atp tour billy billingham

• Outdoor Features |

Billy Billingham MBE: Always a Little Further Tour 2023

Tv's most experienced, highest ranking and most decorated sas instructor tells his incredible and inspirational life story.

Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham MBE QCB is as tough as they come. Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s  SAS: Who Dares Wins , Paratrooper, decorated SAS leader, and a bodyguard to Hollywood superstars, Billy has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty.

Join him for an extraordinary evening as he shares his incredible, inspirational story of a life where he has sought to push “always a little further”, regardless of whether you succeed first time or not. It’s a mindset that works brilliantly for tackling adventures in the great outdoors.

“I’m a huge advocate for the outdoors,” affirms Billy. “The outdoors is there for everybody, it’s free and it provides so many opportunities. Nature gives you everything, and the best thing ever is going up and down a mountain, putting your legs to real use and breathing in the clean air.”

There’ll be plenty of hard-earned advice on keeping emotions in check and dealing with mental challenges too. “Adrenaline helps us keep check of our actions when outdoors, it helps you recalibrate your sense and stability,” says Billy. “That’s what I love; that nano hit of the fear factor.”

Billy’s story becomes even more remarkable when you learn about his tough upbringing. He left school at 11 and started running with local gangs in his native Walsall before finding redemption through boxing, joining the Royal Marine cadets and then the Parachute Regiment, eventually rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking dozens of classified and extremely dangerous missions, from counter terrorism to hostage rescue.

He spent over 20 years serving in warzones across the globe, winning a commendation for bravery and being awarded an MBE by the Queen. After leaving special forces, he embraced the life of a celebrity bodyguard, being entrusted to protect Hollywood A-listers including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe.

Billy will reveal all, whilst also offering a candid insight into life behind the scenes of the hit show SAS: Who Dares Wins , where he has gained a reputation for excellence, honesty and integrity, as well as supporting his fellow directing staff (DS), but also intimidating and inspiring the contestants who take on the demanding challenges each week.

Educating, entertaining, and enthralling in equal measure, and offering the chance to pose your questions to the man himself, this tour will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way.

“I’m looking forward to sharing my stories with the audience and offering an insight into my action-filled life as a Special Forces operator as well as my exciting career on and off camera. I’m also looking forward to meeting fans and taking audience questions on the night!”

The 26-date ‘Always A Little Further’ tour starts on 2nd October at Swindon’s Wyvern Theatre and culminates on 30th November at Glasgow’s Old Fruitmarket.

