OT's Triona: 'We can barely fit in the door!'
The new leaders of Celebrity Operation Transformation tell Ray D'Arcy on RTÉ Radio 1 what their reaction was when they initially got the call asking to sign up to the show.
The leaders, who were revealed yesterday afternoon; journalist Triona McCarthy, singer Mary Byrne, chef Gary O'Hanlon, social influencer James Patrice and singer Kayleigh Cullinane, opened the programme with Ray announcing that it was the big day.
In response Triona McCarthy to quipped, "We can barely fit in the door!".
Standing tall at 6'2" James Patrice told Ray that he's "about 19 stone", but like Triona he says he knows how to tactfully dress himself.
He explained that often times his waistcoats are cut up the back and also gave some advice on how to stand in photographs to give the appearance of being slimmer.
On the subject of wearing just the lycra shorts and going topless, James had asked if he could wear a tight vest instead;
"If I'm on a beach I will never have the top off, I'm horrendously mortified...But I looked at the photo afterwards and it's done. Who cares?...I've lost an element of shame that I had", he said.
The Voice singer Kayleigh Cullinane told Ray that she was ecstatic when she got the call.
At 21 years of age and weighing 21 stone, Kayleigh spoke of wanting to walk into a clothes shop and pick up whatever she wants.
Kayleigh has spent some time in and out of hospital over the last five/six years and attributes a lot of that weight gain to that, the recovery process and living on hospital food and takeaways.
"I was ecstatic, I'm the biggest of the group....I'm really looking forward to it", she said.
Triona McCarthy has already received a great reaction and support on social media about her involvement saying that:
"The amount of people who have gotten in contact... they felt that they could really relate to the piece I wrote because they're not obese as such... actually maybe I am obese?... but there is just that stone, they want to be healthier".
Chef Gary O'Hanlon spoke of having an unhealthy structure to his day, he couldn't say when he last had a breakfast.
"Chefs would rarely eat full meals, you're just dabbling having wee tastes here and there" he explained.
Singer Mary Byrne spoke of not having to think twice, that she knew it was time to change.She will be appearing in Panto later this year and wants to start losing weight stone by stone.
While she only goes out once a week, it's the pints of *Coors Light that will affect her on the scales.
How does she feel about wearing the lycra? "You have to be totally honest with yourself... OK you're big but you don't look ridiculous, you're doing something for the good of you and please God, other people".
Triona McCarthy works from home and said when she's writing she'll allow herself biscuits at certain intervals, if something is not coming together, if she needs energy.
"Every one of my teeth are sweet, I don't have just a sweet tooth!" she joked.
The five leaders will start the food and fitness plan on Monday 28th August. Episodes will air on RTÉ One this September. You can listen to the full interview on Ray D'Arcy below.
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