Get ready fitness fans, Ireland's Fittest Family will return to RTÉ One this autumn with, quite possibly, the most competitive group of coaches yet.
Presenter Mairead Ronan is back on the hunt to find the nation’s fittest family, with coaches Davy Fitzgerald, Anna Geary, Donncha O’Callaghan and new coach Nina Carberry all ready to push the groups to their limits and over the finish line for the coveted title and €15,000.
Celebrating its 10th year, former GAA star and Dancing with the Stars contestant Anna Geary told RTÉ Lifestyle that this season is set to be something special.
"This year we've heightened the stakes a small bit. We have a new coach, Nina Carberry, who is a champion in horse racing, and now I'm hoping she won't be a champion in Ireland's Fittest Family but I think she's got other ideas," she smiles.
Speaking on her friendly rivals, Geary says that the coaches get on like a house on fire behind the scenes, but once the ref says 'go', the game is on.
"Sometimes separating all those emotions can be difficult and it takes us a bit of time. Sometimes you have to give Davey the hour to just relax and get over it, and I'm the same, and I'm sure Nina is going to be no different."
"Even though Donners [Donncha O'Callaghan] comes across as really nice - which he is - he is a former professional athlete so he is, I would say, probably the most competitive of the lot of us, which people don't realise."
With eight years of the show behind her, Anna says that seeing families pull together in times of stress is what makes the show a success.
And while Donncha previously told us that he has a special place in his heart for Irish mammys, Anna insists that seeing the younger family members have their moment in the spotlight is what impresses her most.
"I love seeing the dynamic emerge," she explains. "Sometimes you might have a young girl that's really shy and lacking in confidence and, suddenly, she becomes the star of the show."
"I think the mammys of Ireland has such a grá for Donners, I think they love him and he equally loves them back and he's always willing them on. No matter what mom is on any team, he's always trying to get them up the ramp. But for me, it's the younger competitors, the younger girls and younger boys - you know, the 15, 16 year olds - that often no one expects anything from, especially if they have older siblings."
"They're nearly seen as not expected to do much, and they're always the ones that come out fighting and that surprise everyone, and I love to see that."
To watch our interview with Anna back in full, click on the video above.