• Entertainment
• Things To Do
• Food & Drink
• Competitions
• Baker Street Cinema
• Vue Cinemas
• Borough Theatre
• Congress Theatre – Cwmbran
• Dolman Theatre – Newport
• New Theatre – Cardiff
• Sherman Theatre
• Swansea Grand Theatre
• Wales Millennium Centre
• Grand Pavilion Porthcawl
• Motorpoint Arena
• Pontardawe Arts Centre
• Principality Stadium
• The Riverfront
• Sophia Gardens
• St David’s Hall
• Gadlys Arms
• The Marquis Inn
• The New Inn
• Legends Cafe
• Restaurant 1861
• Spice Lounge
• Steel Horse Cafe
• The Walnut Tree
• Berrys Bar & Grill
• Blue Anchor Inn
• Hang Fire Southern Kitchen
• The Highwayman Inn
• Whitmore & Jackson Coffee Shop
• The Cross Oak
• Butterflies Bar & Kitchen
• Queen Victoria Inn
• The Lion Hotel & Restaurant
• Brecon Beacons
• Brecon Mountain Railway
• The Bank Bar & Kitchen
• The Felin Fach Griffin
• Three Horsehoes Inn
• Smart’s Deli
• The Cwtch Coffee Shop
• Cardiff Bay
• Cardiff Castle
• Bill’s
• Côté Brasserie
• Dragon Court
• Miller & Carter
• Eastern Flavas
• Mythos Meze Bar
• The Boat Inn
• The Coach & Horses
• The Millers Arms
• The Pepper Mill
• The Riverside Wine Bar
• The Woodlands Tavern
• The Hare & Hounds
• The Red Fox Inn
• Town & Country Collective
• Latte-Da Coffee & Kitchen
• Riverside Restaurant
• The Coach & Horses Inn
• The Kestrel Inn
• The Vine Tree
• Caspian Fish Restaurant
• The Greenhouse
• Cinnamon Garden
• Morgans Wine Bar
• The Gwestry
• The Towpath Inn
• Tafarn y Bont – Govilon
• The Old Black Lion
• Ye Olde Royal Oak
• Julie’s Deli
• The Aberglais
• Curros Restaurant
• Friendly Fox
• Las Iguanas
• James Sommerin
• The Little Crown Inn
• Margam Country Park
• Swansea Bay
• Britannia Inn
• Hanson At The Chelsea
• The Fountain Inn
• The Baytree
• The Blue Ball
• The Fat Seagull
• Bubbleton Cafe
• The Stowaway Coffee Shop
• Tintern Abbey
• The Anchor Inn
• The Filling Station
• The Royal George
• Bedwellty House
• The Mountain Air
• The Railway Tavern
• Morris’s
• Raglan Arms
• The Greyhound Inn
• The Nags Head Inn
• The White Hart Village Inn
• Angel Hotel – Abergavenny
• Celtic Manor Resort
• St David’s Cardiff
• St Pierre – Chepstow
• Aberfan Shopping Centre
• Capitol Shopping Centre – Cardiff
• Cardiff Indoor Flea Market
• Castle Quarter Arcade – Cardiff
• Cwmbran Centre
• Festival Park
• Friars Walk – Newport
• McArthurGlen Designer Outlet – Bridgend
• Morfa Shopping Park – Swansea
• Newport Retail Park
• Quadrant – Swansea
• Royal Arcade – Cardiff
• St David’s Dewi Sant
• Swansea Indoor Market
• Trago Mills
• Pontypridd RFC
• Welsh Rugby Union
• Cardiff City
• Newport County
• Swansea City
• Aberdare Golf Club
• Bargoed Golf Club
• Blackwood Golf Club
• Bridgend Golf
• Brynhill – Barry
• Bryn Meadows Golf Club
• Caerphilly Golf Club
• Cardiff Golf Club
• Castell Heights – Cardiff
• Celtic Manor Golf
• Clyne Golf Club – Swansea
• Coed-y-Mwstwr – Bridgend
• Cottrell Park – Cardiff
• Creigiau Golf Club – Cardiff
• Dinas Powis Golf Club
• Earlswood Golf Club – Swansea
• Fairwood Park – Swansea
• Glamorganshire Golf Club – Penarth
• Glynneath Golf Club
• Gower Golf Club – Swansea
• Greenmeadow – Cwmbran
• Grove Golf Club – Porthcawl
• Lakeside Golf Club – Powys
• Langland Bay – Swansea
• Llanishen Golf Club – Cardiff
• Llantrisant & Pontyclun Golf Club
• Llanwern Golf Club
• Monmouthshire Golf Club
• Neath Golf Club
• Newport Golf Club
• Pennard Golf Club
• Peterstone Lakes
• Pontypool Golf Club
• Rolls Of Monmouth Golf Club
• Royal Porthcawl
• St Pierre Golf Club
• Swansea Bay Golf Club
• Chepstow Racecourse
• Ffos Las Racecourse
• Hereford Racecourse
• Goytre Wharf
• National Showcaves Centre
• Rhondda Heritage Park
• South Wales Markets
• Visit Wales
• Work With Us

Actually, it’s unfair to call these show, they are very much exclusive live events, with Billy will share stories of his astonishing experiences, from leaving school at 11 and running with gangs in Birmingham before joining the Royal Marine cadets and Parachute Regiment to rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking dozens of classified and extremely dangerous missions. He’ll consider the 20 years he spent serving in countless warzones, winning a commendation for bravery and being awarded an MBE by the Queen, before embracing the life of a bodyguard to celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe.

Finally, Billy will take us behind the scenes of SAS: Who Dares Wins, where he has gained a reputation for excellence, honesty and integrity, supporting his fellow DS, and intimidating and inspiring the contestants who take on the demanding challenges each week.

Educating, entertaining, and enthralling in equal measure, and with the chance to pose your questions to the man himself, this event will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way.

Billy said recently……

“I’m a huge advocate for the outdoors. The outdoors is there for everybody, it’s free and it provides so many opportunities. Nature gives you everything, and the best thing ever is going up and down a mountain, putting your legs to real use and breathing in the clean air.

