An actor from Great Yarmouth will star as a SAS hero as he recreates a daring hostage rescue that was filmed in Norwich despite taking place in the jungles of Sierra Leone.

Jorro White, 26, took on the role of elite forces veteran Phil Campion in a three-part factual series called Special Forces: Most Daring Missions.

The series is narrated by Hollywood actor Tom Hardy, who is also one of the documentary's executive producers. 

Mr White recreated a daring SAS rescue in Sierra Leone called Operation Barras, and Mr Campion was on hand during filming to give his advice. 

Also known as Operation Certain Death, the mission took place in 2000 after five British soldiers were taken hostage by a dangerous military group called the West Side Boys.

Against the odds, the soldiers were successfully freed, along with 20 civilian prisoners. 

Jorro White is an actor from Great YarmouthJorro White is an actor from Great Yarmouth (Image: Supplied) Mr White was approached by a casting agent and has previously acted in Echoes of the Dead, a horror film made in Fritton Wood. 

READ MORE: Recalling the tragedy of the Lady Jane plane crash in Norwich

"It was a great laugh running around the woods with machine guns.

"We weren't allowed to know where the filming was taking place but it was somewhere around Norwich. 

Filming in woodland near NorwichFilming in woodland near Norwich (Image: Instagram/ BigPhilCampion) "They didn't need to make too many changes to make it look like the jungles of Sierra Leone to be honest, they just added a few more exotic-looking plants.

"I had originally been cast in another role but after arriving on set I was asked if I was ready to shave my beard off because they wanted me to portray Phil Campion instead. 

"I was a bit shocked and I ummed and ahhed a bit but decided to do it in the end."

The first episode will air on Paramount+ this Sunday.