It was lying in bed recovering from a serious accident that drove Jon Stiles to take part in one of television's toughest programmes.

While recovering from the accident the 28-year-old watched Channel 4's show, SAS: Who Dares Wins and today he finds himself one of the contestants.

Twenty five civilians are put through their paces as a crew of five Special Forces veterans put them through the same exhilarating selection process that SAS uses to recruit its future members.

From the minute they arrive , the recruits tackle a terrifying bridge leap deep into the Amazon rainforest before they had even found their base.

With the hostile environment, the altitude, the heat and the insects all taking their toll, the experience is mentally and physically very draining.

Last year Jon, from Sholing, suffered head injuries including, bleeding of brain, a half bit tongue and knocked teeth when he was knocked off his bike while cyclist along the Avenue.

He battled for a year to regain his fitness and is now a strong contender in this year’s eight-part-series.

As part of his training for the show he routinely runs the 10km along Weston shore to Victoria Country Park from his house.

He said: “It is insanely hard, you can prepare yourself for the physical element of it but you cannot prepare yourself for the mental aspects it takes.”

From sleep deprivation, capture and interrogation to extreme physical challenges, the show is as close to reality as it can possibly be.

Every stage of the show is draining emotionally, physically and psychologically.

The programme takes place over the course of eight days in isolation from the outside world.

Each week participants will be kicked off the show, however this week Jon, who works as a carpenter for Collier Projects in Southampton, flourished in his ability to take on the tough challenges set by the SAS experts.

He said: “The show builds lifelong friends, it’s really tough when people go.

“You have a shared bond with these people, you have gone through a unique experience that not many other people have gone through.

“However the nature of the selection process in real life and in the show, means that not everyone will make it.”

He now feels a strong admiration for all of the veterans.

“To witness the ex-Special Forces in their natural environments was awesome,” he said.

The next episode of SAS: Who Dares Wins will air on Monday at 9pm on Channel 4.