 Adrenaline helps us keep check of our actions when outdoors, it helps you recalibrate your sense and stability. That’s what I love; that nano hit of the fear factor.”

Spend an extraordinary evening with him, as he shares his incredible, inspirational story, and believe us, Billy will reveal all, whilst also offering a candid insight into life behind the scenes of the hit show  SAS: Who Dares Wins , where he has gained a reputation for excellence, honesty and integrity.

“I’m looking forward to sharing my stories with the audience and offering an insight into my action-filled life as a Special Forces operator as well as my exciting career on and off camera. I’m also looking forward to meeting fans and taking audience questions on the night!”

BILLY BILLINGHAM: ALWAYS A LITTLE FURTHER gets to the New Theatre in Cardiff on Monday 13th November at 7:30pm. Tickets start at £33 and you can get yours HERE .

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Billy is Chief Instructor on the hit prime time TV Series SAS: Who Dares Wins and DS on FOX TV’s Special Forces: Worlds Toughest Test.

Best selling author.

CORPORATE SPEAKING

Billy grew up tough and found himself going down the wrong path, but he used his experienced getting into the Army at a young age to change his life. From passing SAS selection to leading Tier 1 operations, Billy’s motivational speeches feature inspirational messages suitable for any audience.

An experienced  motivational speaker , Billy’s corporate presentation,  Leading The Hard Way  has motivated thousands on his belief and passion for resilience, teamwork and leadership.

BILLY BILLINGHAM x DEUX MAINS COLLABORATION

Introducing a Special Forces inspired luxury travel collection for seasoned travellers. Crafted exclusively with high quality, responsibly sourced materials by master artisans in Haiti. Learn more about creating positive change in Haiti.

‘Being a soldier, you naturally become charitable’: In conversation with SAS star Billy Billingham

Mark ‘Billy’ Billingham is a decorated former sergeant major in the SAS who came to public prominence as an instructor on the Channel 4 reality series SAS: Who Dares Wins . The show is a strenuous test of contestants’ mental and physical abilities in unforgiving challenges meant to replicate the selection process for the UK Special Forces. He has been awarded an MBE and the Queen’s Commendation for Bravery for his military service.

Ahead of an upcoming national tour and two new series of SAS in the UK and US, we spoke about his struggles coming to terms with his increased public profile, his involvement in charity work in Haiti, and what he wants audiences at his shows to take away from his life experiences.

Charlie Bowden: Many will know you from SAS , which you joined in 2016. The show has gone on to achieve a lot of success since then. How did you find navigating the elevated platform the show gave you, especially since you’re not able to talk much about your time in the SAS?

Billy Billingham: It’s been an interesting journey, to be honest. When you’re first on the show, you worry about how you present yourself and make sure you’re not saying anything that you shouldn’t be saying. It takes time to get used to having cameras pushed in your face. But after your first time on TV, it soon settles down and you realise it’s not about you. It’s about giving knowledge based on your life’s experiences, not just to the people on the show, but all the people that are watching it as well. 

In the early days, I forgot that people actually watched the show and wanted to come up to me in the street. Once – I think I’d done two series – I was in New York in a tiny airport with hardly anyone around. There was a guy staring at me and I confronted him about it, and he said, “I’m sorry, you look like a guy on this TV show, SAS .” I’m very grateful to be in that position, but it was hard to get my head around it. I’d been a celebrity bodyguard before the show, so I was used to people doing it for my clients, but now they were doing it to me. 

It was awkward at first, but I started to embrace it. I love having a platform. 70% of mine and my wife’s lives are focused on charity now, so it’s wonderful to be in a position where people follow and support our work.

CB: On SAS , you’re there to mentor the contestants and push them to reach their potential, but is there anything that you’ve learned from filming the show?

BB: From the beginning, I learned that the show was not about four special forces guys. We’re just the ones who keep the train moving on the track to get the best out of people, and to get the right sort of content for entertainment. We have nothing to do with that, though.

When we do the program, it’s filmed 24/7, and we have no idea where it’s going to go. We don’t know what the narrative is going to be. We only see the students in front of us. When they go back to their dorm, we have no idea what’s going on.

I learned from that environment to just be yourself; don’t try and be an actor. What you see of me on TV is the real me. I’m not playing for the cameras – I’m truly passionate about getting the best out of these people, whether they’re celebrities or not. It doesn’t matter to us. They’ve come for a reason, and often that reason is that they’ve lost direction in their life. For celebrities particularly, they’ve got their fans telling them all these things they think they want to hear. It’s not genuine.

