In a compelling new book, the Mail’s defence editor contends that British soldiers’ lives were put at risk to protect the rights of those intent on sending them to their deaths…

Late November 2001

A Union Jack snapped in the wind above Afghanistan’s Helmand Province as SAS soldiers climbed into a Land Rover for a photograph. The men, proudly known as Blades, posed against a vast backdrop of sand and scrub.

Wearing desert fatigues and displaying the unpolished appearance of men on active service, some leaned against the vehicle’s front bumper while others stretched across its chassis. The scene recalled photographs from six decades earlier, when the SAS under its celebrated founder, David Stirling, raided German airfields and ammunition dumps across North Africa.

That legacy weighed heavily as the team prepared to launch Operation Trent, a 36-hour drive across the desert to destroy an Al Qaeda stronghold hidden inside an opium factory.

Only weeks earlier, Osama bin Laden had orchestrated the most audacious terrorist attack the world had seen. For the SAS, Operation Trent offered a chance to avenge the deaths of 67 Britons killed on September 11, 2001.

The soldiers crossed dune after dune before reaching an assembly point roughly ten miles from their objective. US aircraft struck enemy machine-gun positions ahead, while motorcycle scouts located a temporary position just 500 metres from the Al Qaeda headquarters.

Under fire from the crest of a hill, A Squadron left its vehicles and scrambled across ridgelines and gullies. Each enemy position had to be taken and every fighter neutralised. There would be no prisoners.

As darkness drew near, Al Qaeda fighters used the fading light to their advantage, firing from concealed positions and showing that they intended to fight until the end.

SAS officer Richard Williams led his assault team up the slope, advancing in short, coordinated bursts across 50 metres of exposed ground. One man would drop to a knee and lay down covering fire while the others sprinted ahead.

A well-aimed round glanced off Williams’s body armour before another struck him squarely in the chest. Fortunately, both 7.62mm bullets lodged in the magazine pouch on his vest.

Soon afterwards, one of his men dashed between the boulders but came under heavy fire and was trapped. Two colleagues immediately abandoned their protected positions, rushed forward and pulled him to safety.

The fighting intensified rapidly. The regimental sergeant major was hit in the leg, prompting a sergeant to shout: ‘Man down.’

Even so, the assault continued. The troops pushed up the hillside, clearing one enemy position after another until the Taliban trenches were strewn with bodies. With ammunition running short, the advance finally stopped. No prisoners had been captured.

Eighty enemy fighters were dead. The operation also resulted in the award of two Conspicuous Gallantry Crosses and two Military Crosses.

When Richard Williams addressed his troops after becoming their commanding officer in 2005, he set out the standard he expected: ‘I expect all in the SAS to always do more than is expected.’

For running through the heart of the SAS is the very essence of initiative, leadership and risk-taking professionalism. 

Use it, trust it. Only your judgment, experience and skill will enable you to make the difference between securing a mediocre result and a breakthrough. Aim high. Dare.’

His three years as CO were dramatic. In Iraq, under his command, the SAS played a key role as part of the US-led Joint Special Operations Command, taking down Al Qaeda’s network of car bombers in Baghdad – who at their peak were responsible for the deaths of more than 1,000 civilians a month.

It was one of the most successful campaigns in the regiment’s history, showcasing the bravery, skill and ingenuity of its soldiers.

Not long after his appointment in 2005, Williams was invited to review plans for another campaign, to run alongside the one in Iraq. 

Task Force Helmand involved the deployment of thousands of British troops into Afghanistan’s main drug-producing region. 

From Iraq, Williams knew that effective Counter Insurgency (COIN) operations required the capability to detain suspects, as well as Rules of Engagement that allowed for offensive action. Also vital was the full backing of the host nation.

Iraq’s prime minister Nouri al-Maliki offered that support. 

He had signed a Status of Forces Agreement that meant jihadists in Iraq could be held and soldiers could engage in combat on the basis of their enemies displaying hostile intent, rather than posing an immediate threat to life. Afghanistan’s president Hamid Karzai was very different. 

He was opposed to detention as well as to the house searches and ‘kill or capture’ night raids favoured by Special Forces.

Williams feared that if his SAS soldiers were sent to Afghanistan under these circumstances to safeguard the troops deployed, they would be bound by MoD-imposed legal restrictions which made their job virtually impossible. 

