Jason Fox

Last updated

Jason Fox
Born
Jason Carl Fox

(1976-08-31) 31 August 1976 (age 48)
Plymouth, England
Other namesSheppo
Occupations
  • Television personality
  • Adventurer
  • Mental health advocate
  • Soldier
Years active2015–present
Known for SAS: Who Dares Wins , Inside the Real Narcos
Military career
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branch
  • Royal Marines (1992–2001)
  • Special Boat Service (2001–2012)
Years of service20
RankSergeant

Jason Fox (born 31 August 1976), often referred to by his nickname 'Foxy', [1] is a British television personality, adventurer and a former Royal Marine Commando and UK Special Forces soldier. He is best known as the longest serving directing staff on the popular Channel 4 television series SAS: Who Dares Wins , and the presenter of the investigative documentary series Meet the Drug Lords: Inside the Real Narcos .

Contents

Career

Military service

Fox joined the Royal Marines Commandos in 1992 [2] at the age of 16. [3] In 2001, he joined the Special Boat Service and reached the rank of Sergeant. After 20 years of military service, Fox was medically discharged on 5 April 2012 [4] having been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Television

Fox is one of the original presenters and directing staff on SAS: Who Dares Wins, a reality television programme where contestants experience a gruelling training course loosely based on a condensed version of the special forces selection process. Fox stars alongside former special forces soldiers Ant Middleton, Matthew 'Ollie' Ollerton, Mark 'Billy' Billingham, and Jay Morton. The programme first broadcast in 2015 is produced by Channel 4, and aired its fifth season in February 2020. In 2019, the first season of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins aired which also stars Fox. In winter 2023, the concept was adapted for the United States television market as Special Forces: World's Toughest Test .

In 2018, Fox presented a three-part docuseries, Meet the Drug Lords: Inside the real Narcos. [5] He spent time in Mexico, Colombia and Peru, talking to people in, or affected by, drug cartels. Fox's interviews in the series included Popeye (Jhon Jairo Velásquez) – one of Pablo Escobar's Colombian hitmen.

In 2019, Fox presented the documentary The Final Mission: Foxy's War [6] which saw him return to Afghanistan where he had served in the military.

Publications and other media

In 2017, Fox co-authored the book SAS: Who Dares Wins: Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces, [7] with his fellow TV presenters and Special Forces soldiers Anthony Middleton, Matthew "Ollie" Ollerton and Colin Maclachlan. The book triggered an investigation by the British Ministry of Defence for alleged admissions of war crimes by the authors. [8]

In 2019, he released an autobiography, Battle Scars, [9] in which he discussed his military career and struggle with mental health issues following his discharge from the army in 2012, after he was diagnosed with PTSD. The book became a Sunday Times best-seller.

His second book Life Under Fire: How to Build Inner Strength and Thrive Under Pressure [10] was released October 15, 2020.

Fox became the host of the podcast Jason Fox Wild Tales [11] in 2018, in conjunction with the Book of Man, with whom he is a regular columnist. [12] In each episode, Fox interviews people who have experienced a variety of adventures in their life, touching on their background, and the mental and physical challenges they have faced.

Other

Since leaving the military, Fox has had several public appearances talking about mental health, and is involved in supporting several charities. Fox is a co-founder of Rock to Recovery with fellow ex royal marine Jamie Sanderson. The pair set it up to assist returning servicemen, veterans and their families. [3]

Outside of his military career, some of Fox's bigger adventures include rowing across the Atlantic Ocean from Lagos, Portugal to Macuro, Venezuela in 2016 with four of his friends including Oliver Bailey. Known as Team Essence, their expedition [13] took the crew 50 days over 3,308 nautical miles, and landed them a record for becoming the first team to row unsupported, crossing the Atlantic Ocean from east to west - from mainland Europe to South America, non-stop from mainland to mainland. Across the journey, Team Essence also raised money for the NSPCC.

In April 2018, a team of ten adventurers, including Fox, embarked on an expedition to the North Pole. [14] They made this journey in aid of the charity Borne [15] to raise awareness of premature birth, and also raised £750,000 for new research into its prevention.

In 2019, Fox alongside Sean Johnson kayaked the length of the Yukon river [16] over 1,980 miles in Alaska. The adventure started with a 49-mile hike from Skagway to Lake Bennet, where the kayak journey stretched from Lake Bennett to the Bering Sea, across 48 days. The expedition was unsupported, with Johnson and Fox raising awareness and funds for Royal Navy and Royal Marines Charity. [17]

Fox, with his co-star of SAS: Who Dares Wins, Ollie Ollerton, co-founded a corporate team building, training and events company. In 2019, Fox and Ollerton went on to launch the fitness and wellbeing app Battle Ready 360 – which focuses on personalised plans for individuals looking to balance mind, body and nutrition.

Fox is also an ambassador of Veterans 4 Wildlife, which campaigns against wildlife crime.

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References

  1. ↑ https://thrudark.com/people/foxy-bio/%7C/ Thru Dark Jason Fox bio
  2. ↑ "Special Forces Legend Fighting Mexican & Colombian Drug Cartels: Jason Fox". YouTube .
  3. 1 2 Martin, Laura (30 May 2019). "Who is Jason Fox?". inews.co.uk.
  4. ↑ "SAS Star Jason Fox Would Have 'Probably' Killed Himself If He Hadn't Received Help With Mental Health". LADbible. 6 January 2019.
  5. ↑ "Inside the Real Narcos | Netflix Official Site". Netflix . Archived from the original on 15 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Midgley, Carol. "The Final Mission: Foxy's War review — Foxy puts his demons to rest" – via www.thetimes.co.uk.
  7. ↑ Middleton, Anthony; Fox, Jason; Ollerton, Matthew; Maclachlan, Colin (15 February 2016). Leadership Secrets from the Special Forces: SAS: Who Dares Wins. Headline. ISBN   9781472240729 – via Google Books.
  8. ↑ "SAS soldier 'investigated for Iraq War mercy killing'". BBC News. 16 October 2016.
  9. ↑ "Jason Fox reveals one of the hardest battles he fought was in his mind". British GQ. 7 May 2019.
  10. ↑ "Jason Fox". www.penguin.co.uk.
  11. ↑ "Jason Fox". Saatchi.
  12. ↑ "Jason Fox, SAS, personal trainer and TV presenter".
  13. ↑ "Team Essence enter record books after completing Atlantic rowing feat". Glasgow Times. 29 March 2016.
  14. ↑ "Why We Are Walking To The End Of The Earth For Prematurity". HuffPost UK. 6 March 2018.
  15. ↑ "www.borne.org.uk". Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  16. ↑ "Into the wild 2019". Archived from the original on 19 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
  17. ↑ "The Royal Marines Charity". Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2021.
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