SAS Rogue Heroes [DVD]

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Third parties use cookies for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. There's an obvious storyline following Stirling, but much of that might just be a distraction to the rest of the SAS story. A campaign was launched to have the VC awarded posthumously and even reached the House of Commons in 2006. The BBC’s latest effort, SAS Rogue Heroes, features an eclectic range of music to give it one of the most intriguing soundtracks of any recent series as it blends inspiring wartime songs with headbanging heavy metal from the 1970s.

Billy Foley, writing in The Irish News, was somewhat more critical of the artistic license employed, particularly in the depiction of Paddy Mayne. Speaking about the project in 2021, Steven Knight said it had been "a privilege" to work on the project, adding that it, "Tells the story of a renegade band of soldiers who used wit and imagination as much as firepower to halt the march of Fascism across North Africa during the darkest days of World War Two. The son of Keith Allen and brother of Lily, Alfie Allen is best known for his role as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones. Previously a company of Free French paratroopers, the French SAS squadron were the first of a range of units "acquired" by Major Stirling as the SAS expanded. Further new cast members for series two include Paolo De Vita (Anonymous, La Grande Guerra del Salento), Anna Manuelli (Blocco 181, Pezzi unici), Edward Bennett (Industry, Save Me Too) and Matteo Franco.Gavin Mortimer wrote that the "main problem with Rogue Heroes is that it is true to David Stirling's version of how the SAS was born. He was found dead at around 4am near his Newtonards home having seemingly collided with a farm vehicle.

As military historian Antony Beevor noted, whilst events surrounding the creation of the SAS "certainly defy belief", it is true that "some liberties with the precise record" were taken – for example, in the scripting of a romantic association between David Stirling and Mansour, the French intelligence agent. Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama says: “Series one dazzled millions of viewers across the country with its swagger, action-packed set pieces and wit, winning a whole legion of fans in the process. Ultimately, you either believe it or you don't, it doesn't really care - as long as you're having fun. Johnny Cooper was a real-life officer who served with the SAS in North Africa and France throughout World War II.The campaign in Italy is likely to be the focus for Season 2, but the question is how Kudos (the show's makers) want to spin the story out. But GHQ have cast doubt over the future of the regiment, while the creation of a new unit and a surprise arrival make things even more difficult for the men. We also know - spoiler alert - that Jock Lewes (Alfie Allen), one of the founding fathers of the regiment - doesn't make it out of Africa and despite his early influence, much of the focus will be on Paddy Mayne (Jack O'Connell) and David Stirling (Connor Swindells) moving forward. On Paddy's role in the story, Jack O'Connell said: "Looking from Paddy’s angle, at the risk of sounding simplistic, this was a chance to finally utilise what made him unique as an officer of the British Army.

The actual release date for SAS Rogue Heroes Season 2 is unknown, but it has been confirmed that filming will take place in 2023. It is set against the backdrop of the North African campaign in World War Two, and has been described as a fictionalised account of how the Special Forces unit was formed "under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two”. In March 2021, it was announced that filming had begun on the six-part miniseries, with Connor Swindells, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Allen, Sofia Boutella and Dominic West in starring roles.Boutella is known for appearing in films such as The Mummy, Atomic Blonde, Star Trek Beyond and Kingsman: The Secret Service, while she also recently appeared in an episode of Guillermo Del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities. He had been mentioned in despatches for his part in an 11 Commando mission in Lebanon when he was approached about joining the newly formed SAS. The narrative begins in a Cairo hospital in 1941, when, after a failed training exercise, British Army officer David Stirling has the idea of creating a special commando unit which could operate deep behind enemy lines.

Stirling’s desire for a small undercover unit that will create mayhem behind enemy lines meets firm resistance but through sheer grit and determination, a group of the toughest, boldest and brightest soldiers are brought together to form the first band of feared SAS fighters. Historian Damien Lewis also said it was "nonsense" to portray Mayne as a "thug and drunken lout", when he "cared passionately for those men he commanded".Lieutenant Colonel Robert Blair "Paddy" Mayne became more withdrawn as World War II continued and he was deeply affected by the death of his father, with his request to attend the funeral refused.