He could have told senior officers what they wanted to hear – that their intention to run their light-touch campaign to stabilise Helmand and reduce its dependency on opium production was feasible and beneficial.

Instead, he warned that the presence of troops was more likely to cause an insurgency, not prevent one. And he predicted that, thanks in part to those legal restrictions on Counter-Insurgency operations, as many as 500 British soldiers could lose their lives. It was a highly prescient estimate given that when combat operations ceased in 2014, the death toll in Helmand was 407.

Williams point-blank refused to commit an SAS sabre squadron to Task Force Helmand. 

He insisted the UK’s strategic priority should remain defeating Al Qaeda in Iraq. He was asked to change his mind but again refused. In 2008, at the end of his tenure as CO, colleagues thought Williams could end up as a future Director, Special Forces or even Chief of the General Staff. Instead, he resigned his commission.

In his leaving speech he warned of the growing dangers of the Ministry of Defence’s apparent acceptance of ‘lawfare’ and the imposition of the Human Rights Act some years earlier: ‘You may find you are stabbed in the back by those in London who refuse to accept or support the essential and often brutal nature of the counter-terrorist fight.’ 

He was replaced by a more compliant CO who accepted the MoD’s terms for sending an SAS sabre squadron to Helmand.

Defence officials expected the SAS to repeat their success in Iraq. But they had failed to recognise the differences between operating there and in Afghanistan.

The ability to detain captives had been crucial in Iraq. Yet in Afghanistan, nine out of ten insurgents captured by UK forces were set free to return to the battlefield within days. SAS officers likened the process to a ‘revolving door’.

Streetwise Taliban soon caught on, realising they needed only to remain silent for 96 hours to ensure their release. 

Meanwhile, the UK’s Human Rights Act prevented Afghan terror suspects being transferred from British to Afghan jurisdiction – because the suspects’ safety could not be assured in local prisons.

Put simply, the lives of British soldiers were being sacrificed to preserve the human rights of those determined to blast them into the afterlife.

The bombmakers and facilitators, those responsible for acquiring the components for Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), also exploited UK Rules of Engagement which insisted soldiers could only open fire when they believed their lives were in immediate danger.

This may have sounded reasonable to a pen-pushing lawyer but not when life-or-death decisions had to be made – bombmakers who might go on to cause multiple deaths with their IEDs, for instance, stopped carrying weapons so they could never be considered to pose an ‘immediate threat’ to life.

The UK ambassador to Afghanistan Sir Mark Sedwill took the SAS’s side, telling Foreign Office officials too much was being expected of soldiers.

As he recounted when interviewed for my book, he was told to concern himself with an ambassador’s core functions rather than military matters.

Sir Mark refused. To him it was unacceptable that those at the policy end in Whitehall should fail to resolve problems around ineffective Rules of Engagement and detention – and yet still expect exhausted, anxious soldiers to operate effectively. 

Meanwhile, insurgents continued blowing up British troops seemingly at will – and they were released essentially as soon as they were captured.

So, for better or worse, the SAS set aside those life-endangering Rules of Engagement and found methods around the criteria that anyone they engaged needed to be carrying a weapon.

Before you judge any SAS soldiers harshly, consider what you would have done in those circumstances, when the choice was that stark.

The specific difficulties the SAS encountered were exemplified by Operation Tyburn in early 2011. The target was a bombmaker called Sadam Hussein who had been tracked by drones to an enemy compound in Helmand.

The soldiers’ choice was to detain Hussein and his Taliban gang, knowing they would be recycled back on to the battlefield; or to eliminate them, thereby preserving the lives of those British soldiers and Afghan civilians who would otherwise have been targeted by Hussein’s gang.

In the dead of night, Chinooks touched down and soldiers sprinted towards the compounds. A pair of ‘Bravos’ (military jargon for enemy men – women were ‘Echoes’ and children ‘Kilos’) were seen escaping along a canal and diving for cover.

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The target area was cordoned off and a family of two men named Haji Abdul Khaliq and Mohammed Bang, four women and two children, emerged from a compound. The men were separated from the dependents and, according to eyewitness accounts, hooded, cuffed and pushed down on to their knees.