It’s a great pleasure for me to be able to peel – and I always say peel, not break – people back to who they really are. It’s a great opportunity for them to stop shouldering the trauma and burdens of their life.

CB: Do you find that there’s much difference doing SAS with celebrities compared to civilians, or is it broadly a similar experience?

BB: The thing about our show is that there’s a bar set and everybody is treated the same. For example, the women carry the same weight, run the same distance, get spoken to the same as the men, because that’s how the military is. Everybody gets treated equally, civilian or celebrity.

I do believe we’re a bit less aggressive with celebrity recruits to start with. We give them the benefit of the doubt, because they’ve been part of this world of fame and fortune, but it soon reverts back to normal.

There is a slight difference, but certainly not on the results we expect. We don’t care whether you’re a gold medalist, or a politician, or whatever you’ve been. It’s our course, and we have expectations, and we will drive you according to those expectations.

CB: You’re also on the American adaptation of SAS , Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test . Do you find that there’s a difference in how Brits and Americans handle the challenges?

BB: There is. Americans are just as tough, but the difference is that the British version has now been running for nine series. People have watched it, they’ve grown with it, and now they can train for it, because there’s only so many things we can do. People come into it a lot more prepared these days. In the US it’s still relatively new, so people are still turning up thinking that it’s gonna be an easy ride. It’s a complete shock to them. To be fair to them, once they realise how real the challenges are, they’re in it and they give their best.

A lot of them fall by the wayside quicker than the Brits do, but I think as time goes on, the same thing will happen in the US as with the UK. Right now though, we have to back off a bit sometimes. We can’t be too aggressive. There’s a fine line between getting their best out of them and going too far, and we’re always aware of that.

We were worried initially about how the public might receive it because in America, the celebrities are like gods. People treat celebrities differently from everybody else, and if they see their favourite celebrity being pushed into a corner, they don’t like it and they can turn against you. However, since the show has gone out, the public are all behind it and the celebrities have taken to it really well. We’ve just finished our second season, which is coming out really soon.

CB: Your wife Julie runs the charity REBUILD Globally which helps provide education and job training for people in Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. You released a travel collection with her fashion business Deux Mains which supports people in Haiti. What made you decide to get involved?

BB: Being a soldier, I’ve been all around the globe. I’ve seen conflict, I’ve seen natural disasters, I’ve seen people suffer. You naturally become a charitable person. In the past, I’d boxed and run for charity, but I’d never really followed all the way through. I didn’t mind raising money, but someone else always took the money and used it to help people. I wanted to get involved more directly.

When the 2010 Haiti earthquake happened, I was a partner in a security business in Iraq. What grabbed us when we saw the news was the sheer number of people who died – 250,000. We went out to Haiti 10 days after it happened. We started building portacabin-style hospitals, and getting the local people involved to take their minds off the terrible situation. We ended up staying longer than we planned and built a school with the support of Sean Penn. I met my wife there and we got talking, and we began to wonder what charity really means.

Charity, of course, is about giving, and when disaster strikes, you give yourself. You get in there, help people, get bodies out, because there’s a time limit on saving lives. After the initial devastation, you give experience, knowledge, food, water, whatever’s needed to help rebuild what was lost.

Then, there comes a time when the only thing you should be giving is dignity for the people suffering. They wanted a chance to stand on their own two feet. They didn’t need our commiserations, they needed work.

What is the turnkey solution to ending poverty after a disaster? Three things: education, job training, and employment. So that’s what we set out to do. My wife set it all up. Through REBUILD Globally, we got Haitian kids off the street and into school. We’ve been running that for 13 years now. If they stay in the whole four-year school program, they go into a work experience program we set up for them. We thought, what happens after they get through that?

My wife started a for-profit fashion business with a lot of the women. We built a factory and they began making all sorts of accessories. Later on I decided to do a collection with them. As a soldier, I was always packing and unpacking my stuff, so I figured that the best thing for me to make would be men’s travel accessories. We designed a man bag based on the claymore bag, which you use in the military in hostile environments.

