The Reality Of Life As A Bodyguard To The Stars | Bodyguards S1 EP1 | Wonder

[Music] in today's world if you're rich famous or powerful you need protection this man said he merely wanted to hug her a man of Vietnamese appearance reached the stage and has wrestled to the floor by security man if you're in the spotlight you're at risk the last line of defense your bodyguard but who are these so-called bullet catchers and what does it take to become one this man runs a top security agency over the next three weeks he'll put 12 people through a bodyguard training course taking them to their mental and physical limits 12 ordinary men and women have just one chance to prove they've got what it takes to be a bodyguard [Music] [Music] on the 15th of July 1997 Gianni Versace paid the ultimate price for dismissing his bodyguards Gianni Versace left his opulent mansion in Miami early this morning simply to get an Italian newspaper from a nearby cafe but somebody appears to have been watching and waiting a year before his murder Versace had released his bodyguard team in the hope of living a more normal life but his murder proved that once in the limelight you're always attacked in business the risks are just as high corporate kidnapping is one of the fastest growing crimes last year ransom demands reached 300 million pounds there's never been a greater demand for personal protection doesn't matter how John Davidson has been body guarding for the last 10 years he's protected heads of state businessman and journalists he knows danger comes with the job there's a real threat out there and history shows many many cases of not only the VIP gang killed but the bodyguards being killed also so this job is not to be taken lightly John's agreed to put his reputation on the line and train up 12 raw recruits he's tailor-made an intensive three week course whoever makes the grade will get a place on his books it's an unprecedented experiment but John believes that with the right training civilians can be bodyguards too one of the the main reasons I took on this task and this little experiment was to prove that all bodyguards are not 6 foot 5 tall and 6 foot wide it's not about muscle it's about brainpower [Music] 1,000 Africans are whittled down to 12 selectors are looking for brains over brawn right attitude is key they come from different walks of life but all 12 are prepared to leave their regular lies behind for a chance to join Jon's company the 12 recruits are enroute to the training site they have no idea they're being filmed or they're about to face their first test it's a violent start this course is designed to keep the recruits under constant pressure one good way of helping an individual control of fear is to make the training as realistic as possible so time and time again they're put under stressful situations pushed to their limits this way when the real event happens they would have dealt with that situation before so the adrenaline rush won't be as high [Music] [Music] teaching the recruits to override the body's instinctive physical reaction to danger will play a vital role in the training when most of us would duck and hide body guards must stand up and face danger head-on the history of body guarding is rich with stories of great courage throughout the course the recruits will learn valuable lessons from the past in 1974 when Princess Anne was attacked as she returns to Buckingham Palace it was only the extraordinary bravery of her sole bodyguard James Beaton that saved her back then the Royals were vulnerable beaten had no radio and no backup vehicle when Ian boar ambushed Princess Anne's car beaten had to put his life on the line I got out of the car on the nearside and went around to the off-site behind the car was the intention of getting between Ian's ball and the back door which led the princess on and just as I came around just when the bang and they shot me in the abdomen despite serious wounds beaten got himself into the car between the princess and the gunman I looked up and saw that he was pointing his gun through the window in the direction of Princess Anne so I stuck my right hand up in front of the gun and he fired and it went through the window into my hand was all that day's work I suppose with the attack changed the face of bodyguarding now the Royals are protected by a team estimated to be a hundred and eighty strong but the safety of the royal family still depends on the individual courage of the protection officers who guard them our recruits are undergoing their first lesson in how to deal with fear take off your hoods you can tell me the number of people that were involved in your hijacking who can tell me what type of weapons were used the truth is you don't know and the reason you don't know is because you are what we call in our industry-wide asleep being a bodyguard is not about having big muscles it's about being aware and knowing what is happening around you your course started at 10 o'clock this morning you here for three weeks now's the time to start switching on [Music] if you can't call with all the crap that comes with the job then don't do it 12 members of the public have signed up for a bodyguard course they reckon they've got what it takes to protect the rich and famous they were told to expect the unexpected but no one imagined that on the very first day they'd be ambushed good introduction it's a good kind of you know wake up call headache this is not gonna be fun we're manhandled and I made sit down for ages so it made it more more realistic without having your hands and your say people are moving around you're nowhere what you're about to step into you're totally reliant on that person for your own welfare and it's it's a very humbling experience to be removed up all your liberty essentially but he's giving us all a taste of what the reality this is that's gonna be it's not gonna be easy it's gonna be a lot of shots a lot of bad days the recruits will soon learn to sleep with one eye open not that they'll be getting much sleep on this course regardless