Bang tested positive for traces of explosive. Khaliq was sent back inside the building, shadowed by a British soldier, to open curtains and windows – standard SAS practice before searching a house.

According to the unit’s subsequent report, Khaliq had produced a grenade once inside and was shot dead. The grenade didn’t go off because he had failed to depress the safety lever. 

As was customary SAS practice, the grenade (or, in different circumstances, any other weapon the enemy was carrying) was placed beside the body and photographed as proof that he had been armed and dangerous. 

Documents and personal property were taken from the building.

At another compound, Khaliq’s son, Saifullah, 19, and his cousin Atta Ullah, 23, emerged, accompanied by five women and three children. 

The menfolk were shepherded aside, hooded and bound. Then Saifullah was taken inside a building where, again according to the unit’s report, he picked up an AK-47 rifle from behind a table and attempted to engage his captors. He was shot dead.

An hour later, Sadam, the main objective of the raid, was found hiding under a bush. The unit stated that he had his hands tucked under his body, apparently hiding a grenade. 

He was therefore considered to pose an immediate threat to life, meeting the threshold for the legitimate use of lethal force. 

He was shot dead, the fourth and final EKIA (enemy killed in action) that night. An operational report said the SAS ‘recovered’ two rifles, two Russian grenades and 37 rounds of ammunition.

Within hours, Objective Tyburn triggered a chain reaction. Relatives of the dead claimed the EKIA were unarmed civilians.

At Special Forces headquarters in London, there were many who recognised the brutal necessity of the SAS’s actions, its soldiers having been placed in such a lose-lose situation by Rules of Engagement and legal restrictions. 

But Special Forces lawyers were worried. As Senior Legal Adviser Alistair McAndrew emailed a colleague after reading the field report on Operation Tyburn: ‘I share concerns about the recent spate of high EKIAs and have noted the emerging Taliban tactic of supposedly hiding grenades behind curtains.’

As we have seen, this was often the explanation the SAS troopers reported as their case for opening fire.

The lawyer went on: ‘This may be entirely appropriate, but I get the sense that the way we are writing these up will not bear scrutiny in years to come.

‘My comments are demonstrations of the kinds of things that Public Interest Lawyers may undoubtedly raise in the inevitable public inquiries. How do we highlight our concerns in a fashion that does not constrain our people to use force legally when under threat?’

The law firm Public Interest Lawyers was the scourge of the UK military, trawling Iraq for claimants and bringing hundreds of cases to the attention of military police.

Interviewed for my book, SAS sources vehemently denied the accusation that there had been a casual disregard for life in their operations. 

Those Bravos targeted had been tracked for days, sometimes weeks. Cases were built and the operations were authorised by MoD lawyers.

Hussein’s compound could have been struck by a missile. The benefit of the SAS’s presence was to ensure the protection of the innocent, the wives and children of Taliban commanders.

According to Sir Mark Sedwill and others, those soldiers should never have been put in that predicament.

Ask yourself again: what would you have done? Where would your sympathies have lain? With the insurgents responsible for the IEDs? Or the British soldiers setting out on patrol fearful that every step could be their last? The choice was that stark.

• Adapted from Blades by Mark Nicol (Biteback £22), to be published Oct 8. © Mark Nicol 2026. To order a copy for £19.80 (offer valid to October 18; UK P&P free on orders over £25) go to www.mailshop.co.uk/books or call: 020 3176 2937.

The night raids that left SAS Blades with a terrible dilemma

In the winter of 2010-2011, at Kandahar airfield in Afghanistan, SAS Trooper Wayne Hopkins strode up the rear ramp of a helicopter, pulled down a crash-resistant seat and sat down. He rested his rifle against his leg as the chopper lifted off, with several others.

According to intelligence received at Special Forces Headquarters, Afghanistan, suicide bombers intended to hit a remote British base in Helmand Province disguised as Afghan policemen, wearing explosive devices hidden underneath their uniforms.

The order to Wayne and the rest of his unit was ‘kill or capture’ – the order of the words leaving no doubt what outcome he was expected to deliver.

At that moment, in their mudbrick compound, insurgents were completing preparations for the devastating attack they intended to launch the following morning, assembling suicide-improvised explosive devices (SIEDs) and shaving their bodies.

