19 hopefuls inch closer to becoming a RTE Operation Transformation Leader

Participants from all over Ireland gathered together for the first time in Sportslink Sports and Leisure Centre in Santry to be assessed, both physically and psychologically, for inclusion in the sixth series which is due to air on RTÉ One in early January 2013. As part of a live RTÉ Radio 1 broadcast, Operation Transformation radio partner The John Murray Show put the 20 finalists through their paces asking them to share their personal stories; explain why they believe they have what it takes to become a leader for Operation Transformation and how their weight has affected their confidence, lifestyle and wardrobe. Each day next week (Monday, November 19 to Friday, November 23) Kathryn Thomas will travel to the homes of the five selected leaders to unveil their participation in the series live on The John Murray Show on RTÉ Radio 1 at 9am. Speaking in Santry today Kathryn Thomas said, "Out of the thousands who applied we have 19 very brave, very nervous potential leaders with us here today. Massive congratulations to them for applying and putting themselves out there." The sixth series of Operation Transformation will be sponsored by safefood. Last year an average of 606,500 viewers tuned in for each of the eight episodes which represented a 36% share of the available audience. The last series of Operation Transformation also saw an Irish medical first when Michael Casey undertook a clinical trial and managed to reverse his Type II Diabetes under a medically supervised, calorie controlled diet. Professor Niall Moyna from DCU also introduced the Fit for Life campaign to the fifth year students in Athlone Community College on the programme last year. As Operation Transformation gets underway, The John Murray Show will follow the leaders' journeys all the way to the grand finale in February 2013. The three Operation Transformation experts - Eva, Karl and Eddie will be dropping in to studio to provide the best tips and advice on calorie counting, healthy recipes, exercise and lots of other transformation topics. The 20 hopefuls are: 1. Alison Dempsey Current Weight: 15 st Super busy mum, Alison (45) spends her time caring for her 4 children. Her 2nd eldest, Jack (14) suffers from Cystic Fibrosis so Alison's everyday life involves lots of doctors' visits, physio, meds, fundraising and campaigning for better resources. Her husband, Paul, works in London, so is away five nights a week. Alison is heavily involved in the local community of Raheny. She is a member of the parent's councils in her children's schools and also runs a school credit union. She is PR Officer for Raheny GAA Club and organises Gaa4Mas. Alison is quite sporty and has run 3 marathons. As a self-confessed comfort eater, Alison's main problem area is her tummy and she would love to be able to wear heels without feeling like a giant. 2. Brid Keogh Current Weight: 20st Having lived in Carlow for 9 years, Brid (29) has embarked on a new life in Ashford, Co. Wicklow. She lost her dream job in marketing 3 years ago and was forced to leave her life and friends in Carlow behind. She was unemployed for 9 months but is now working as an office manager for a financial services company. Brid has always struggled with her weight and, with it now affecting all aspects of her life, she is simply sick of being fat! Approaching 30, as a single lady, Brid wants to take action before it's too late. Having lost 2.5 stone following the show last year, she is now ready to step it up and become a leader. 3. Carl Grogan Current Weight: 15st This is Carl's second attempt at Operation Transformation, as he made it to the final 24 last year. He is back bigger than ever and wants it more than anything. Recently unemployed, Carl (23) lives at home with his parents in Ballyfermot. Carl's dad has suffered two strokes and with Carl already having high blood pressure, he worries that he is following in his dad's footsteps. Re-applying for the show was difficult for Carl, as he is very embarrassed to have put on a further stone since last year. He is determined to gain control of his weight and get his life back on track. 4. Charlotte O' Connell Current Weight: 15st Charlotte (23) comes across as a carefree young girl but inside her weight issues are really starting to get her down. She lives with her boyfriend, Gerald, in a converted garage in her parent's back garden in Ballieborough, Co. Cavan. Having recently completed a degree in Early Childhood Studies, she is currently working as a hotel housekeeper but is hoping to further her studies and become a teacher. Charlotte has always struggled with her weight and has a massive sweet tooth. With her sister's wedding looming and the thoughts of bridesmaid's dress shopping filling Charlotte with dread, she is desperate to get in shape. 