SBS hero to meet fans at book shop in city

A SPECIAL forces hero, who has hosted his own television programme, will be coming to Portsmouth to launch his new book.

Ant Middleton, who was born in Portsmouth and is the chief instructor in Channel 4’s hit show, SAS: Who Dares Wins, is due to visit the city’s branch of Waterstones in Commercial Road to speak to fans.

It comes as the Special Boat Service (SBS) veteran continues his UK tour to promote his new book, First Man In.

The autobiography focuses on what his life in the military was really like, revealing harrowing tales of his frontline service in Afghanistan, to fleeing from police after assaulting an officer.

Born in the city in 1981, Ant grew up in rural France.

In 1997, at the age of 16, he joined the Royal Engineers before joining the Royal Marines five years later.

He served across the globe, from Northern Ireland to Sierra Leone.

The military warrior also spent time in 9 Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers before passing the selection tests to join the SBS – the sister group of the SAS – in 2008.

He left the armed services in 2012 and started work as a personal security guard in South Africa protecting VIPs, before becoming the instructor on SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Ant’s visit to Portsmouth is on Thursday, June 7, at 6pm.

For details on the event, see antmiddleton.com

He lives in Essex with wife Emilie and their five children.