By tradition, devout Muslims purify corpses by washing the skin and shaving the pubic hair. Performing this ritual in advance would ensure their personal cleanliness when they detonated their devices and, they were convinced, entered paradise as martyrs.

As the helicopters neared their drop-off, the troopers adjusted their night-vision goggles. To retain the element of surprise, they had landed sufficiently far from their target not to be heard.

Wayne disembarked into the darkness of the desert as Sub-unit 1A formed a circular cordon around the helicopters, each man crouching to scan the terrain for suspicious movement.

There was none and the helicopters flew off, leaving the soldiers alone beneath a canopy of stars illuminating the rough terrain.

Over the radio came confirmation of the ‘slant’, the number of men, women and children (or Bravos, Echoes and Kilos in military terminology) identified by aerial surveillance as being at the target. The unit set off to complete the remainder of their journey on foot.

With them were others from Special Forces and Royal Military Police officers, there to recover evidence of Taliban activity.

The unit’s female members were expected to help search innocent women and children in the compound, whose lives were treated as sacrosanct.

At the target area, Wayne and the unit commander, Warrant Officer Cal Rossi, broke away and, with automatic rifles pulled tight into their shoulders, crept towards a building where insurgents were known to be sheltering.

The air was thick with dust. The aroma of sweat filled their nostrils. Wayne paused at an open doorway, his forefinger curved around the trigger. Amid the stillness and tension, he heard grunting. He listened again before tiptoeing around the corner.

There they were: Afghan males fast asleep. Among mats and blankets on the floor were mounds of their black hair, indicating that they had recently observed the jihadist’s final rite of passage.

Through his night-sight goggles he saw a belt with straps, pouches and wires hanging on a wall, proof they were equipped to blow up a British base.

The police uniforms they planned to disguise themselves in were there, too. It was the moment of reckoning for Wayne as he summoned the determination, if not the desire, to end the bombmakers’ lives.

He and Cal fired at very close range, resulting in what was logged as three ‘EKIAs’ – enemies killed in action. Job done, Wayne thought.

But beneath the bravado, he was anxious. The legal restrictions circumscribing soldiers’ actions and the Rules of Engagement with the enemy in Afghanistan were so strict, the SAS were largely fighting with one hand behind their back.

Before the mission, Wayne had worried about how he would perform, fearing anxiety would compromise his reactions and decision-making. The consequences would be serious: anyone who flinched when confronted by the enemy could expect to find themselves relegated from frontline duties.

But when the time had come, his training had kicked in. He had completed the ‘room clearance’ in seconds. In the dust and darkness there was no time for the SAS to ascertain who did or who did not pose an immediate threat to life.

There was also precious little time for the enemy to ‘move to engage’ the SAS – although the soldiers’ reports of these kinds of operations repeatedly insisted that the Taliban had done so and that the terrorist bombmakers were being eliminated legally.

Surprise night raids were the SAS’s opportunity to use their higher skill sets and state-of-the-art weaponry to take out those responsible for hundreds of British and Afghan casualties.

But when the intoxication of activity wore off and exhaustion set in, Wayne felt the need for reassurance from senior colleagues that his performance had met their expectations.

Every trooper wanted to be trusted. He was relieved after that first raid when he bumped into a senior officer who said: ‘Good shooting last night.’ Thank God for that, Wayne thought to himself. His doubts resurfaced, though, in another shooting incident on a cold night on Subunit 1A’s 2010-2011 tour.

At a remote compound in rural Helmand, Wayne was guarding detainees who had just been captured on a night raid, when unit commander Cal Rossi approached and told him to take one of the detainees ‘back inside and do a search’.

The seemingly routine request was SAS code for eliminating a suspect, put that way in case they were being eavesdropped by any Afghan army personnel who might complain about the legality of actions of their British counterparts.

Wayne followed the Afghan male into a dimly lit room. There was a gunshot. Wayne re-emerged and declared in a calm manner, ‘Yeah, he pulled a pistol out on me.’ The detainee was duly added to the list of ‘Enemies Killed in Action’ that night.

The return journey to Kandahar was agonising. Never had Wayne envisaged taking anyone’s life in such circumstances.

Not having spoken to Cal since their cryptic exchange, doubts crept in.

