For the first time ever, Ireland’s Fittest Family welcomes three new coaches to the fold, joining the original trio in a thrilling six-way battle for glory. The newcomers bring serious sporting pedigree:
· Ellen Keane, Paralympic swimming champion and inspirational trailblazer
· Michael Darragh MacAuley, former Dublin GAA star and winner of eight All-Ireland Medals
· Andrew Trimble, Irish rugby legend with 70 caps to his name.
They’ll be taking on the original coaching legends in a fierce contest to mentor the nation’s fittest families through gruelling challenges designed to push them to the edge – physically and mentally.
Returning for Series 13 are coaches Anna Geary, Donncha O’Callaghan and reigning Fittest Family Champ Davy Fitzgerald.
Episode 1:
Taking place in the rugged Gormanston Army camp, the Heats will unfold over three weeks. Each week one original coach will go head-to head with a new coach. On week 1, it’s the turn of Anna Geary and Michael Darragh MacAuley – each with two families.
Anna has the McCLEMENT family from DOWN and the CARR family from WESTMEATH.
Michael Darragh has the WALSH family from CORK, and the BYRNE family from DUBLIN
All battling it out for one of the three places up for grabs in the next round of the competition at Hell and Back.
For the first time this year, the events are demonstrated by members of the Irish Defence Forces.
The families must each take on a brand new event, BOX TO THE TOP. Starting in the cold sea, this is a head-to-head race along an army training ground with kit-boxes and sandbags to carry along the course.
The four families then have their stamina tested by TRUCK PULL. The four family members have to pull an enormous 7.5tonne army truck along a decommission runway.
With the scores of the first two events are combined, the two highest-scoring families go through to the next round, and the two families at the bottom have to face off in the Army Eliminator.
