Melvyn Downes served with distinction for 24 years in the British Army, during which time he achieved the rank of Warrant Officer. The majority of his career was spent with the Special Air Service of the UK Special Forces.
After leaving, Mel specialised in managing media teams in hostile environments around the world, predominantly in the Middle East. He has also worked in anti-piracy ship protection in the Arabian Gulf and trained Special Forces troops mainly from the Middle East for 11 years before appearing on series six of SAS Who Dares Wins. Mel also provided executive protection for celebrities, including Beyonce and Jay-Z.
Mel’s four decades in the military and security fields have given him key experience and life skills. During his time in the military, and beyond, Mel has been involved in secret missions and training, spanning more than 50 countries including Northern Ireland, Iraq, Bosnia, and Macedonia. Most recently, he was part of media operations in Turkey and Syria, and also conducted humanitarian charity work in Ukraine. His aim is to inspire people to achieve their goals through hard work and resilience.
