GEORGIA Harrison defied the odds to beat horrific mental torture, sleep deprivation and energy-sapping feats of endurance to complete this year’s Celebrity SAS.
The Love Island star and campaigner was one of only two recruits – the other was New Zealand Rugby ace Lanny Daniels – to pass the process.
7
7
AgricultureThe 29-year-old may have been one of the most stylish celebrities on the show, but that hasn’t stopped her from getting stuck into all sorts of grueling physical tasks, including boxing and a thrilling helicopter crash simulation.
The end result was a battered and bruised body, on which the injuries are worn like a badge of honor.
In an exclusive interview with The Sun, Georgia said: ‘I just felt like I had literally been hit by a train afterwards. Like I was in so much pain, my whole body ached from top to bottom.
“My legs were torn to shreds, I cut my veneers, I was just a complete mess.”
READ MORE AT GEORGIA HARRISON
What often goes unnoticed in the program is the demoralizing effect lugging around a heavy Bergen backpack has on recruits.
Such was her constant heavy presence that Georgia looked upon the interrogations as a release from physical toll.
“We always have 15 kilos on our backs,” Georgia said. “I don’t think viewers are reminded of that, that in this whole experience, you’re actually like putting on weight and it has such a big impact on your body.
“I thought, once I get to the interrogation, it’s going to be a breeze. I’m going to lay on my back for a few hours and you know I’m mentally strong, and I’ll be fine.”
“But that’s actually when the real mental side of it started, because it’s like I’m really thinking about what’s going on when I look at myself, until like the interrogation I kind of smile. It’s like I’m somewhere else. I’m always like having a good time and I think a positive mental attitude helps you get through.
“And then the interrogation part was just yeah, the strongest mental challenge I’ve ever had in my life, to stay strong and keep going. So it was really 50-50, but towards the end it became all mental.”
Before the program, Georgia packed and put on a stone to try to reduce her risk of hypothermia, which is more likely with a lower body fat percentage.
He said: “So I think I probably kept the weight on while I was there, and like every time I got a chance to eat, I would just eat everything i could.
“Well, yeah, if I was to say anything, I probably put on weight and got all worked up, like lifting weights and stuff and eating whatever I could get my hands on.”
The food portions the celebrities received were very good, according to Georgia, ranging from “really good” to the less appealing comparisons to “a********e”.
“It totally depended on whether you were going to win or lose,” he said. “Like if you lost, you could end up with like a packet of this awful pasta and put water in it, but it’s made for astronauts, it’ll probably survive a nuclear war.
“And when you look at it, it’s like 2000 calories and it tastes like the real a******e. So like the food really ranged there.”
7
7
LUXURY LIFE
Just returned to luxury hotel where the cast had been quarantined before they began their two-week ordeal, Georgia made up for lost time and made it food and drink.
“I couldn’t figure out what to do with myself,” she admitted. “I think I had a toddler on my own, which was amazing, then I filled up like a huge bath because the tubs there are beautiful.
“While my bathroom was running, I ordered room service and got a burger, pasta and salad. When the waiter brought my food, he brought me a bottle wine to say congratulations, because he had heard from the others that I had won because they had been to the restaurant and so on.
“So I literally just took a shower and ate my food in the bathroom and drank at least two glasses of wine. And then I slept for about 20 hours.”
Only a handful of new recruits stayed at the hotel at this point, including Bianca Gascogine, Bobby Norris and Ovie Soko, but there was a big reunion in the UK hosted by fellow series star Rachel Johnson, which Georgia described as ‘fun’ .
GIRL POWER
In reflection, Georgia said she always had ambitions to succeed on the show, but there were nagging doubts that she would never make it.
She explained: “I was obviously so happy to go through, but I don’t think it really sunk in how amazing it was and what an honor it was to go through for a couple of days, because I was just completely shocked by what I’d been through.”
But there was more to Georgia than this sheer achievement.
Having become a trailblazer in recent years after her revenge porn ordeal with her incarcerated ex Stephen Bear, Georgia felt she was flying the flag for women in general.
“I definitely feel like I just wanted to show how strong women could be.” he said. “I know the last two years have been like a real turning point in my life where I’ve gained so many female followers, and many of them look to me to feel empowered in themselves.”
The personal transformation he has gone through, from being the victim of a horrible crime in a flag bearer for the fight against revenge porn, it finally gave her the mental strength to keep going when the going got tough.
He said: “I think that’s what makes you more able to cope with things, because you can just compare it to what you know an experience like that and nothing compares to that kind of pain.”
7
7
