“Age is no barrier”: Fans rally after Kerri Pottharst's brutal treatment
<p dir="ltr">Viewers of<span> </span><em>SAS Australia</em><span> </span>have called out the treatment of Olympic gold medallist Kerri Pottharst on the show, criticising Ant Middleton’s comments on her looks and love life.</p>
<p dir="ltr">The former professional beach volleyball player revealed she went on the program to show women life doesn’t end once they reach a certain age.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As the oldest competitor on the show, the 55-year-old has completed tough challenges alongside her younger competitors, including other athletes.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Tuesday’s challenges</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">In the first exercise on Tuesday night’s episode, Pottharst was singled out as the weakest member in a task viewers described as “cruel”, “heartbreaking”, and “bloody hard”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">As a result, Pottharst had to lead one of two teams through a river paddle and mountain climb.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Her team finished second, after Pottharst tripped and was screamed at by directing staff.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Later in the episode, Pottharst displayed her leadership skills in a kit inspection and her team looked poised to win.</p>
<p dir="ltr">However, her water bottle was found to be half empty and she is told to pour it over her head.</p>
<p dir="ltr">For losing the challenge, her team stood outside for more than two hours while Pottharst was still wet.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844299/pottharst1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/febb9abe6041458d9bf77db657da8c1a" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Channel 7</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">When they were finally allowed inside, Jana Pittman attempted to cheer Pottharst up.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I wanted to show other women you can take on a challenge, that’s seemingly impossible, I’m digging my heels in, I’m going to stay here as long as I can,” Pottharst said.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Pottharst’s insulting interrogation</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">When directing staff brought Pottharst in for an interview to discuss her failings, Ant Middleton told her, “You look like you’ve aged 10 years in two days”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">After asking how old she is and hearing she is 55, he said, “can I be honest with you, it shows”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">In contrast, 51-year-old Pete Murray, the second oldest competitor who left the show due to an injury, did not receive any comments about his age while on the show.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I believe age is no barrier,” Pottharst told directing staff.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Life is not over when you turn 50. It’s about challenging yourself. And this is the ultimate challenge… I love pushing myself.”</p>
<p dir="ltr">When asked if her 14-year-old son thinks she’s nuts for going on the show, Pottharst said no.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I think you’re nuts,” Middleton replied.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“There’s too many women who think life is over when you hit 40, 50, whatever and it’s all downhill, I completely disagree, I think you can get better and you can keep challenging yourself,” she replied.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Later, Middleton asked whether Pottharst had “a man in her life”, and told her she must be lonely when she said she didn’t.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I can see that little bit of loner in you,” he said. “I just feel there’s a little bit of loneliness there.”</p>
<p dir="ltr"><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844300/pottharst2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3867de2207a741b29dc4e4a99dab10d5" /></p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Channel 7</em></p>
<p dir="ltr">The directing staff told her she was “slowly deteriorating” but still “psychologically strong”, prompting Pottharst to admit she feels “most fragile” on her own.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“I know I’m going to feel that on selection night, the lights go out the body’s aching and I have to get up the next day and do it again, that’s probably where I’ll shed a tear,” she said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Viewers shared their support for Pottharst on Twitter, calling her a “star” and an “incredible woman”.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Others slammed Channel 7 and Middleton for their line of questioning.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Jeez, the toxic pr*ck parade that is Channel 7,” one person wrote.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Do they ask Sam Burgess if there’s a woman in his life??” another asked.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Omg, is it really necessary for Ant to tell her she looks old. I just think that’s unnecessarily rude,” a third said.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“It shows! You pr*ck Ant,” another commented.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Others suggested that men and women were being treated on the show.</p>
<p dir="ltr">“Oh look, SAS going harder on the women than the men,” another person shared.</p>
<p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Channel 7</em></p>
