This very special celebrity episode of Ireland's Fittest Family sees four celebs and their families go head to head in the new Fittest Family HQ in County Wicklow. The new location has swamps, forests, lakes and mountains and brings a whole host of challenges for our competitors.
The celeb families are all competing to win €10,000 for their chosen charity, with the runner up family receiving €1,000 for their charity of their choice.
So, ahead of tonight's show, let's get to know these four fit families.
Team Walsh
Charity: Laura Lynn Foundation
Jockey Katie Walsh will be accompanied by her brother jockey Ruby Walsh, sister in law jockey Nina Carberry and her brother in law. They chose to support the Laura Lynn Foundation a children's hospice that offers personalised services to children with palliative care needs, complex care needs and complex disabilities.
Team Kavanagh
Charity: As I Am
Television presenter and social media influencer James Kavanagh has his partner William Murray on side as well as his niece Sarah Mulligan and nephew Séan Mulligan. Séan has atypical autism and is involved with As I Am, Ireland's national autism charity, working to deliver real inclusion and understanding for all.
Team Ruane
Charity: Irish Homeless Street League
Senator Lynn Ruane is taking part with her partner, Paul Walsh, and her cousins Mick Ruane and Garry Elliot. Lynn has done a lot of work with the addiction and homeless sector for most of her life before becoming a politician and she is passionate about sport bringing people together. Her charity of choice, IHSL, is a volunteer driven non profit organisation that uses the power of sport to transform the lives of people who have found themselves affected by social exclusion.
Team Sharpson
Charity: Zamda
John Sharpson (aka Home School Hub's Múinteoir John) is taking part with his two brothers, Donal and Eamonn Sharpson and his cousin Sorcha Keniry. John's charity is Zamda, an Irish based charity in Zambia that provides education, clothing, and food for street kids. John has been over twice building and teaching and his old hurling manager runs it.
So, what exactly will our celebs be doing to fight for their charity of choice?
Pontoons of pain
This new event is anything but fun. It is double nominated head to head relay race between all four families. It starts with a slide into the water and a swim to the pontoons where they face a pathway moving with the water.
They then take on a balance beam (also moving to break their stride) before facing four pontoon jumps. If they splash off they have to go back to where the pontoon jumps start.
Then its onto three submerged mats. The teams will pull themselves out of the lake and run through the forest and back to the big jump. Once they swim to the pontoon and put their hands on the air the second member is released into the course.
The winning family will have both members standing on the pontoon with their hands in the air.
Hanging tough
Hanging tough is a test of will power and endurance. The clock starts when the families’ feet leave the ground. Each family member must hang over 6 meters above the freezing water for as long as they possibly can. But remember, this isn’t about the last person up there. Times of the four family members will be combined, so every second counts.
Eliminator – Grand Final
This race is fast and action packed. It starts with a series of obstacles and small walls that as close together, then the families run around a barrel and onto the horizontal rat tunnel which are off the ground.
Then it's onto a freezing cold ice bath to slow everyone down. Next, the competitors will head towards the biggest cargo net crawl we’ve ever seen. As if that isn’t enough, they'll then move onto a 10-foot wall followed by ramps.
The celeb family at the top first wins the race and the €10,000 for their chosen charity and the losing family is eliminated but get €1,000 for their chosen charity.
Watch Ireland's Fittest Family Celebrity Special 2020 on Monday, 28th December, at 6.35pm on RTÉ One.
