Last night saw the return of one of the most intense reality competition shows - Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Win. The Channel 4 show, which is now in its seventh season, saw 14 celebrities take up the challenge of trying to pass SAS recruitment, and among them is former drug mule Michaella McCollum, who is best known for being part of the famous 'Peru Two'.
During the airing of last night's episode many viewers were confused with Michaella's appearance on the show, with some arguing on social media she wasn't considered a "celebrity" and shouldn't be taking part in the show.
So who is Michaella? And what has she said about her experience on the show? Here's everything to know about her.
Why is Michaella McCollum famous?
Michaella McCollum is one of half the famous 'Peru Two'. Michaella along with Melissa Reid, were apprehended at Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima, Peru back in August 2013, after it had been discovered they had £1.5million worth of cocaine in their suitcases.
Michaella and Melissa, who weren't originally friends, claimed they had been forced to carry the stash by armed gangsters. They ended up pleading guilty to drug smuggling and sentenced to over six years and eight months of jail time in a prison in Peru.
They ended up serving three years before their release in 2016. At the time Michaella also became known for her very large hair bun which attracted a lot of media attention.
Following her release in 2016, she's gone onto write a book about her experience and starred in a BBC documentary about what happened in 2013. She rebuilt her life and moved home to Northern Ireland. She now has two sons and also completed a degree in business management in 2023.
Michaella has also rebranded as a travel influencer and has over 100K followers on Instagram, where she regularly posts from her many holidays abroad.
Why is Michaella McCollum on Celebrity SAS?
Prior to the show airing, Michaella appeared on This Morning, where she spoke about her time on Celebrity SAS.
She revealed it was the only reality show she wanted to do despite having had other offers in the past, she told hosts Dermot O'Leary and Olivia Attwood, she did the show for herself and not for popularity.
"I did that show for myself…not to make people like me," she said. Michaella also revealed the show tested her and she found the interrogation moments particularly hard to film.
"I didn’t like it. It was super long. I just thought, ‘one more hour,’” she explained. “Mentally, I know it’s not real, even though it feels very real…it’s quite difficult, but that helped me to ease into the process.”
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Win is available to catchup on Channel 4