An uninvited voice taunted him: ‘Have you done right or wrong?’ What if Cal really meant just do a search? If that was so, Wayne was in deep trouble.

Later on, in a private bar where ‘badged only’ SAS soldiers met for a de-brief, Wayne locked eyes with Cal: ‘Have I, er, f***** up here? By doing what I did?’ Wayne asked.

‘No,’ Cal replied, adding, emphatically: ‘I will never give you anyone to take anywhere unless it is for a reason’ – the ‘reason’ being the need to eliminate suspected bombers who would have been set free to continue their murderous campaign, which the British were otherwise powerless to stop.

Wayne’s relief was palpable. The deal was that he did what the SAS expected: In return, the SAS covered his back.

In my interview with him, Wayne insisted that extra-judicial killings were always targeted specifically and intended to spare women and children – in ways that eliminating the terrorists by drone strikes could never guarantee. 

He did what he was ordered to do. Those higher, much, much higher than him, in the chain of command were the ones who should examine their consciences.

Love Island Australia has revealed its glamorous 2026 cast, with the announcement arriving as the reality dating series faces criticism over its use of artificial intelligence.

The 14 hopefuls include professional athletes, Instagram influencers, entrepreneurs and outspoken personalities, all entering the villa in search of romance.

Among the headline names are a former NRL player, an international footballer who moved into modelling, a beauty queen linked to All Blacks stars and the son of a former prime minister.

The line-up also features an Adelaide blonde who reportedly burned through $70,000 of her inheritance in six months, a Sydney chiropractor known for his eye-catching social media posts and a Gold Coast fitness coach who once dated a Love Island contestant.

In a significant change for the Channel Nine dating show, filming will move to Fiji, with the cast taking over the villa previously used by the US version of Love Island.

Given the contestants’ colourful romantic pasts and willingness to speak their minds, the new season appears primed for plenty of drama, tension and confrontation.

PHOEBE, 23 – ADELAIDE/LONDON

Occupation: Currently unemployed

Adelaide socialite Phoebe is expected to add a luxurious edge to the villa after growing up surrounded by an indulgent lifestyle.

The 23-year-old blonde was educated at prestigious private schools before earning a commerce degree.

She has also gained a reputation for enjoying an extravagant spending habit.

Phoebe reportedly spent $70,000 from an inheritance left by her grandmother within just six months.

Now dividing her time between Adelaide and London, Phoebe is unemployed and hoping the hit dating show will lead her to love.

The upbeat blonde calls herself a hopeless romantic and says she often develops intense feelings for men at remarkable speed.

SAMMI, 23 – WHANGĀREI, NEW ZEALAND

Occupation: Model and content creator

Former Miss New Zealand Sammi is hoping to find love after enjoying success on the international beauty pageant circuit.

The 23-year-old, who was raised in South Africa before relocating to New Zealand, has spent the past year travelling the world following her pageant victory.

The model reportedly beat 170 other contestants to claim the crown.

But Sammi admits her romantic life has been surprisingly quiet.

She has previously enjoyed flings with several All Blacks rugby players but claims she hasn’t kissed anyone in almost two years. 

Her previous serious relationship lasted three years, and she is now hoping to find a man who is ready for a meaningful commitment.

SHAWNEE, 27 – GOLD COAST, QLD

Occupation: Online fitness coach

Gold Coast fitness coach Shawnee is hoping to move on from her turbulent romantic past after a failed relationship with a former Love Island contestant.

The 27-year-old personal trainer runs a thriving online coaching business and is no stranger to attracting attention on social media.

However, her love life has been far less successful.

Shawnee recently emerged from an on-again, off-again relationship and is now hoping to find a more stable connection in the villa.

The outspoken brunette admits she has a tendency to overshare and struggles to conceal her emotions, particularly when something has upset her.

Her fiery personality and willingness to speak her mind could make her one of the season’s most entertaining contestants.

AMANDA, 26 – SYDNEY, NSW

Occupation: Jeweller and model

Sydney model and jeweller Amanda is hoping to find a man who can match her ambition and confidence.

The 26-year-old has an academic background and describes herself as intelligent, persuasive and emotionally aware.

Following the breakdown of her previous relationship, Amanda has undergone a personal transformation and is entering the villa feeling more confident than ever.