of the winter weather the recruits will be up before dawn every day for PT this morning each recruit faces the basic fitness test used for military selection a round of energy-sapping timed exercises come on that these possibly gonna do themselves are they let's go the tests will be overseen by former royal protection officer Paul Brown he's looked after all the major members of the royal family for the last 10 years the test is the chance for the fitter recruits to impress but Paul's looking for more than just physical strength if commitment attitude is key without that none of the more survived PhD student James talked himself onto the course convincing the selectors he was made for the job the few people I've told what I'm gonna be doing this little period have said yes you fit it I'm very protective and by nature no one messes with my family my niece especially she's two-and-a-half I think other boys and girls were played reported getting scared to Uncle Jim a month ago James knew he'd been selected but he's not made the effort to get fit for the course the final exercise the beep test a relentless shuttle run and the chance for James to show his fighting spirit but to Paul's disgust he's first to drop out oh my god level three you're dropped out already [Music] what is it just be fed you play come on let's go if you sink make sure you're sick whilst you running there were no excuses are dropping out Martin Fenn threw up during the selection weekend he may not be super fit but he refuses to show any weakness in front of the instructors keep going you can commit yourself so much the worst thing that can happen to you is you're gonna die trying or they're gonna say right sorry Martin you're not fit enough sorry Martin you're not what we're looking for goodbye so you may as well give it a good go all the way get some fresh air Last Man Standing is martial arts fan Lawrence Kennedy he's reached level 17 of the test because they're trying so well it kept me being in trouble on the street I definitely feel that this is a chance for my life to turn around you know I live on a council estate I haven't got any money I haven't got really any qualifications oh I have guys a determination to make sewing on my life which I will no matter what I will when VIPs are out in public bodyguards are there safety barrier it's vital they use sophisticated walking formations to ensure that they're close enough to put their bodies in the way of a threat without cramping the VIPs style everyone went in and all we really needed to do was kind of just be close there's many different formations you can do with a VIP they're listed from box formation to Y formation to diamond formation at the end of the day what we're really trying to achieve is this encompassing group of people around the VIP the recruits run through the formations and take it in turns to be the VIP this time Heidi takes the role of pop star it's a low-risk scenario but how will her bodyguards react when confronted with over enthusiastic fans please sign no sign that can have your autograph please one of the instinct clubs Protection Officer does require is the ability to assess a threat as it happens in front of him all right can we stop it just say guys I want to know why when he was standing with his camera he wasn't a threat as soon as he went down on one knee with his camera three guys went to take him out react to what you see I'm not saying you wouldn't kind of think oh and maybe he's getting too close he closed in but what's gonna happen if this had been a real sad life scenario on the TV tonight plonkers yeah it looked bad didn't it the biggest dilemma for any bodyguard is know when to hold back and when to take decisive action it's a real catch-22 you don't want to be that person on national TV that dumped a member of the world family to the ground and you know throwing your 20 stone at weight on top of them and it turns out to be a hoax but you also don't want to be the person that fails to react and it isn't a hoax in 1981 President Reagan was leaving a Washington hotel in the crowd outside was lone stalker John Hinckley Hinckley shot three of Reagan's entourage and hit the president once missing his heart by just one inch this footage provides valuable lessons for would-be bodyguards the lessons I see from the Reagan incident was the crowd are allowed to get within three to four feet of the president as he leaves the building they need to be a lot further back than that Hinckley was close enough to fire six accurate shots the second point was the policeman who had his back to where the shots are firing and seems absolutely infatuated by the president he should have been looking at the crowd and looking for that threat lesson three is provided by another police officer after the initial shot the police officer ducked whereas the Secret Service agent turned and spread himself he was in the right place at the right time and he did exactly the right thing and then you see Reagan's number one man as soon as yearly got him behind their armored car door and straight in and they were off [Music] The Secret Service agent took a bullet to the abdomen but recovered later I can't think of anyone including me that would stand there and say to you if a man stood up in front of you with a gun you'd consciously walk in front of that gun thinking hey this is what I'm paid for to take a bullet I think the reality is good training instinctive reaction takes over there all the years I've been doing this there's only two people that come to mind that I would step in front of an take the bullet for but I don't want to disclose who those people are there's no letter for the recruits it's just gone 1:30 a.m. with the temperature below zero they're sent off to stake out an old farmhouse surveillance operations like this are used by bodyguards to get information on a potential threat despite the cold the recruits must note every event or movement they see or hear inside the farmhouse course instructors Pete and Michelle monitor their recruits on infrared