Inside British Tier One: The SAS Veteran Who Survived P Company, SAS Selection | Ep. 292

About this video

Ritland interviews Phil Singleton, a former UK SAS operator and participant in the 1980 Iranian Embassy siege (Operation Nimrod). Singleton recounts his upbringing in post-WWII Wales in a family of veterans, his enlistment at age 15 as a vehicle mechanic, and his path through the Parachute Regiment’s notoriously grueling P Company selection before ultimately passing SAS selection on his second attempt. He describes the cultural context of British military service, training philosophies, and the demanding selection processes that shaped Tier 1 operators.

Key takeaways

• Singleton describes P Company as harder than SAS selection itself—designed to replicate the non-stop intensity paratroopers face in combat by running candidates into the ground with relentless physical and mental stress.
• According to Singleton, he failed his first SAS selection due to overtraining with excessive pack weight; a mentor’s advice to train with lighter loads (around 30 lbs) to condition his body to carrying a pack—rather than lifting heavy—led to success on his second attempt.
• Singleton recounts that SAS sought experienced soldiers (typically 4-5 years in service, ranks E6-E7) from diverse military backgrounds, valuing maturity and specialized skills over youth, with the average selectee older and bringing technical expertise beyond pure infantry training.

Episode details: published May 19, 2026 · 44.5K views · 2:58:16 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. Stories told by Mike Ritland’s podcast guests are the guests’ own accounts, attributed to them — not independently verified. Commentary is Ritland’s, presented as his analysis.

← Previous: ISA Operator Joe England on Failure, Flight School Rejection & Starting Over · Next: FAFO: Blowing Up a Building Full of Terrorists →

All Mike Ritland videos · Mike Ritland profile · Mike Drop (official site)