Gabby Allen broke down in tears as she suffered a panic attack while opening up about the death of her father during a Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins interrogation on Sunday night. 

The former Love Island star headed for a discussion with the directing staff on the Channel 4 show after failing the first task in the latest episode of the show.

The show tasks famous faces with undergoing a condensed version of the SAS selection process, overseen by former special forces officers Rudy Reyeves, Jason 'Foxy' Fox, Billy Billingham and Chris Oliver. 

Gabby, 33, and her fellow celebrity contestants were tasked with running across a ladder, suspended between two buildings high above the ground, all while escaping fake gun shots from the 'enemy' below. 

The reality star made it halfway across the ladder before taking a tumble, failing the task, and was scolded by the directing staff for a lack of 'composure'. 

It meant that she was next to be pulled aside for an interrogation by Foxy and Billy, to open up on her background before appearing on the show. 

Talk soon turned to the death of Gabby's father, Mark Allen, who passed away from  glioblastoma multiforme, a form of brain cancer, in January 2013.

Asked why she decided to tackle the SAS course, Gabby revealed that late father Mark, who passed away aged 54, inspired her to take on the challenge.

Breaking down in tears and struggling to breathe, she revealed: 'My dad died when I was 20 from brain cancer.

'It was a very quick turnaround from him just being normal to passing away. 

'But he would have f****ng loved to have done this, absolutely loved it so the fact that I’m doing it, I want to do it because he would say, "it’s so sick" that his daughter’s doing it.

'It shows that I’m not just twinkle toes now, I’ve got a bit of grit about me.'

Reflecting on failing the task, she emotionally continued: 'Ever since I was younger, I've been pushed to be the best at whatever I've done, so when I'm not, it's hard.'

Before sending Gabby back to the camp, DS Billy offered up some comfort by telling Gabby that her 'dad would be super proud of her'. 

Speaking to the cameras ahead of the show, Gabby further explained: 'My dad never let on how bad it was, he was trying to fight it so hard and it wasn't working.

'Seeing somebody that's been the strongest person in your life and your biggest supporter to then seeing him in such a fragile, vulnerable state and really fighting, that was the hardest part.

'He was 54, he had not seen anything that I'd done - he won't see me walk down the aisle, if I ever do f***ing walk down the aisle - but he would be absolutely buzzing that I'm doing this. 

'He'd be thrilled to bits, and he'd be like, "you have to do well", because he was always like, "you're so strong" and he was always so proud of me.

'Even now, it makes me so resilient with everything I do, I want him to be proud.'

It comes after Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins was thrown into chaos as five contestants pulled out amid the show's brutal conditions just three episodes in.

The eighth series of the Channel 4 show returned to our screens this month with 14 new famous faces from the UK and Australia as part of the line-up. 

Earlier this week it was revealed that Married At First Sight Australia star Jessika Power had quit after breaking down in tears during a task.

And on Sunday night's show three more celebrities quit while another left on medical grounds after another round of gruelling SAS selection tasks. 

First to throw in the towel was Neighbours star Natalie Bassingthwaighte, 50, after nearly fainting during a 'beasting' outside, which sees recruits put through their paces in high-octane exercise tasks. 

Next, influencer Jack Joseph, 25, quit after being forced to climb 27 flights of stairs, telling the staff: 'I'm not physically fit enough, to be honest. I'm done.'

Fellow social media star Cole Anderson-James, 28, also quit during another task, saying: 'I just don't think I'm mentally strong enough.' 

Then, Home And Away hunk Axle Whitehead, 45, was sent home on medical grounds after losing feeling in his arm - with medics insisting he stepped away. 

MAFS' Jessika quit the show after breaking down in tears during a grueling task.

Right at the end of the instalment, the celebrities were told that they had to be 'on parade in full kit' while they were relaxing in bed. 

Directing staff member Rudy Reyes shouted: 'Quick as you can, press up position. Let's go!' 

As the famous faces struggled to stay in the position, staff member Chris Oliver told them: 'If you don't want to be here, do us a favour and leave. Everybody stand up.' 

Chief instructor Billy Billingham asked them: 'Anybody want to go home? Everybody ready for what is coming?'

Chris told them to do 20 burpees and as they carried out the challenge, Jessika said: 'We're too close together guys, we need to move apart.' 

Referencing Jessika, he shouted: 'Get on with it number eight,' before the reality star ripped off her number armband and said: 'I can't do this. I'm going to have to withdraw. I can't do this, sorry.  I'm being serious, I can't.'

Chris asked: 'You're going to quit now?' to which Jessika replied: 'Yes, I am.'

The show then played out a clip of her talking to camera as she said: 'If I quit my arm band I am going to feel really really upset and disappointed in myself.

'I want to feel accomplished when I leave the course. I want to know I pushed myself to the limit.'

It came after fans blasted one of this year's recruits as 'extremely annoying' and have predicted he'll have a major clash with one of his fellow stars after causing tension in the very first episode.

The UK team was originally made up of Love Island stars Dani and Gabby, social media influencers Jack Joseph and Cole Anderson James, rugby player Ben Cohen, Gladiators star Toby Olubi, and cricketer Graeme Swann. 

And team Australia were Olympic swimmer Mack Horton, MAFS Australia star Jessika, singer Natalie, former cricketer Brad Hodge, swimmer Emily Seebohm, actor Axle and Neighbours star Ryan Moloney.

But while the group appeared to be bonding well initially and leaning on each other for support at the start of the episode, it didn't take long from cracks to start to show.

However, rather than there be a divide between the Brits and the Aussies, it was the behaviour of Ryan that caused the friction, after he began issuing orders to his fellow recruits - rubbing some of them the wrong way.

The actor, best known for his role as Toadfish/Toadie in Aussie soap Neighbours, took on a leadership role in the camp immediately, ordering the others on to fill their water bottles and when to be ready.

Things came to a head at the end of the episode, after the Directing Staff checked the camp's water bottles and punished the group upon discovering that some of them hadn't filled theirs to the brim.

But returning to camp, Ryan angrily confronted his fellow celebrities for not listening to his instructions, launching into an expletive-laden telling-off.

He shouted: 'Fill up your f***ing water bottles first! Use your cups to drink in here so you've always got a full f***ing bottle'.

Annoyed at the dismissal, Toby muttered: 'He runs this place apparently', as Gabby echoed: 'Feel like he's another DS, don't you?'

Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins continues Sunday at 9pm on Channel 4.