cameras with just two hours sleep and deprived of any comfort this exercise will really test their mettle you can go for hours without moving there's a lot of people by the way so just stick it out lay this is just a test you know Noemi may have had enough it is picking may give you till 6:00 yeah wait I can't I come instead keep moving yeah I can't move their legs are cones don't see things I thought I saw someone standing in front of my car I said hey body builder Lawrence's all muscle with inappropriate clothing he finds it hard to keep warm after four hours he's reached his limit he's taken back to base where medics diagnosed him with the first stages of hypothermia the other trainees hold out for the rest of the night and past their first test of endurance for Lawrence it's been a close call I just didn't know this against too serious until at least making him nearly falling down and so the muscles like cramping up and you know when I couldn't feel my hands I knew things when something was going on I think I could have done another round but then I don't think I'd of walked out I've been carrying out well it's just hysterics because at one point I was looking around a corner looking at hikes and I was distinctly looking at the house and the next minute I just couldn't see it counting and now this conscious thought of I can't see the oceans so might now it's the how long of a beast it here just basically either sleep on my feet or just being in a zoo and oh it's just my nothing standing there too so you couldn't even twiddle your thumbs in Hana made several points to exercise several very valuable points to take away from this in the debrief John drives home the harsh realities of life as a bodyguard the reason that you were put in that situation that it was uncomfortable called and way because do you think that when you're a bodyguard that you're just going to be stood in a very nice building or getting on a Learjet flying off to someplace spectacular that's just what you see in the movies very rarely does that happen what it's about is endurance and if you can't cope with all the crap that comes with the job then don't do it open your mouth for something other than being trappy [Music] just four days in and the trainees are already beginning to feel the strain but there's no let-up it's time for a crash course in driving bodyguard style [Music] tactual drive innovative driving best part a job ramming things handbrake turns j-turns skip ends absolutely fantastic there's an increased risk of assassination or kidnap one in a vehicle all bodyguards must learn basic evasive driving techniques okay guys I want you to set the vehicles up for a pickup of the VIP walking up here pick them up and then drive the circuit it's all about precise driving the recruits first task is simple drive to vehicles around the track keeping together at all times the front car carries the VIP the backup car contains bodyguards yeah driving the front car will be photographic agent SIA Ingram she's in trouble from the start well Neal words reversing here in the backup car Heidi Phipps has an even more basic problem the convoy is finally set mild-mannered Thea is teamed up with fire officer Robin Stenhouse Heidi and the remaining bodyguards should be right behind them that's all right do your window up after a bad start the convoy settles but the instructors have planned a surprise a motley crew of demonstrators to further test that drivers nerves got some cars coming up it's quite a long car to just take your time and away with her car full of bodyguards Heidi stalls again Thea and Robin drive on regardless leaving the VIP vulnerable after stalling three times Heidi's ordered out of the driving seat and twenty-year-old Phillip takes over but the mission has already failed teamwork is vital to bodyguarding but it's clear that Robin can't help taking over it's difficult enough having to handle all the situations that's thrown at an individual within a vehicle when driving and it makes it doubly more difficult when you have one of the team shouting and screaming and trying to tell you what to do this course is tough enough but her experience with Robin has really shaken Thea's confidence instant reaction yeah at the moment it's just to go there and then that's when I pieces as a person yeah always gets pieces from what we are seeing we've seen a different thing altogether we're seeing someone that has got a huge amount of guts remember what I said on day one this is my challenge to get as many people through I just think I'm a weakling but look I'll be honest you're not as strong as some of them but you're not the weakest ever think about it here okay if their first lesson in evasive driving was a shock to the system nothing will have prepared them for lesson two driving under attack technical driving is very key to any part of a cross protection team and at the moment for example operating in Iraq we have long journeys from the Kuwaiti border into Baghdad one of the elements of the of the bad boys on the ground is to try and get their vehicle in between the two vehicles that are operated where they will then attack from behind and then attack the vehicle in front so your tactical driving skills very key Robin's behind the wheel and yet again he's showing his true colors co-driver Bria tries her best to keep him calm when the pressures on Robin lost the plot again he screamed and shouted he's not a calm individual and when the pressures on it's his way of releasing the pressure when I worked for the Firebird I worked within very strict parameters and I know exactly what those parameters are here we have to improvise and everybody has to improvise like that or somebody gets hurt or dies and that's a it's a lot of pressure the course is designed to put the recruits under constant psychological stress and keep them on edge ex-special forces instructor pete phillips is now preparing a homemade bomb that's just a can of beer with a bit of string attached it will explode catching somebody if they're not too clever [Music] the