However, she has made it clear she won’t be settling for just anyone.

Amanda is attracted to tall, tattooed men with dark features who are emotionally mature and aren’t afraid to show affection.

She also expects her partner to make his romantic intentions clear and has little patience for men who appear uninterested or emotionally unavailable.

LAYLA, 22 – CANBERRA, ACT

Occupation: Pilates instructor

Canberra Pilates instructor Layla is hoping to put a devastating breakup behind her when she enters the villa.

The 22-year-old certainly isn’t lacking in self-confidence and has described herself as one of the capital’s most attractive women.

However, her romantic history has been far from smooth sailing.

Layla has previously enjoyed two serious relationships and several complicated romantic entanglements.

Her most recent relationship ended in particularly brutal circumstances when her boyfriend reportedly dumped her just one week before they were due to travel to Europe together.

Adding insult to injury, he went ahead with the holiday without her.

NATALIE, 23 – GOLD COAST, QLD

Occupation: Airline ground crew

Gold Coast beauty Natalie is hoping to find lasting love after becoming disillusioned with the local dating scene.

The 23-year-old works as airline ground crew, where dealing with frustrated passengers and travel disruptions has helped her develop a thick skin.

Natalie admits she has grown tired of dating men who are more interested in their social media profiles than pursuing meaningful relationships.

Despite her fiery personality, the brunette describes herself as a hopeless romantic who falls in love quickly.

She has previously enjoyed two serious relationships, both lasting three years, and is now hoping her next romance will be her last.

However, her tendency to wear her heart on her sleeve could make navigating the villa’s inevitable romantic dramas particularly challenging.

AVA, 24 – PERTH, WA

Occupation: Traffic controller

British-born beauty Ava is bringing her Geordie charm to the Australian villa.

The 24-year-old originally hails from Newcastle in England but relocated to Perth in search of a sunnier lifestyle.

Now working as a traffic controller, Ava is hoping to find a man who shares her sense of humour and can match her outgoing personality.

However, the brunette has made it clear she won’t tolerate a boyfriend who constantly checks out other women.

Her preference for loyalty could prove challenging in a villa where contestants are encouraged to explore romantic connections with multiple people.

JORDAN, 24 – CANBERRA, ACT

Occupation: Property investor and Airbnb owner

Canberra entrepreneur Jordan is bringing an impressive family background and property portfolio to the villa.

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The 24-year-old is the son of a former Prime Minister of Tonga and has already established himself as a property investor.

He owns a portfolio of premium apartments in Tonga, which he rents to diplomats and other wealthy visitors.

The well-travelled businessman describes himself as an international landlord and enjoys spending time overseas.

However, his dating history suggests he has also made the most of his international lifestyle.

Jordan has joked about having romantic interests in multiple destinations around the world.

KEANU, 25 – SYDNEY, NSW

Occupation: Tradie and former NRL player

Former rugby league player Keanu is swapping the football field for the Love Island villa after pursuing a career in the NRL.

The New Zealand-born 25-year-old previously spent time with the North Queensland Cowboys and Newcastle Knights before turning his attention to working as a tradie.

Now based in Sydney, Keanu is hoping his athletic physique and cheeky personality will impress the female contestants.

The former footballer is known for his infectious laugh, charming dimples and mischievous sense of humour.

Despite his impressive sporting background, Keanu insists he doesn’t take himself too seriously and enjoys making people laugh.

His carefree attitude and willingness to embrace new experiences could make him a popular figure among the Islanders.

ZEL, 28 – GOLD COAST, QLD

Occupation: Model and former professional footballer

Former professional footballer Merizel, known as Zel, is hoping to score a romantic victory after moving into modelling.

The 28-year-old previously spent time in the development squad at English football club West Ham before continuing his career in Australia.

However, injuries eventually brought his professional sporting ambitions to an end.

His good looks soon caught the attention of modelling agencies, allowing him to establish a new career in front of the camera.

The Gold Coast bachelor also boasts an impressive talent for languages and can speak English, Portuguese, Spanish and French.

Interestingly, Zel was originally expected to appear on the British version of Love Island before those plans fell through.

He is now hoping the Australian series will introduce him to a woman who can match his personality and provide a balance of excitement and stability.

