RTÉ announce Celebrity Operation Transformation Contestants

RTÉ weight loss series expanded its franchise last year with a series dedicated to celebrities. This year is no different as RTÉ One's Celebrity Operation Transformation gets ready for a September start, with the normal run of the series starting in January.

The first of many announcments as we head in to the autumn months for TV programming. RTÉ have announced five new celebrities for their Celebirty Opearation Transformation programme.

The series will follow X Factor singer Mary Byrne, chef Gary O'Hanlon, beauty writer Triona McCarthy, presenter and social media influencer James Patrice and singer Kayleigh Cullinan as they fight the bulge this September. So who are they?

Well Mary Byrne started out on TG4 singing series Nollig No. 1, which she won and then went on to ITV's X-Factor. Since then she's been a regular guest on TV3's afternoon show Elaine. "Well I was shocked when I was approached to take part because I watched the programme last year when Elaine Crowley was on and I said to myself `Jeez I’d love to do that - give it a chance, boost my morale up.'

Beauty and fashion journalist Triona McCarthy said: "I actually feel I have the opposite of body dysmorphia. I actually always think I look alright and that it’s other people who seem to be more concerned about my weight - it’s like my mum or my sisters are always saying to me 'Triona if you just lost a few pounds your life would be so much easier' and I have to go 'Guys it’s ok - I’m actually happy.'"

Chef Gary O'Hanlon said: "I'm most looking forward to a change of lifestyle. Very few chefs look after themselves. The trigger was probably wee Ollie being born last year, Cora’s three and a half, my daughter, and the wee boy’s 11 months old."

"Social influencer" James Patrice said: "When they said it first I thought to myself 'oh maybe they want me to do backstage stuff for social media as I have before and they were like no, no we’d like you to be in it' and my gut reaction was yes straight away because I just thought yeah it’s a great opportunity."

Singer Kayleigh Cullinan said: "I know being a lot overweight does 100% play on your confidence, but it also does play on your energy levels and what you give to people."

The series starts this September on RTÉ One.