recruits know they have to locate Pete's bomb but what the instructors really want to test is how well they will react when they find it responsibility for clearing the building efficiently forced to Elaine it's vital she does the job well I'm not going to stay now if there's a bomb in now I'm going to leave I've told everyone that's their choice if they want to stay I've done what I could you know in the real world she wouldn't she wouldn't be in the job very long an explosive device is a serious thing and to stroll into an office laughing and deliver a half-hearted message and walk off it's just not acceptable and we're not far away now I think from you know losing hope that she's gonna progress any further later that afternoon Elaine's put in charge of PT her attitudes been a problem from the start and this could be her last chance to persuade the instructors she should stay on the course we're gonna stretch your feet out come on first use that cup for anything other than pack chain these guys water here everyone on this bloody range wants to hear you open your mouth for something other than being trapping right oh and a group of six lined up what a first to run up here give me five steps and in fact down it's like you're making your teammate so far Elaine's routine of five sit-ups hasn't cut it with the instructors quite obvious she hasn't prepared anything although she did try it was very very obvious that she hadn't thought about it and just kind of made it up as it went along so again we've given her another big carrot we've dangled in front of our tried to help her and again it's been thrown back in her face John and Paul finally lose patience with Elaine can we ask you to describe in your own words how do you think it's gone for yourself experiment yeah I feel like failure why because I should be doing bail where do you think we should be doing Beth well in the physical and he's trying to kind of I suppose make an effort in the classroom do you want me to tell you what I think yeah your weakness is up yeah hey choose one of them you haven't really since day one been committed totally focused totally you know 110 percent effort you know and this morning your attitude was it's up didn't it yeah you know give me a damn good reason why we should keep you on this course cuz I want it bad you don't shown that I think we've given you every opportunity and the challenge was for me to get 12 people through I can only do that with people that really want to try and really put 100% in debt so unfortunately what I'm going to ask you do know is to pack your bags and we'll get you home from here Elaine is the first recruit to be thrown off the course but there's another trainee who's drawn attention to himself for all the wrong reasons PhD students james McKenna's might have the brains but he hasn't kept his promise to get fit for the course he's been on the wrong side of the instructor's from day one I'll tell you something no you are hanging in by the skin of your teeth I'm not proud of it at all day five just hours after Elaine's departure James is running out of chances - he's just jogged away from a PT class nope I can't do this bTW everyday it's gonna kill me yeah I don't know I can do it so you want to quit I don't want to beef that's the only thing I can do I have to I need you to tell me yes or no are you quitting or are you gonna get your top back on get down there and finish this lesson I'm only gonna ask you once more your choice that ways how I'll get on it if you stop I won't even discuss it with him I'll help you pick you back yeah we understand each other off you go James jogs back to the group who are about to do martial arts it's a chance for him to shine as he's a Taekwondo expert after only 30 seconds James is all punched out okay quit twice within a 15-minute period there okay as you can appreciate we give you a chance yeah we can't go on indefinitely yeah and it sends out the wrong message to the rest of the team doesn't it migrate you know if we keep giving you another chance and other challenges so what we're gonna do jump in the car we'll go back get your kid together I'm gonna arrange to get here way okay your vehicle yeah VIP is our first mission as it were we're gonna synchronize our watches Phil did you ever have a watch for me I think we've got it quite practice guys it's like someone offered me another watch you and I haven't got watch I'd be amazed if we get a treat after a tough week the pressures on the recruits are about to face their first big test your mission their first live exercise in public will test all the skills they've learned so far their future on the course could depend on how they do now the VIP from eight o'clock this evening until 7 o'clock tomorrow morning you want to be the team leader Louis after failing the all-night surveillance Laurent seizes the chance to make amends I really wanted to be team leader because I know if I can do this now there hopefully is gonna change the way I look at things under Lawrence's leadership they've got just six hours to plan the route to the location I have a mini man about to top the widen you've got the junction recce the hotel interview the hotel staff are you gonna be on ornately and about four o'clock men appear and prepare their orders for the exercise ideally before any VIP stays a hotel of the threat is extremely high it's obviously important that there is a suite and a search done not only of the room that the VIPs endicott of surrounding rooms hotels are very very difficult you play the what if game what's the best way out there's a fire alarm sound like you know where's a place of safety do the hotel security know we're here they have no idea what will happen during the next 12 hours so they have to prepare for any eventuality but forward planning is proving a challenge for Lawrence everyone else who signed a crap at Matt Williams doesn't know it's kind of important I'm gonna have to drive the VIP I mean someone could Matt reading skills in it can he come under this route here hang on one