The recruits are within touching distance of their green berets, but first they must face Lympstone's ultimate challenge - the famous commando tests - four gruelling physical exercises attempted over five consecutive days. The members of 169 troop are a tight-knit group who have pushed through 30 weeks of training together. They're desperate to finish the course as one, but not everybody will make it
This first episode follows 56 new recruits through this so-called 'shock of capture'. The recruits spend these opening weeks living in a 60-bed dorm where their every waking hour is controlled by their drill instructor, Corporal 'Froggy' Chauffour.
The raw recruits take the next step on their training and there are challenging new lessons at every turn. If they can make it through the next three weeks, their families will get invited down to witness their progress and they'll get to go home for the first time since training began.