The design came from what was practical for me when I travelled as a soldier. Everything’s in one place. We looked at the travel bags that top brands like Versace sell and replicated the quality but with a better design. The kids who lost their parents in that earthquake are now the artisans who make the bags in the factory. Although the business is for-profit, everything goes back to Haiti and getting more Haitian people into work, giving them back their dignity.

CB: You’re going on tour across the UK in October and November. What can audiences expect from the show?

BB: Everyone can take something different from it. I don’t throw statistics and quotes at people. I take them on a journey, and it’s my journey from being a young kid that went rogue, being thrown out of school, being stabbed, generally getting in trouble. I’m not proud of a lot of the things I talk about, but they’re worth sharing, especially to younger audience members. Everyone’s been down that road. Getting things wrong is part of growing up.

I want to show people that you have to believe in yourself and not be afraid to go for goals. There are so many goals I haven’t reached, but by trying for them, I’ve opened up a new world. I never intended to be a bodyguard, I never intended to be on TV, but I went down those avenues when they offered themselves and I’ve enjoyed them. My mantra is ‘always a little further’. We can always do that little bit more by not being afraid to get knocked back.

CB: Looking beyond the tour, do you have any big future ambitions?

BB: I’m always aiming for something ridiculous. I want to break the world record for parachute jumping. My wife thinks I’ll never do it, but I’m always aiming for it. Will I get there? I don’t know.

I’ve gotten back into parachuting and I set that goal for myself so I can keep at it, because there will come a day where I won’t be able to do it. That day isn’t marked out for us. You never know what’s going to come. You have to keep pushing forward and enjoy what you’re doing.

CB: Given your wealth of experience, do you have any advice for our student readers going into the real world?

BB: Education is paramount for the youth of today; you have to get education, but that is ultimately just a foundation. It’s not a substitute for experience.

Travelling is probably the best thing you can do in your life. Go out there and meet people. Be respectful of people who’ve been out there before you and pick their brains to learn from their experiences. Don’t take their word for gospel, though, go out and experience what they’re saying for yourself.

Never think you have all the answers. Even as a sergeant major in the SAS, when I had done hundreds of operations, I always asked the new guy for his ideas. I could’ve just done it my way without asking anyone’s opinion, but that’s not how you learn. That’s not how I’ve gotten to where I am today.

The second season of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test premieres on Monday 25 September. The fifth series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins premieres on Tuesday 26 September. Tickets for Billy’s tour are available to purchase now.

This interview has been edited for concision and clarity.

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"ALWAYS A LITTLE BIT FURTHER"

Billy is as tough as they come. Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, Paratrooper, decorated SAS leader, and a bodyguard to Hollywood superstars, he has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty.  Now SAS: Who Dares Wins star Billy Billingham MBE QCB has announced a new tour for 2023 entitled ‘ Always A Little Further ’. Spend an extraordinary evening with Billy, as he shares his incredible and inspirational story.

He has had many astonishing experiences; from leaving school at 11 and running with gangs in Birmingham before joining the Royal Marine cadets and Parachute Regiment, to rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking hundreds of classified and extremely dangerous missions. He spent over 20 years serving in countless warzones, winning a commendation for bravery, and being awarded an MBE by Queen Elizabeth II, before embracing the life of a bodyguard to celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe. 

Billy will also take us behind the scenes of SAS: Who Dares Wins, where he has gained a reputation for excellence, honesty and integrity, supporting his fellow DS, but also intimidating and inspiring the contestants who take on the demanding challenges each week. Educating, entertaining, and enthralling in equal measure, and with the chance to pose your questions to the man himself, this event will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way. 

For further information on the tour and to book tickets, please go to www.fane.co.uk/billy-billingham If there is a chance of an interview with Billy between now and October, what this space....

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Billy Billingham MBE Always A Little Further

Billy billingham mbe.

Billy Billingham MBE QCB  is as tough as they come. Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s  SAS: Who Dares Wins , Paratrooper, decorated SAS leader, and a bodyguard to Hollywood superstars, Billy has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty. Spend an extraordinary evening with him, as he shares his incredible, inspirational story.

For these exclusive live events, Billy will share stories of his astonishing experiences; from leaving school at 11 and running with gangs in Birmingham before joining the Royal Marine cadets and Parachute Regiment, to rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking dozens of classified and extremely dangerous missions. He’ll consider the 20 years he spent serving in countless warzones, winning a commendation for bravery and being awarded an MBE by the Queen, before embracing the life of a bodyguard to celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Sir Michael Caine, Tom Cruise and Russell Crowe. 

