Ultimate Hell Week challenge is back - and this time it’s the turn of the professionals.
Twenty celebrities from the world of sports and entertainment take on the army training challenge and are put through a gruelling special forces selection course.
Each of them has excelled in their chosen field but now their reputations are on the line, as they go way beyond their comfort zone, to face the biggest test of their lives, to attempt to pass a condensed version of Special Forces selection.
Over six days, the celebrity recruits will be required to pass numerous rigorous physical and mental tests.
But with a failure rate upwards of 90%, only the toughest candidates will survive.
With each celebrity recruit representing a charity of their choice the stakes are high, the longer they can last in Hell, the more money they will raise for their worthy cause.
And here’s the group hoping to beat the odds on the tough torturous trail.
David Gillick
David is an Olympian, an Irish international track and field athlete and world indoor medalist. He is still playing senior club football in Dublin and is working on his second cookbook. He is taking part in the show in aid of Friends of the Coombe
Fiona O' Carroll
Fiona is a well known to Irish viewers as Maria Brown in popular sitcom, Mrs. Brown's Boys. The Dubliner is the daughter of Mrs Brown's Boys creator and lead actor Brendan O'Carroll. The Coppers the Musical star is also a mother of four boys under 15 - Felix, Eli, Isaac, and Dexter, whom she shares with her ex husband and co-stars Martin Delany. She is taking part in aid of Asiam
Peter Finn
Peter is a builder, best known to Room to Improve and Home Rescue fans as ‘Pete the Builder’. Off screen, he also owns Finn & Flynn Construction company with Mark Flynn. His charity is Children’s Health Foundation.
Billy Holland
Billy is a former Munster and Ireland Rugby Player. He is taking part in the show in the hopes of raising funds and awareness for the Jack & Jill Foundation, which is a nationwide charity that offers support, advocacy and an in-home nursing service to help children and their families under the age of 6 years who have a significant neurodevelopmental delay involving severe learning difficulties.
Luke Thomas
Luke is a well known singer, musician and presenter in Ireland, best known as the lead singer of The Swing Cats. He is taking part in the gruelling challenge in aid of Alone, a national organisation that enables older people to age at home as well as providing befriending services, advocacy and support.
Aisling Daly
Aisling ‘Ash the Bash’ Daly is a retired Irish female professional mixed martial artist She was the first Irish UFC fighter and first Irish female MMA fighter.
But this time she is fighting for survival and for her charity of choice, Jigsaw.
Setanta O'hAilpin
Setanta is a former Cork hurler turned professional Australian rules footballer. He is taking part in the challenge in aid of Good Shepherd Cork
Oisin Murphy
Oisin is an Irish jockey, based in the UK. The Co. Kerry man is a three time champion jockey in 2019, 2020, 2021. He is competing in aid of the MacMillan Cancer Support
Johnny Ward
Johnny is a well known actor best known for his roles in Fair City and Love/Hate and Coppers the Musical. He is no stranger to challenges either, having also competed in RTE’s Dancing With The Stars. The Dubliner is taking part in aid of the Capuchin Day Centre
Blathnaid Treacy
Bláthnaid is best known for hosting various RTE shows over the years, including the National Lottery and RTÉ 2FM's popular Official Chart Show. But this time she is ditching the day job for the other side of the camera, in aid of Woman’s Aid
Pamela Uba
Pamela is an Irish scientist and model and former Miss Ireland 2021. She grew up in Ballyhaunis, County Mayo after moving from Johannesburg to Ireland with her family as an asylum seeker when she was 8 years old. She has since opened up about spending 10 years in direct provision and has since raised money for educational support for children in direct provision. She is competing in aid of Variety Ireland.
Eric Donovan
Eric is an Irish professional boxer, from Co. Kildare. As an amateur he was a five-time Irish national champion and won bronze medals at the 2009 European Union Championships and the 2010 European Championships. He is taking part for Cuan Mhuire Athy.
Paul Ryder
Paul is one of Ireland's best known drag queens, better known as RuPaul Ryder, who shot to fame after taking part in Ireland’s Got Talent. He is also a regular contributor on Virgin Media’s breakfast show, Ireland Am. His charity of choice is LGBT Ireland.
Eoin Cadogan
Eoin is a recently retired Irish hurler and Gaelic footballer who played for Cork Senior Championship club Douglas and at inter-county level with the Cork senior hurling team. His charity is My Canine Companion
Rebeccah O'Rourke
Rebeccah is an Irish fitness model and entrepreneur with over 80,000 followers on Instagram. Her charity of choice is Breast Cancer Ireland.
Boidu Sayeh
Boidu is a Westmeath football player. He has opened up in the past about encountering a different journey to the world of GAA, moving to Ireland from war torn Liberia when he was 8 years old. He is taking part in aid of World food programme.
Fergus McFadden
Fergus is an Irish professional rugby union player for Leinster. He played both as a centre and on the wing. In this challenge, he is playing in aid of Pieta House.
Tadhg Fleming
Tadhg is a well known social media star, who shot to fame in 2017 when he shared a video of Derry trying to catch a bat in their kitchen. Cue appearances on various chat shows worldwide, including Jimmy Kimmel Live, and millions of followers on Tik Tok. His charity is Let’s Get Talking.
Ciara Griffin
Ciara is an Irish rugby union player from Ballymacelligott, Co Kerry. She plays flanker for UL Bohemians and Munster and has captained Ireland since 2018, including the 2021 Women's Six Nations Championship. She also works as a primary school teacher. She is taking part in aid of Kerry Hospice.
Michael McKiliop
Michael is an Irish middle distance Paralympian. He competes in the T37 disability sport classification, as he has a mild form of cerebral palsy. His charity is Epilepsy Ireland.
Ultimate Hell Week - The Professionals, RTE One, 9.35pm
