A FORMER Royal Air Force serviceman is to go on the hunt for eight famous faces as he joins the cast of hit reality TV show Hunted.

Kayam Iqbal, from Bury, will feature in the upcoming series of the celebrity version of the Channel 4 programme for Stand Up to Cancer.

He will also reprise his role in the hunters team when the regular series of the show, featuring members of the public, returns to screens in 2020.

Already one of the original hunter’s from the show’s pilot around five years ago, the ex-military specialist will once again be putting his skills to the test pursuing the celebs on the ground as they attempt to evade detection around the country.

Mr Iqbal said: “Hunted is a unique programme to be involved in and I was very pleased to be asked."

The 39-year-old started his military career in 1999 as a medic in the RAF and completed tours of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Over an 11-year career, Mr Iqbal went on to specialise in languages working with various specialist units across NATO countries.

However, he was medically discharged with PTSD in 2010 and struggled to find employment and settle back into civilian life ­— at one point even finding himself selling scratch cards for £6 an hour.

He had also faced discrimination from both sides of the community as a Muslim and having a military background, did not openly talk about his mental health due to fears of negative stigma around such issues and that it showed weakness.

But Mr Iqbal showed remarkable resilience and taught himself a whole set of new skills, eventually going one to found his own award winning business, OppO Recruitment, in 2013.

Last month the company was recognised by the MoD’s Employer Recognition Scheme ­— the highest badge of an honour an employer can receive for supporting servicemen, veterans and their families.

Returning to screens on October 13 Celebrity Hunted follows TV and sporting personalities as they go on the run and seek to evade a team of military, police and intelligence experts.

The four confirmed celebrity pairs for the new series are Stanley Johnson, father of the Prime Minster Boris Johnson, and Made in Chelsea star Georgia Toffolo; chefs Aldo Zilli and Jean Christophe-Novelli; rugby stars Martin Offiah and Gavin Henson; and The Only Way Is Essex’s Mecklenburgh and Lydia Bright.