Operation Transformation (TV series)


Operation Transformation is a health and fitness programme airing on RTÉ One in Ireland. The show is a cross-media event broadcast via radio, web and television on RTÉ 2fm, RTÉ.ie and RTÉ One since 2008. Prior to this it had been limited to radio but has since expanded onto the web and television. It is comparable to US television show The Biggest Loser.
The fifth series, which began in January 2012, is hosted by Kathryn Thomas with the radio element provided by RTÉ Radio 1's The John Murray Show.
Initially presented by reporter Evelyn O'Rourke replaced by Darren Kennedy, the event saw six hopefuls, selected by Gerry Ryan on his radio show, attempt to reshape their lives as they are supported and guided by a panel of experts in the fields of fitness, nutrition and psychology in order to reach their individual goals. O'Rourke performed the role of "cheerleader" to her companion Gerry Ryan's "ringmaster".
There are weekly updates on television, daily updates on radio and a 24/7 live webcam on a dedicated site within RTÉ.ie for a period of seven weeks. Each year the event culminates in a grand finale, in which the six contestants present their new selves to their loved ones and the viewing and listening public. Gerry Ryan himself said on air that he was two stone lighter following the 2008 event than he was before it began. Several politicians took part in 2010. Gerry Ryan died suddenly in 2010, so the show ended up in the hands of Kathryn Thomas and RTÉ Radio 1's The John Murray Show in 2011.
Ray D'Arcy will co-present the show from 2016.

History

2008

;Summary
The 2008 event saw six hopefuls, selected by Ryan on his radio show, attempt to reshape their lives as they were supported and guided by a panel of experts in the fields of fitness, nutrition and psychology in order to reach their individual goals. There were weekly updates on television, daily updates on radio and a 24/7 live webcam on a dedicated site within RTÉ.ie for a period of seven weeks. The event culminated in a grand finale from the Pavilion Shopping Centre in Swords, County Dublin, broadcast on Thursday 28 February 2008, in which the six contestants presented their new selves to their loved ones and the viewing and listening public. The 2008 event had over 2 million hits. Six months after the show's finale, the television programme Operation Transformation Revisited was commissioned to investigate the welfare of the contestants. 2008 contestant Donal Looney completed the Dublin Marathon inside four hours in 2009. It was reported that Eamon Joyce had hurt his knee and couldn't take part.
;Leaders
Three males and three females, selected from Ryan's radio listenership, partook in the television show. The final six participants were announced on Friday, 7 December 2007 on The Gerry Ryan Show.
Ryan caused upset when he suggested Violet O'Shea had not lost any weight despite following the programme. However, as she continued, she eventually did begin to lose weight. Her brother Christopher read a poem of encouragement on air and "the nation wept". Violet O'Shea is now five stone. Eamon Joyce lost four stone in total.
NameAge
LocationOccupation
Eamonn Joyce36WicklowChef
Evelyn Farrell37WestmeathAccountant
Donal Looney42TipperaryReady mix driver
Louise Collins21CorkPre-school teacher
Ollie Hannah Murtagh29MonaghanAdult education teacher
Violet O'Shea44RahenyTaxi driver

;Experts
Four individuals sat on a panel of experts.
NameProfessionLink
Dr. Eva OrsmondMedical doctor
Dr. Ian GarganPsychologist
Karl HenryPersonal trainer
Marietta DoranFashion stylist

2009

;Summary
OT 2009 was launched by Ryan and O'Rourke on The Gerry Ryan Show on 3 November 2008. For the first time, there was an Operation Transformation Roadshow, which took place at a number of destinations throughout November and December. Each morning, O'Rourke would be at the specified location and would report to GRS over the morning.
DateLocation
18 November 2008Radisson SAS Hotel & Spa, Galway
20 November 2008Sheraton Hotel & Spa Fota Island Resort, Cork
24 November 2008Sheraton Athlone Hotel
2 December 2008Burlington Hotel, Dublin

The show began airing on RTÉ radio, television and online in January 2009, accompanied by The Afternoon Show.
;Experts
Three individuals sat on a panel of experts.
NameProfession
Dr. Eva OrsmondMedical doctor
Karl HenryPersonal trainer
Pat HenryYoga therapist/Potentialist/Fitness consultant

;Leaders
On 4 December, the final 25 appeared on The Gerry Ryan Show live from studio one "in the bowels" of RTÉ's Donnybrook studios. The six leaders were announced on 8 December. The show ran from 8 January until 26 February on RTÉ One. The website had over one million hits, a 41 per cent increase on the previous year.
NameAge
LocationWeight
Target weight loss
Kelly Brouder31Limerick14 st 13.5 lb 2 st
Keith Anthony44Cork20 st 6.5 lbs 3 st
Mick Boyce26Dublin17 st 2.5 st
Colette Cronin33Dundalk14 st 11 lbs 2 st
Denise Ryan28Tipperary19 st 8 lbs 3 st
Jean Kelly47Dublin14 st 1 lb 1.5 st

2010

;Summary
OT 2010 began on television at 20:00 on RTÉ One on 13 January 2010. For the first time politicians, including the now internationally famous Paul Gogarty, took part. Gerry Ryan appeared on The Late Late Show to discuss the programme on 15 January 2010.
Ciara Dunne, Amanda Casey, Conor O'Connor, Anna Naughton and Penny Dwyer all participated.
They lost more than ten stones in weight between them all during the series. Deputy Seán Connick shed 20 pounds. Senator Nicky McFadden shed 22 pounds. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd shed 24½ pounds.
The final episode of the series was broadcast on 3 March 2010. The website achieved at least 3 million hits during the series.
The first three episodes of the series each attracted a 30.97 audience share.
Reviewing the finale for The Irish Times, Kevin Courtney observed the "non-stop soundtrack of classic pop songs resembled a 2FM show from the 1980s".

2011

;Summary
Five people were chosen: Rachel Walker ; Sinead Heffernan ; Emily Piggott ; Ronan Scully. The series was broadcast on television from 5 January 2011. The five appeared alongside Kathryn Thomas on The Late Late Show on 14 January 2011.

2012

;Summary
Five people were chosen: Adrian Brereton ; Natalie Cox ; Kayleigh Yeoman ; Grace Batterberry ; Killian Byrne. They appeared on The Saturday Night Show on 7 January 2012. The first episode, broadcast on 4 January 2012, attracted more viewers than the previous year's series. The participants had shed more than six stone of fat from their bodies by the halfway mark. One of the leaders nearly quit, which would have been the first time it happened.
Viewers also downloaded a fake app to the annoyance of RTÉ.
Thousands of people took part in the Operation Transformation 5k Fun Run in the Phoenix Park on 18 February 2012.
The leaders lost more than 11 stone between them over the series. Killian Byrne lost the most weight: 3 st 4.5 lbs. Grace Batterberry became a poster girl for anti-smoking and cancer prevention.

2013

2014

This time they managed to lose over 13 stone. Paudie O'Mahony was a leader.

2015

;Experts
Three individuals sat on a panel of experts.
NameProfession
Aoife HearneDietician
Karl HenryPersonal trainer
Dr. Ciara KellyDoctor

Leaders

International

In 2013, the rights to the format were bought by Belgian and Dutch television stations. The Belgian version was entitled Let's Get Fit. Programme producer Philip Kampff had expressed wanting to pitch it to the United States previously, but was finding it difficult, due to the non-competitive nature of the format. However, the following year, it was reported that an American broadcaster was interested in the format.