Ben Roberts-Smith, Australia’s most decorated living soldier, has unveiled a new commercial brand just days before a highly anticipated two-hour interview is due to air — his first major media appearance since his arrest on five war crimes charges in April.
The Victoria Cross recipient has largely remained out of the spotlight while facing civil and criminal court proceedings. But in recent days, he has taken a more public approach, launching a business aimed at supporting his family, agreeing to an extended interview and appearing publicly on two occasions.
The Daily Mail understands that 2GB breakfast presenter Ben Fordham recorded a two-hour conversation with the former SAS soldier. The interview is expected to be broadcast in two parts next week on the Sydney radio station and released on YouTube.
People familiar with the recording have described it as confronting, deeply emotional and “gobsmacking”.
The interview follows Roberts-Smith’s launch this week of a website and social media profiles for EPIC 1 TWO, a clothing label named after the radio callsign he used during his military service in Afghanistan.
“EPIC 1 TWO was my callsign on the day that I fought the battle for which I was awarded the Victoria Cross,” the 47-year-old told news.com.au.
The brand’s first collection offers discounts to military personnel and first responders. Roberts-Smith said the venture was created to help support his twin daughters and cover mounting legal expenses after he struggled to secure traditional employment.
“The whole premise of doing a brand, from my perspective, is that I’ve got to try to find some way to make money for my family,” he said.
Ben Roberts-Smith has launched a new commercial brand days before his first major interview since his arrest over war crimes charges is scheduled to air
Roberts-Smith was arrested aboard a plane at Sydney Domestic Airport in April
Roberts-Smith said EPIC 1 TWO could provide financial support after he struggled to find conventional work and meet legal costs linked to the allegations against him
“At the end of the day, there is too much pressure from media outlets on organisations that want to support me.
“EPIC 1 TWO, for me, is 100 per cent about that. It’s about the underdog and about people knowing that, no matter how difficult their circumstances or how serious the struggle, they can get through it. They just have to keep going.”
Roberts-Smith was arrested at Sydney Airport earlier in April and charged with five murder offences under Australia’s war crimes laws. He has not entered pleas and has repeatedly denied the allegations, maintaining his innocence.
The upcoming interview is understood to cover the highs and lows of Roberts-Smith’s military career, his arrest aboard a plane at Sydney Domestic Airport and his experience in custody, including his treatment by inmates and prison guards.
Viewers will see him described as “angry, devastated and heartbroken” across more than two hours of footage, which will also be made available on YouTube.
A source who watched the interview said it was by turns confronting, humorous and intensely emotional, with Fordham putting difficult questions to the former soldier.
Lawyers for both 2GB and Roberts-Smith were reportedly present during the recording to help ensure the material did not prejudice the upcoming trial.
The source said the interview’s unfiltered tone left staff who viewed the footage “gobsmacked”. It is scheduled to air across two days on 2GB next week.
The Daily Mail understands that 47-year-old Victoria Cross recipient Ben Roberts-Smith sat down with 2GB presenter Ben Fordham for an interview lasting more than two hours
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A source who has seen the interview described it as confronting, funny and highly emotional, with Roberts-Smith displaying a range of emotions throughout the conversation
The decorated veteran has been highly sought after by other high profile members of the media.
Former radio host-turned-livestreamer Kyle Sandilands claimed in August that he had secured an interview with Roberts-Smith.
No interview has yet aired and the Daily Mail has contacted Roberts-Smith’s representatives for comment. His representatives denied to The Sydney Morning Herald that any such interview had taken place.
In July, the Herald also asked former Nine broadcaster Karl Stefanovic whether he had secured a longed-for chat with the veteran, to which he replied: ‘I haven’t chatted with him yet.’
He then added, when asked whether there would be an interview: ‘You’ll have to watch, my friend.’
Roberts-Smith’s sit down with Fordham is just one of several star-studded appearances he has made over the last week.
On Monday, he joined Gina Rinehart in Brisbane to open the Daniel Keighran VC Apartments in Norman Park, the first Queensland homes delivered under her $200million commitment to housing homeless veterans.
Mrs Rinehart and Roberts-Smith were pictured alongside Mr Keighran, a Queensland-born soldier who received the Victoria Cross for Australia for his actions under fire while on patrol in Derapet, Afghanistan in August 2010.
Roberts-Smith has appeared with high profile figures over the last week, joining mining magnate Gina Rinehart at the opening of the first Queensland homes delivered under her $200million commitment to housing homeless veterans
The day before, Roberts-Smith attended the Australian War Memorial in Canberra to mark 25 years since the nation deployed to Afghanistan.
He was photographed at Sunday’s ceremony with his partner, Sarah Matulin, after receiving court permission to travel to Canberra under his bail conditions.
Wearing his medals, he joined about 600 veterans at the service.
Roberts-Smith was arrested by the Australian Federal Police in April and charged over the alleged killings of five unarmed Afghan men between 2009 and 2012 while serving with the Special Air Service Regiment.
He was also accused of aiding, abetting or counselling another person to commit a murder on three separate occasions.
He has categorically denied the allegations and is expected to vigorously contest the charges.
Roberts-Smith’s appearance in Canberra came more than three years after he lost his defamation case against Nine newspapers.
In that civil case, Federal Court Justice Anthony Besanko found on the balance of probabilities that several allegations of Roberts-Smith’s involvement in unlawful killings were substantially true.
Those civil findings were made under a lower standard of proof than applies in criminal proceedings, and Roberts-Smith has not been convicted of any offence.