BBC News Online: Entertainment: TV and Radio

Reality TV soldiers on

Sixteen people will compete over a series of weeks with the aim of surviving the training camp with the eventual winners taking home a £350,000 prize.

The 16 contestants, made up of eight men and eight women and chosen from 8,000 applicants, will be trained by four military instructors with one contestant voted off at the end of each programme.

Contestants in the show - to be aired by Sky One in the UK - include a pig farmer, a sales consultant and an actress.

Military missions

The competitors will undergo training as well as taking part in a number of psuedo-military missions, including rescuing hostages, crossing landmined areas and locating a top secret installation.

"Imagine the worst day of your life," said a spokesman for the show, which is broadcast on Fox TV.

He added: "Heap on a three-mile run, 11 push-ups, and a free climb up a 60ft rope. Take away a good night's sleep, a decent meal, and all your hair and replace them with mud under your finger nails, sweat on your brow, and tears of exhaustion.

"Now make your boss a growling mass of intimidation that's more pit bull than human.

"If you can roll all that into a 24-hour period and repeat the process for a number of gruelling weeks, then you're ready."

The final two contestants in the series will go head to head over 48 hours, with the runner up collecting £69,850.