Finally, Billy will take us behind the scenes of SAS: Who Dares Wins , where he has gained a reputation for excellence, honesty and integrity, supporting his fellow DS, but also intimidating and inspiring the contestants who take on the demanding challenges each week. 

Educating, entertaining, and enthralling in equal measure, and with the chance to pose your questions to the man himself, this event will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way.

• DATES, VENUES & TIMES

St. George's Bristol

Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil

Lighthouse, Poole

William Aston Hall, Wrexham

Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury

Princess Alexandra Auditorium, Yarm

Walsall Arena

King's Hall, Ilkley

Hull City Hall

Fareham Live

Salisbury Playhouse

Queen's Theatre, Barnstaple

Exeter Corn Exchange

The Grove Theatre, Dunstable

Union Chapel, London

Epic Studios, Norwich

Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells

The Swan, High Wycombe

Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone

Corn Exchange, Newbury

The Central Theatre, Chatham

Princess Hall, Aldershot

Palace Theatre, Newark

Lancaster Grand

The Lowry, Salford Quays

King's Lynn Corn Exchange

Theatr Clwyd

Visit Theatr Clwyd's Website

William Aston Hall

Billy billingham: always a little further.

See dates and times   Sun 20 Oct 7:30pm

Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins, paratrooper, decorated SAS leader and a bodyguard to Hollywood superstars, Billy Billingham QCB has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty. Educating, entertaining and enthralling in equal measure, and with a chance to pose your questions to the man himself, this event will inspire those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it – the SAS way.

Choose Dates and Book

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Billy Billingham MBE: Always a Little Further (UK Tour)

Various Venues, UK, UK Wide, UK, UK

Uk wide, uk, uk, description.

Billy Billingham MBE QCB is as tough as they come. Chief Instructor on Channel 4’s  SAS: Who Dares Wins, Paratrooper, decorated SAS leader, and a bodyguard to Hollywood superstars, Billy has seen extreme combat and gruelling missions aplenty. Spend an extraordinary evening with him, as he shares his incredible, inspirational story.

For these exclusive live events, Billy will share stories of his astonishing experiences; from leaving school at 11 and running with gangs in Birmingham before joining the Royal Marine cadets and Parachute Regiment, to rising to the rank of sergeant major in the SAS and undertaking dozens of classified and extremely dangerous missions.

How To Get Your Tickets

1. Book your desired number of tickets and await an email from us confirming your order. This email will contain a booking confirmation PDF, this is NOT a ticket.

2. Collect your ticket(s) from the venue’s box office on the performance date, allowing plenty of time to do so. Ensure that you take employment and personal ID with you or you may be turned away.

Additional Information

We are not the event organisers, so we recommend you check https://www.fane.co.uk/billy-billingham for event-specific or accessibility information. We will endeavour to pass on any event updates, including scheduling changes and cancellations. However, we may not find out about these updates until they are public, so please be responsible for checking the status of your event.

Dates & times

Monday, 2 Oct 2023, 7:30pm - Thursday, 30 Nov 2023, 8:30pm

This event is over, has no tickets available, or is sold out.

Check the events page regularly to ensure you don't miss out in the future!

Various Venues, UK

How to find us

• Edinburgh Festivals

Billy Billingham UK Tour: “It’s fun, it’s emotional, it’s humble and it’s honest”

Billy Billingham MBE is predominantly known for his role on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins . Yet, his work ethic runs far further, with an impressive career portfolio which includes being a former SAS sergeant major and, after leaving the military, a high-profile bodyguard for the likes of Angelina Jolie and Tom Cruise.

Speaking about his favourite role in the army, Billingham recalls: “My favourite role was being a DS on actual SAS selection.”

It was a privilege to work with these highly trained soldiers and push them to their physical, emotional and mental limits.”

Having spent 21 years of his career, he is in one of the highest positions to be able to speak to those considering a career in the army and ultimately the SAS.

“I would say do it!” Billingham replied. “Only as long as you are committed. Do as much due diligence around it before you go jumping in.

“I will tell you now, 0.1% of people have killed somebody in the army, believe it or not. The army isn’t all about guns and killing,” he explains, adding: “We have the best signals in the world. Communications. We have the best vets in the world. We have the best doctors in the world, we have the best caterers. That’s the military.”

