Operation Transformation presenter Kathryn Thomas has praised this year's leaders for being "absolutely brilliant" during a challenging and "very strange year".
Speaking to Sinead Kennedy and Dáithí Ó Sé on RTÉ's Today Show, the 42-year-old host said it has been "a season like no other".
"It has been very interesting filming it and we have done so well," she said. "I have to say the crew and the leaders on the show have been incredible.
"It has been a totally different experience for us this year. We have remote cameras in people's houses. We have the crew sitting in a box or a van outside of their houses trying to produce from the outside in.
"Their families have been so patient. It's just been brilliant. In terms of what's we've been delivering, none of us really knew how it was going to go."
We're back tomorrow night! In the meantime here's an EXCLUSIVE from Sharon, just for social 🤩.... we can assure you all that no cats were harmed during the making of this video 🙈😹 For more tune into #OperationTransformation tomorrow, Wednesday 9.35pm @RTEOne 👍 #KeepWell pic.twitter.com/WILmbhaOzE
— OT RTÉ (@OpTranRTE) February 9, 2021
Thomas said "credit is due to everyone involved" and admits the leaders should be extremely proud of themselves.
"They have just been absolutely brilliant this year, allowing us into their homes during a very strange year when everyone is stressed and work is different, and everything is different," she said.
"To them and their families we are hugely grateful."
She continued: "They come to studio once a week to do their weigh-ins. We do all of that socially-distanced as well as being Covid compliant. We had a lot of hoops to jump through," she added.
Operation Transformation airs on RTÉ One on Wednesdays at 9.35pm.
