hit Channel 4 show SAS: Who Dares Wins, having worked there from 2015 to 2021. The show revolved around an intense, military-style training program. He also had a role on the show Mutiny, an adventure/reality crossover series that debuted in the UK in February 2017.
Middleton served as the boat captain, leading a team of eight volunteer participants. According to the website, the show drew inspiration from Mutiny on the Bounty. However, in March 2021, Middleton was let go from Channel 4 over disputes surrounding his conduct.
Ant Middleton helped establish SAS Australia, where he hosted the show for the Seven Network. He also held the same role for the network's reality adventure show Million Dollar Island. According to his website, he "conquered one of humanity's greatest challenges, scaling the majestic Mount Everest" while filming for the series Extreme Everest.
Ant Middleton's portfolio is diverse, given that he also co-authored a book in 2017, SAS: Who Dares Wins: Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces. He published his autobiography, First Man In: Leading from the Front, in 2018, and his subsequent book, The Fear Bubble: Harness Fear and Live Without Limits, was published in 2019. His third, Zero Negativity, came out in 2020.
According to a report by The Mirror, Ant Middleton and Liam Payne met at the inaugural event of Mark Wahlberg's Wahlburgers restaurant in Covent Garden, London. They filmed a documentary together, which featured them cut off from the outside world and forced to bond over fatherhood, booze, and relationships.
He took to Instagram on Thursday to share a statement,
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"That was some sunset you captured there mate! A talented positive man with a good heart. I’m glad our friendship flourished and that I was someone you could confine in. Your turn to look over me now bro! Luv ya and will miss you sorely… My sincere condolences to @liampayne family during these unimaginable times 🙏🏼💙 #restinpeacebrother."
Liam Payne passed away on Wednesday evening, TMZ reported, after falling off from the third floor of his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The dad of one was 31 at the time. It remains unclear if it was intentional or an accident.
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