SAS Who Dares Wins star James’s secret heartache as brother disappeared on day of nan’s funeral and never returned
SAS Who Dares Wins contestant James Stammers hopes his appearance on the show will help him find his brother who has been missing for 10 years.
James lives in Bristol but grew up in Essex with his parents, older sister and younger brother Anthony, who vanished aged 27 on the day of their grandfather’s funeral.
He told the family he had to run an errand and would meet them at the funeral, but he never arrived and hasn’t been seen since.
Now James, 40, hopes his brother will turn up alive after his appeal on the show.
Asked why he decided to take part in SAS: Who Dares Wins, James said: "So many reasons; I was turning 40 and feel the best I’ve ever felt so wanted to put myself to the test.
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"I’ve never really been broken down so I wanted to know how much I could endure and where or how I might break.
"My brother disappeared 10 years ago, so I also wanted to create awareness of that through my presence and story within the show."
The gym owner admitted he still struggles with the waves of hope and despair, and he thinks about his brother daily.
And he wanted to take part in order to face his emotional demons.
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Asked what he had hoped to get out of the experience, he said: "A better understanding of myself.
"My weaknesses and frailties, as well as to create awareness and use it as a platform to try to find my brother."
James joined the new gang of recruits who headed to Wadi Rum in Jordan for this series.
Asked how he coped with the intense Jordanian heat, James said: "I figured we’d be in a hot climate after getting the boots, so bought myself a sauna suit, did plenty of training/running in it as well, trying to extend my duration.
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"I also sat in a sauna several times a week."
With Ant Middleton now gone, former US Marine Rudy Reyes is now chief instructor.
Asked if he noted a difference between the British and American instructors, he said: "Very much so.
"I wasn’t expecting to be able to “get with” the US DS, I like the flippant, sarcastic, straight to the point no nonsense “British way” and actually couldn’t get with the whole ‘Hollywood’ vibe Rudy brought to the table at first.
"But what really surprised me, perhaps more than anything, was how you can really get the “brotherhood” thing from the US DS. There’s almost a greater sense of nurturing and, dare I say it, caring."