Billingham was fortunate to meet the late Queen when he was awarded an MBE for outstanding service as the SAS ground commander during the 2005 terrorist attacks in London, and for leading hostage rescues in Iraq. But he, in fact, had already met the Queen prior to receiving his MBE.

“She came to the camp and we had a family day and I ended up as a chaperone,” Billingham recalled. “It was like having your grandmother with you. She was just absolutely wonderful, a beautiful human being. She was just a rock for the UK and Europe. She was a rock for the world.”

After leaving the army, Billingham moved into the public spotlight, with his role on Channel 4’s SAS: Who Dares Wins and as a bodyguard for celebrities.

Speaking about this transition, he said: “You’ve got to remember I spent 27 plus years in the army, the latter part of it, denying where I was and who I was because that’s what we had to do.

“That’s who we were,” he continued. “We weren’t even on the electoral role. We lived in this shadow, didn’t exist and then suddenly you leave; you’ve got to get a job. So, I left, I get a job. The first job I get is a bodyguard.

“So, I’ve gone from, no one knows me to everybody’s taking photographs. I’m used to being shot up with guns but not with cameras. So that was really difficult for me to adjust to that way of life. Then going onto the TV and onto the show was just as odd then, thinking not cause there’s cameras there, you can’t ignore the cameras.”

Billingham’s upcoming tour ‘Always a Little Further’ will be visiting numerous locations around the UK and will include many honest discussions about his journey and career.

“The tour will be a very honest tour,” Billingham commented. “It’ll be a talk of a journey, which is my journey, which is about trials, tribulations, lessons learned, and the fact that you can, no matter where you start, where you think you are, you can be in a better place by doing certain things and everybody takes something away from it.”

“It’s fun, it’s emotional, it’s humble and it’s honest,” he added. “I’ll talk about the things I got wrong, which I’m not proud of, but I do talk about it, There will be an insight into my life growing up, getting into the SAS, being a bodyguard and my career to date in front of the camera on SAS: Who Dares Wins .”

The tour dates for ‘Always a Little Further ‘ are as follows:

Mon 2 ND   SWINDON – Wyvern Theatre

Wed 11 th BELFAST – Ulster Hall

Sun 15 TH KENDAL – Westmorland Hall

Mon 16 TH YORK – Grand Opera House

Wed 18 TH BEXHILL – De La Warr Parr Pavilion

Thu 19 TH BRIGHTON – Theatre Royal

Sat 21 st WARWICK – Arts Centre

Mon 23 rd CREWE – Lyceum Theatre

Tue 24 th BUXTON – Opera House

Wed 25 TH LIVERPOOL – Philharmonic

Sun 29 TH BASINGSTOKE – The Anvil

Wed 1 ST IPSWICH –  Corn Exchange

Sun 5 TH SOUTHEND – Cliffs Pavilion, Southend

Mon 6 th BURY ST EDMUNDS – The Apex, Bury St Edmunds 

Wed 8 TH HARROGATE – Royal Hall 

Sat 11 TH   GUILDFORD – G Live

Mon 13 TH CARDIFF – New Theatre

Tue 14 th BATH – Forum 

Sun 19 th LONDON – Richmond Theatre

Mon 20 th CHELTENHAM – Town Hall

Tue 21 st   TRURO – Hall for Cornwall

Sun 26 th CARLISLE – Sands Centre

Mon 27 th ABERDEEN – Music Hall

Tue 28 th EDINBURGH – Queens Hall

Wed 29 th   NEWCASTLE – Tyne Theatre and Opera House

Thu 30 th GLASGOW – Old Fruitmarket

Check out more Entertainment Now lifestyle news, reviews and interviews here .

Yasmin Turner

Yasmin Turner is an editor and writer whose work has featured in publications such as Nottingham based magazine LeftLion, and Vision, a publication of Cambridge University. Yasmin has just finished studying for her BA in English Literature in Nottingham and is pursuing various freelance roles. Inspired by female novelists such as political and cultural commentator Ahdaf Soueif, as well as Clarissa Ward, she writes for several magazines on the themes of culture, lifestyle and international relations. She enjoys spending her free time travelling and hiking in various locations around the world, sharing photography and independent travel tips to her own new account @turnertrekking

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