5. Deirdre Hosford Current Weight: 14st Deirdre (31) is adjusting to life as a stay at home mum and looking after her two 'bundles of energy', Jack (2) and Cian (2 months). She lives in Whitechurch, Co. Cork with her husband Will, who is a Garda. Having lost her father earlier this year, Deirdre has a new perspective on life and is determined to get healthier for the sake of her young family. Deirdre has struggled with her weight since puberty but has noticed a major change in her figure since having her two boys. As a former beauty therapist, she took great pride in her appearance and while she may no longer have the time for false lashes and freshly painted nails, she longs to get a bit of her glamorous self back. 6. Emma O' Meara Current Weight: 16st 1lb Having completed her leaving cert this year, Emma (18) has just started a PLC in Pre-Nursing. She lives at home with her parents and younger sister Sarah Jane (5) in Roscrea, Co. Tipperary. She also has another sibling on the way. Emma has always carried weight and as a child developed a massive appetite. Years of bullying and comfort eating have added to the problem and her confidence has been knocked. She is delighted to be starting a new stage in her life and does not want to let her weight hold her back. 7. Gavin Walker Current Weight: 18st Recently separated, Gavin (35) is starting over but his weight is preventing him from moving on. Originally from Tallaght, he now lives in Kill, Co. Kildare. He has four children, who he sees regularly and are a major source of motivation to him. As a process technician, he does shift work, which plays havoc with his diet. Living alone has also added to the problem, as his cooking lacks both imagination and ability. Afraid of ending up unhealthy and alone, Gavin is desperate to take action and start moving on with his life. 8. Greg Starr Current Weight: 17st 9lbs As an Operation Transformation group member, Greg (36) feels ready to take the leap and become a leader this year. He lost 2 stone as a member of the Aglish Village People Group last year and wants to continue what he has started. Greg lives in Aglish, Co. Tipperary with his wife Claire and son, Eoghan. He runs his own Motor Factors shop. As a former member of the air corp and avid rugby player, Greg was once sporty and fit. His weight is now starting to affect his health and with a history of heart disease in the family, he fears he is a ticking time bomb and wants to improve his health before it's too late. 9. Kevin Hennessy Current Weight: 21st Once an All-Ireland Champion, Kevin (51) now feels like an embarrassment. He played hurling for Cork, winning three Senior All-Ireland medals. Since retiring from the sport, he has let himself go and the weight has piled on. Kevin lives in Middleton with his wife Una and works as a civil servant. As a cancer survivor, he has fought five brain tumours and been in the all clear since 2006. Kevin has Type 2 Diabetes and with a history of heart disease in the family, he wants to improve his health so that he can hold his head high once more and be there for his wife, 3 children and 2 grandchildren. 10. Leanne Reddy Current Weight: 16st 13lbs Young mum, Leanne (27) is determined to lose her post baby weight and get her energetic and sporty self back. Originally from Dublin, she lives in Portlaoise with her two young children and husband, Tom, who is in the Defence Forces. Leanne is a stay at home mum and has given up most of her hobbies since having children. She would love to get back playing GAA and basketball but doesn't have the confidence at her current size. With her weight now affecting her energy levels and blood pressure, Leanne knows she needs to get her health back on track. 11. Lesley Harris Current Weight: 13st Glam single mum, Lesley (35) has been trying to lose weight for years and while she only has a couple of stone to lose, she is desperate to do it. Lesley lives in Tralee with her son, Dillon (14). She exercises regularly, swimming four times a week and playing basketball. She also has a healthy enough diet but admits to pigging out at weekends. As a member of the local folk choir, she sings at mass every Sunday. She has a lovely voice but lacks the confidence to pursue her talent further. Lesley's aim is to feel comfortable and confident in her own skin. 12. Marianna Traherne- Jankiewicz Current Weight: 15st 5lbs Originally from Poland, Marianna (30) now lives in Kilkenny with her husband, Pawel and 3 young children. Having overcome tough times in Poland, Marianna loves living in Ireland and is very grateful to the Irish people for the welcome she has received. She is very involved in her local community and has fundraised for charities, including the Irish Cancer Society. She was studying for a Masters in Literature before leaving Poland but now works as a manager in an accessories store. Marianna and her family enjoy geocaching, a new craze that is a modern treasure hunt using GPS technology. Having developed unhealthy eating due to years of poverty, Marianna fears that her weight is starting to affect her health and so needs to act now before it gets worse. 