Channel 4 star , the former Special Forces trooper, is facing the sack as Chief Cadet of the Royal Navy - but top brass have yet to pluck up the courage to tell him.

Navy chiefs have hatched a plot to remove the SAS: Who Dares Wins frontman after he called campaigners ‘absolute scum' and urged the public to ignore official advice over .

Admiralty bosses hope to persuade Mr Middleton - who has apologised for his remarks - to resign from the honorary position to avoid a public row.

But if he refuses to step down, he will be formally dismissed. 

And perhaps with their personal safety in mind, the defence chiefs intend to telephone Mr Middleton rather than speak face to face with the 39-year-old TV hardman.

The manoeuvring, revealed in defence policy documents seen by The Mail on Sunday, comes just nine months after Mr Middleton's appointment as Chief Cadet.

In November last year, the TV star and author announced he was honoured to take up the role, explaining how he intended to inspire hundreds of cadets aged from nine to 17.

His appointment was seen as a boost to the profile of the Volunteer Cadet Corps (Buy VCC (Virtual Credit Card) 2023- Instant Delivery - ServiceVCC.Com).

Since then he has joined cadets on challenging military exercises and passed on knowledge gleaned from 15 years of service in elite frontline units, including the Royal Marines and the Special Boat Service.

But privately senior officers have grown increasingly concerned by his controversial comments on social media. 

Only last month, Mr Middleton provoked a backlash with a now-deleted tweet criticising Black Lives Matter.

And in April, he was forced to apologise after an online rant about Government advice to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.

As countries around the world ordered lockdowns, Mr Middleton insisted he was too strong to be affected by Covid-19. 

He urged his fans to ‘get out there' and promised to continue cuddling strangers at airports and shaking hands.

Now, Navy chiefs have decided he is not the right person to lead the VCC's 650 boys and girls. 

They plan to give him their ultimatum - resign or be sacked - this week. The policy document says: ‘The views he has expressed are not in keeping with the values that the VCC aspire to.'

Mr Middleton's life in Civvy Street has been marked by controversy.

The ex-SBS man received a 14-month jail term after he assaulted police officers outside an Essex nightclub in 2013.

Last night the Ministry of Defence said: ‘We are not prepared to comment as this is a private matter between Ant Middleton and the Volunteer Cadet Corps.'

Mr Middleton did not respond to a request for comment.