sec one sec Heidi I need your naked ID one it's really do it let me show it first no no no I need to know you nervous please Martin will be the VIPs principal bodyguard and he's got to dress up for the occasion it's our first mission as it were but see how we do Thanks if we make mistakes he learned by them dengue but I think we've got it quite perhaps he's laughing I'm trying to keep a straight face I don't even get it right I'd be amazed if we get it right the recruits will be able to communicate with each other through walkie-talkies and concealed comm units used by professional bodyguards after six hours of frantic preparation Lawrence finally meets the man his team have to protect for the next 12 hours tonight we'll be looking after mr. Colin O'Doul Lawrence is briefing is his last chance to prepare the team for the task ahead location that we're taking him to is it's the holiday this brewskis Holiday Inn okay we all know how to get down and we've all been through the maps okay you've all got the directions as well on the pieces of paper that I left do you have does anyone have those with them briefing tonight was nice success at all he told people that they had the better paper with the information on and they knew what to do so he never actually really went through the procedures of what they should be doing when he's speaking on the radio remember / ends a conversation sorry / continues the conversation wait response out ends the conversation okay it was like someone had got the brief and mixed it all up and he only give about an eighth of it why guys they've got watch with them there is a clock on your file as well right so we're gonna synchronize our watches okay Phil did you have that other watch for me someone offered me another watch earlier guys so if someone offered me another watch you'll know I haven't got watch someone said you can I've got to watch it with me Lawrence's briefing has overrun they're already running late Robin brer and Thea have arrived before the others tonight they'll be the covert members of the team John will monitor their performance on hidden cameras positioned throughout the hotel [Music] as principal bodyguard wherever the VIP goes Martin goes with the VIP safe inside his room and the team stationed around the building everything appears to be going to plan but John's already spotted problems because the orders were so bad this evening nobody sure what they should be doing we've got someone just lying on the bed plane with his telephone there's nobody in the corridor at a minute and there's a great deal of confusion who should be doing what at this minute in time I would see the VIP is very very vulnerable okay I have yeah it's good yep the situation gets more complicated for the team when the VIP takes a trip to the hotel bar the recruits are looking out for physical threats to the VIP so will they spot a Niki Taylor who's been sent to take a photo of their client as photos can be used for blackmailing the recruits have been told to stop any being taken myself now I'm just traveling through I work for a blue chip company and sorry what's your name Colin Colin Nikki I need AV night I know this guy with you yeah hi what's gonna on Martin just start work together okay yeah and what's this all about all right I just bought this the other day have you seen one of these before the great one the digital ones ever-resourceful Martin makes an innovative attempt to dissuade Nicky from using a digital camera you don't even need to use it sometime can you take a phone over somebody else take a picture Martin's attempt to stop Nicky fails the threat goes unnoticed by the rest of the team who appear to have got carried away with their undercover roles having failed the first test the team escort the VIP back to his room but they managed to lock out their team leader since we've actually started this operation it's been one blunder after another and it's getting worse as we go along Lawrence says the team leader he had no radio on and he stood down here with a bottle of coke in his hand trying to ring on a mobile telephone to get back into the building now something would have gone wrong he he would never have known what was going on he has got no control of the situation whatsoever with the VIPs safely back in his room the team faced their biggest challenge staying alert its to my boring part of the job ever corridor watching and everyone needs to start their night duty on hotel corridor is just the worst doesn't matter what hotel it can be the Dorchester it can be you know Holiday Inn it it doesn't make any difference that's the biggest test of a bodyguard and a successful bodyguard is being able to deal with the water fill up your time check the exits walk down on the next floor get the elevator up and do things like that and your constant check-in but you know we'll always make the night go quicker nine times out of ten you'd always find someone asleep use firearm get someone else [Music] a long night passes without further trouble and by 7:00 a.m. the exercise is over but the repercussions are just beginning I'm absolutely shocked and stunned at what's happened over the past 12 hours and if this is their attitude and the way they're going to apply themself to what's been taught I have the most massive uphill struggle now next week it all gets tougher don't look down don't start giving me bloody attitude the recruits starts a crap massive breakdown in teamwork this and even John feels the pressure how much of an idiot do I look now [Music] you [Music]

Channel: Wonder

Views: 93,630

Keywords: Wonder, celebrity bodyguard, client protection, client satisfaction, close protection, conflict resolution, covert operations, crisis management, high stakes, life in the shadows, life on the line, mission success, personal anecdotes, protecting the stars, protective services, risk management, safety measures, security detail stories, security industry, tactical operations, vigilant watch

Id: bCuzNfOjg28

Length: 48min 43sec (2923 seconds)

Published: Fri May 08 2020