Love Island winner Greg O'Shea has revealed his Olympics dream made it easy to wave a quick goodbye to the celebrity circuit.
O'Shea, 24, won the massively popular reality TV show with Amber Gill last summer.
But their relationship quickly fizzled out as the Limerick man had no appetite to do the usual publicity rounds and play the celebrity game.
O'Shea had a bigger goal in mind all along - the Tokyo Olympics in July 2020.
For the past four years, the former Munster Academy player has been a part of the Irish rugby Sevens squad.
Now O'Shea his heart set on his side following the Irish women's hockey team and making history by qualifying for the Games.
"I have to be true to myself," he said. "It's always been the dream to play for the Ireland Sevens at the Olympics.
"So in the end it was an easy decision for me to make.
"It was a mad time with Love Island. It's not that long ago that my plan was to become a solicitor - and then all of a sudden I'm travelling the world with the Sevens, and then I'm on Love Island.
"After Amber and I won, I was encouraged to be a part of that whole celebrity circuit, but I didn't want to do it.
"Making Tokyo was always the goal - I didn't want to let down my team-mates, we've been together for years trying to make it happen.
"We worked so hard to qualify for the World Sevens Series for the first time in Hong Kong (last April), so we know that we're progressing.
"We're in the top 12 in the world now and we can aim for the top five if we keep going as we have been."
To reach the Olympics, the Ireland Sevens face a difficult final qualification tournament in June against the likes of France, Samoa and Chile. Only one team will progress to Tokyo.
Just 24 hours on from arriving home from a quick-fire tour of Australia and New Zealand with the Sevens, O'Shea was speaking in UCD today as an ambassadors of the European Milk Forum’s ‘Everything Starts with milk’ campaign.
While away, he missed the opening episode of his new weekly TV show The Line-out on Virgin Media One with Muireann O'Connell.
Former Ireland star Andrew Trimble took his place in front of the cameras but O'Shea will get his chance tomorrow night.
And he's confident that his training won't suffer as a result of his new role.
"We record the show on Thursdays, so I'll be able to get my training done in Abbotstown and then get down to the studio," he explained.
"I can't wait to get started with it, it's exciting to be doing something so different."
O'Shea insists that his head hasn't been turned by all the offers that have flooded in since Love Island.
"My family and my team-mates have kept me grounded," he explained.
"My family are rugby mad, while my team-mates slag me off all the time - so it keeps you down to earth!
"I'm working with Line Up (PR company) and they look after everything that comes in for me, so I can just concentrate on my rugby.
"Hopefully it all works out in the summer and we can make it to Tokyo."
His former colleague Will Connors has impressed in the 15-man game for Leinster this season - and, only this week, made it into the Ireland Test squad for the first time for the Six Nations clash with Wales.
But O'Shea is content to remain with the Sevens.
"I'm enjoying the globe-trotting lifestyle and we're getting better and better," he said.
"Others have successfully made the move back to 15s, but for now I'm happy where I am".
