The Hard Way

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER.
'The SAS and all it stands for is exemplified in men such as Mark 'Billy' Billingham. They are the backbone of the British military and I for one am thankful he is on our side!' - Sir Ranulph Fiennes
'The most experienced Special Forces soldier in recent memory. The Hard Way is brutally brilliant.' - Tom Marcus, Number One bestselling author of Soldier Spy
Mark 'Billy' Billingham grew up tough, a grim future ahead of him offering little respite from the hostile streets he walked. Leaving school at thirteen, he ran with gangs in Walsall - and almost died in a knife fight. At sixteen, Billy discovered the British armed forces. It would be the making of him.
Billingham would succeed in passing the Parachute Regiment's arduous 'P Company' selection and training, going on to serve with 3 PARA. He then took on an even bigger challenge: selection for the SAS - the elite special forces unit known for excellence in operating under extreme conditions. Billy excelled in this field, undertaking numerous classified and life-threatening missions. After leaving the army, Billy served as bodyguard to Hollywood stars, including Tom Cruise, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.
The Hard Way details Billy's story thus far, but will also educate and enthral those wishing to seek a challenge and conquer it - the SAS way.

Mark Billingham joined the Parachute Regiment in 1983 before joining the SAS in 1991 as a Mountain Troop specialist and has been responsible for planning and executing strategic operations and training at the highest level in numerous locations (Iraq, Afghanistan, South America and Africa) and has lead countless hostage rescues. He is a certified Special Forces and Counter Terrorist Sniper Instructor, Advanced Evasive Driving Instructor, Tracking/Jungle Warfare/Navigation Instructor, Demolition/Sabotage Instructor, Ski Mountaineering/Rock Climbing/Abseiling/Ice climbing Instructor, Combat Survival/RTI Instructor, Counter Terrorist Instructor (all options) and has worked as a Patrol Medic/Trauma Life Support agent for 5 hospital attachments.
After his military career, Billy became a bodyguard to the famous such as Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Sir Michael Caine, Jude Law, Kate Moss, Russell Crowe and Tom Cruise. He currently stars as the lead instructor in Channel Four's hit series SAS: Who Dares Wins.