Eight weeks ago, five inspiring leaders took on the Operation Transformation challenge, putting their faith in our panel of experts who shared their guidance and information to help them gain and sustain a healthy lifestyle.
Michelle Rogan, Darragh Fitzgerald, Anne Cushen, Noel O'Connell, and Edel O'Malley were this year's leaders and have triumphed during those eight weeks.
Some were seeking a better work/life balance, while others hoped to better manage certain conditions or simply find the energy to keep up with and make the most of their time with their kids. No matter their motivation, the leaders put themselves to the test and led the nation into a new year of healthy habits.
On tonight's final episode, we saw the fab five strut down the catwalk and discuss the results of their OT journey.
Click through the gallery above to see all the glamorous photos.
Michelle Rogan
Age: 36
Location: Meath
Height: 152cm
Starting weight: 12st 7.5lbs / 79.6kg
Final weight: 11st 7lbs / 73.3kg
Total lost: 1st 0.5lbs
Highlight: When she started on the show, Michelle was struggling with health anxiety that was stopping her from enjoying her life, as well as time with her young family. In the weeks since, she has blossomed in all ways, but especially when it comes to confidence - with plenty of swearing along the way! "I came in wanting to lose a stone", she said, a goal that she met while having to modify the ways in which she exercised.
Darragh Fitzgerald
Age: 37
Location: Limerick
Height: 179.5cm
Starting weight: 20st 11lbs / 132.1kg
Final weight: 17st 13lbs / 114kg
Total lost: 1st 5lbs
Highlight: Darragh wanted to become more connected in his family life, while regaining some of the athleticism he lost over the years he spent managing both a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and atrial fibrillation. He smashed all of his goals by getting a new personal best in the first kilometer of the 5km. Speaking about his time on the show, he said he's extremely "proud" of what he and his family have achieved together.
Anne Cushen
Age: 55
Location: Wexford
Height: 160.5cm
Starting weight: 11st 9lbs / 73.8kg
Final weight: 10st 8lbs / 66.1kg
Total lost: 1st 1lbs
Highlight: Worried about losing her mobility, Anne signed up to the show to regain some of that independence and comfort back. She arrived to the assessment day on crutches and wrapped the show by running past the 5km finish line and strutting her stuff on the catwalk. "I was like a horse to water", she said. "I was brought, they gave the water and I took it!" She reflected on how the show proved to her that "little changes" make seemingly impossible things possible.
Noel O'Connell
Age: 57
Location: Kildare
Height: 181.0cm
Starting weight: 17st 1lbs / 108.2kg
Final weight: 15st 2lbs / 96.1kg
Total lost: 1st 13lbs
Highlight: Noel applied to make sure he's around as long as possible for his family, which opened up alongside Noel as the cameras followed their lives for eight weeks. From charming viewers in the kitchen to cracking jokes, Noel won over the audience immediately. He spoke about men's mental health and promised to show his life "warts and all", which he delivered on. Having started with a metabolic age of 72, he came down to a phenomenal 51.
Edel O'Malley
Age: 36
Location: Mayo
Height: 166.5cm
Starting weight: 16st 8lbs / 105.4kg
Final weight: 14st 11lbs / 93.7kg
Total lost: 1st 11lbs
Highlight: In her time on the show, Edel won hearts by opening up about the challenges facing new mams and took on any task that was thrown her way, always with a smile and a laugh. She ran the OT 5km race in the Phoenix Park, which she called "such a big deal". "I wanted what would come out on the day to reflect what I put in, because I really did, like, put in my heart and soul", she said. "I really tried, I did my very best and you know what? I was really happy with how it went." She added that the show proved to her that she "can do hard things".
Operation Transformation series 17 is available to watch on RTÉ Player.