13. Mark McConnell Current Weight: 19st 5lbs Mark (41) is a talented musician and while he once played all over Ireland, Europe and America, he no longer performs in public because of his weight. He lives in Lifford with his wife and two sons. Mark loves soccer and coaches the schoolboy squads in Donegal. His dream is to get his coaching qualifications, something he cannot do at his current weight. He is an emotional eater and no longer exercises as much as he should. Mark is determined to stop putting everything on hold and believes losing weight is the first step in achieving his goals. 14. Monica Percy Current Weight: 13st 3lbs Devoted single mum, Monica (43) spends her days juggling her fulltime job as a finance manager with the demands of her two children's busy schedules. When she is not at work, she is busy ferrying them around to their many activities. Monica was born in the UK but returned home to Ireland with her parents when she was 10 years old. She now lives in Ballon, Co. Carlow. Her father died in a car accident when she was 16 years old. Monica is divorced, having separated from her husband 8 years ago. The time since then has gone by in a blur for Monica but she is ready to start living again. 15. Orla Dunne Current Weight: 13st 12lbs Bride to be, Orla (37) is all set to marry her fiance James next September but does not want to be a fat bride. James is a farmer and they met at a festival in Drumlish last August. Orla has lived in Longford all her life but commutes to Dublin each day for work as an IT trainer. She comes from a family of seven. Her mum and sister are queens of shopping but Orla does not share this love because of her weight and is finding wedding dress shopping a daunting task. Orla admits to being a yo-yo dieter and would love to lose the weight and keep it off, once and for all. 16. Sean Hodnett Current Weight: 25st 8lbs As a healthcare professional, Sean (35) should know better but years of bad diet and lack of exercise have resulted in him now being morbidly obese. Originally from West Cork, he lives in Cavan with his wife, Bilyana and their two young children. Bilyana is a midwife and is originally from Bulgaria. They met while working in the UK. Sean works in Blanchardstown hospital as a psychiatric nurse. The long commutes and shift work do not help his diet. Inspired by Adrian last year, he knows his mindset in regard to food needs to change and is ready to do it. 17. Shane Fitzgerald Current Weight: 15 stone Shane (40) is a successful businessman, struggling to find time for himself and his family. He is originally from Westport, where he has his own farm, but lives in Lexlip with his wife and three daughters. He runs three flower shops in Maynooth, Lexlip and Westport. Shane is also a town councillor and is chairman of the local business group in Leixlip. He is a very busy man and feels his body is letting him down. He wants to have more energy to spend time with his family and improve his health to allow him to keep up with his hectic life. 18. Sharon Hickey Current Weight: 14st 2lbs As a separated mother, Sharon (47) has been so busy focusing on her twin son and daughter, that the last 14 years have just passed her by. She lives in Dingle and works in the local Credit Union. Sharon put on a lot of weight during her separation and admits to using it as an excuse for not moving on. With her children (aged 15) now practically raised, she feels it is time to focus on herself and start living again. Over the last year, Sharon has begun to improve her diet and while she noticed results initially, the weight loss has now stopped and she does not know how to continue what she has started and reach her goal. 19. Terri Reade Current Weight: 21st 7lbs Terri (29) wants nothing more than to have another child but at her current size it's just not possible. She is married to Patrick and lives in Athy with their 3 year old 'miracle' Megan. As a PCOS suffer, Terri was told it would be virtually impossible to conceive naturally but somehow she managed to get pregnant. She developed pre-eclampsia in pregnancy, which resulted in Megan being born a month premature. It was a scary time for the family but luckily Megan has thrived ever since. With Terri's PCOS and susceptibility to pre-eclampsia, she knows the only way to achieve her dream of adding to her family is to lose weight.