Ireland’s most brutal reality TV show returned to our screens. Participating in the most difficult and physically demanding challenges organised by an elite team of former special forces soldiers for series 5: Ultimate Hell Week. Twenty of Irelands’ most well-known faces, including social media influencers, entertainers, and sporting legends, challenge their minds, bodies, and souls.

Despite getting little sleep each night, the celebrity recruits were put through challenges they could never dream they would ever encounter. Going through the key stages of the special forces highly classified selection process consequently enduring cold-water events, height challenges, claustrophobic obstacles, and various tests of strength, stamina, and resilience.

Whilst the celebrity recruits faced the special forces demanding challenges. GB Helicopters assisted with cold water events and height testing, enabling us to execute aerial stunts.

Save the Aerial Stunts for The Professionals

GB Helicopters are the first and only Helicopter operator in the UK to own a ‘Special Operations Platform’. Utilising the platforms spectacularly, this production was an excellent opportunity to introduce them. As the former Special Forces, make their dramatic entrance, they prepare to ambush the celebrity recruits on a bus.

Exposing the celebrities to the bitter waters close to Cork, Ireland. We performed one of our most popular and thrilling aerial stunts – ‘Heli-jumps’. Two celebrities stood directly on the helicopter skids before plunging themselves into the cold waters.

Lastly, our final aerial stunt for this production was to stage a helicopter accident. Our pilot skilfully, stimulated the aircraft to appear it had lost control as it “exploded” into the hills, sending the recruits on yet another overwhelming mission.

Equipment Used

For this production, we used one of our twin-engine helicopters to carry out and perform the aerial stunts. Capturing the immaculate footage was drone operator Lec Park.

For viewers in Ireland, you can watch Ultimate Hell Week – The Professionals on RTÉ One every Wednesday at 21.35.  

Have these fascinating scenes inspired you for your next production? Contact us at 0800 030 4105 or email us at ops@gbhelicopters.com to discuss how we can assist you with your production.

Aerial Stunts Enquiries

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Over five days, they will endure rigorous physical and mental tests. Pushed well out of their comfort zone, each recruit will have to complete cold-water events, height tests, claustrophobic challenges and interrogation, alongside demanding trials of strength, stamina and determination.

GB Helicopters was brought in to help carry out the cold-water events and height tests. Producing the incredible footage of the stunts, was drone operator Lec Park.

First up was the ‘Heli Jump’. We performed this stunt recently for Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and on numerous Bear Grylls productions.

Flying low and fast over the waters near Cork, two recruits sit nervously in the back. Accompanying them in the cabin is their course instructor and a camera operator. Ensuring there’s unrestricted movement in the back, both the rear and co-pilot seats have been removed, as have the doors on one side. The camera operator now has the freedom to perfectly capture the raw emotions of each recruit in anticipation of their jump into the cold waters.

The second stunt we carried out is one of our favourites, the ‘Long Line’. Officially termed ‘Human External Cargo’, this stunt involves one or two people being suspended on a long line underneath the helicopter. It is another stunt we’ve done frequently with Bear Grylls. It’s also how we made Harry Styles fly in the music video for his hit single Sign of the Times. No CGI required.

For Ultimate Hell Week, this was performed around the spectacular coastline and cliffs of Mizen Head. We began by flying along the coast before sweeping up to a clifftop, one the recruits had just climbed up. Coming to a hover overhead, two of the recruits were carefully secured to the line below. Once safely attached, we lifted them over the edge of the cliff and out towards the ocean. The incredible vistas making this stunt all the more spectacular. The recruits were then dropped off further down the coast, ready for their next challenge.

For those of you in Ireland, you can watch the whole series on RTE Player.

To find out how these thrilling scenes could be part of your next production, get in touch on 0800 030 4105 or at ops@gbhelicopters.com.

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