JARRAR, 22 – WOLLONGONG, NSW

Occupation: Diesel fitter

Wollongong tradie Jarrar is already turning heads thanks to his striking resemblance to Brisbane Broncos superstar Reece Walsh.

The 22-year-old FIFO diesel fitter has become so accustomed to being compared to the rugby league heartthrob that his workmates have affectionately nicknamed him ‘Walshy from Wish’.

With his muscular physique, chiselled features and cheeky personality, Jarrar is expected to attract plenty of attention from the female contestants.

The confident bachelor spends his spare time working out, riding dirt bikes and socialising with his mates.

He also admits he enjoys being the centre of attention and has a reputation for being one of the loudest personalities in any room.

Despite his playful nature, Jarrar has already enjoyed three long-term relationships and insists he knows exactly what he wants in a partner.

LACHIE, 26 – SYDNEY, NSW

Occupation: Chiropractor

Sydney chiropractor Lachie is set to make an impression with his muscular physique, designer wardrobe and outspoken personality.

The 26-year-old, who hails from the city’s affluent Eastern Suburbs, has been single for three years and is hoping to find a genuine connection.

However, his appearance isn’t the only thing likely to attract attention.

Lachie has previously sparked controversy on social media after sharing outspoken opinions in TikTok videos that attracted widespread attention.

The chiropractor has stood by his views despite criticism and admits he isn’t afraid to upset people.

When it comes to dating, Lachie has a particular preference for slim, athletic women who take pride in their appearance and fitness.

OLI, 26 – PERTH, WA

Occupation: Personal trainer

Perth personal trainer Oli is unlikely to struggle with confidence when he enters the villa.

The muscular 26-year-old has jokingly blamed his dating difficulties on being excessively tall and handsome.

And his romantic history suggests he has had no shortage of admirers, having previously dated international models and high-profile influencers.

Oli has also enjoyed a taste of viral fame after a revealing photograph taken by his grandmother attracted widespread attention online.

Despite his playboy appearance, the fitness enthusiast insists he is looking for something more meaningful than a casual fling.

He describes himself as emotionally available and hopes to find a woman who can offer a genuine connection.

JACK, 24 – GOLD COAST, QLD

Occupation: Tradie trainer

Gold Coast bachelor Jack is hoping his rugged good looks and adventurous lifestyle will help him find a girlfriend.

The 24-year-old works as a trainer for tradesmen, using his background in business and sales to help workers improve their professional image and profitability.

Outside of work, the outdoors enthusiast enjoys surfing, boating, camping and four-wheel driving.

While Jack’s dating history suggests he has enjoyed his fair share of romantic attention, he insists he is ready to settle down.

He says he is now hoping to find a long-term partner who shares his adventurous lifestyle.

The cast announcement comes just days after Love Island found itself embroiled in controversy over its use of artificial intelligence in a promotional video.

The backlash erupted after Channel Nine released a teaser featuring Love Island USA host Ariana Madix handing over the keys to the Fiji villa to Australian host Sophie Monk.

While both presenters filmed their appearances, the advertisement incorporated AI-generated visuals, including shirtless men carrying a barbecue and esky, a Vegemite portrait and models wearing swimwear labelled ‘Tim’ and ‘Tam’.

The video, which was labelled as AI content on Instagram, quickly attracted criticism from viewers who accused the network of cutting corners.

However, the controversy escalated when Madix, 41, publicly criticised the Australian production, claiming she had not been informed that her footage would appear alongside AI-generated material.

‘They didn’t tell me AT ALL that the clip I shot would be used with AI. Something I am firmly against,’ she wrote on Instagram.

‘Wtf guys @loveislandau?’

The Vanderpump Rules star later clarified she had filmed her appearance for the advertisement but had no knowledge of how artificial intelligence would be incorporated into the finished product.

Fans were equally unimpressed, with many taking to social media to question why the network had relied on the technology to promote one of its biggest reality television franchises.

‘The fact they used AI is just straight up embarrassing,’ one viewer said.

A second added: ‘NOOOO, first The Block with AI now Love Island we can’t escape.’

The criticism follows similar backlash surrounding Nine’s renovation series The Block, which has divided viewers with its use of AI-generated music and visual effects.