Ireland's Fittest Family 2026: RTÉ One Start & Coaches
Ireland's Fittest Family is coming back to RTÉ for the 2026 to 2027 season, but RTÉ hasn't put a start date on it yet. Last time it ran on RTÉ One on Sunday evenings from early November to the Sunday before Christmas, was free to watch, and went to the RTÉ Player as well.
- Returning: yes. RTÉ named it among its returning shows on Wednesday 26 August 2026.
- Start date: not confirmed as of Wednesday 7 October 2026. The 2025 series began on Sunday 2 November at 6.30pm.
- Coaches: the 2026 line-up is not confirmed. Six coaches took part in 2025.
- Reigning champions: the McKenna family from Corraghbrack, Co. Monaghan, coached by Andrew Trimble.
Is Ireland's Fittest Family coming back in 2026?
Yes. When RTÉ set out its new season on Wednesday 26 August 2026, its own report listed Ireland's Fittest Family with The Tommy Tiernan Show, The 2 Johnnies' Late Night Lock-In and First Dates as returning programmes. That report gave no date, night or channel for it.
By RTÉ's count, the 2025 run was the show's 13th season. Laura Fox presented it, and the winning family took home €15,000.
When does Ireland's Fittest Family start?
That is not confirmed as of Wednesday 7 October 2026. We found no start date for the new series in RTÉ's published reports when we checked that day, so treat any date you see elsewhere as a guess until RTÉ names one.
Last year gives a rough guide to the timing, and no more than that. RTÉ announced the 2025 date on Friday 24 October 2025, nine days before the first episode, which went out on Sunday 2 November 2025 at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player. On Sunday 21 December 2025 came the final, which the Connaught Telegraph billed for 6.30pm on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player.
| Series and episode | Date | Irish time | Channel | Free | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 series, first episode | Sunday 2 November 2025 | 6.30pm | RTÉ One, RTÉ Player | Yes | Aired |
| 2025 series, final | Sunday 21 December 2025 | 6.30pm | RTÉ One, RTÉ Player | Yes | Aired |
| 2026 series, first episode | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Announced as returning |
Who are the coaches on Ireland's Fittest Family?
RTÉ's August report doesn't name the coaches for the new series, so the 2026 line-up is not confirmed. What we can give you is the group from 2025, when the show went from four coaches to six.
Davy Fitzgerald, Donncha O'Callaghan and Anna Geary came back, and three newcomers joined them: the Paralympic swimming champion Ellen Keane, the former Dublin footballer Michael Darragh MacAuley and the former Ireland rugby international Andrew Trimble. Those three additions were reported by the Irish Examiner in August 2025, and RTÉ confirmed the full six that October.
In the 2025 heats each returning coach was paired against a newcomer: Geary against MacAuley, Fitzgerald against Keane, and O'Callaghan against Trimble.
Who won Ireland's Fittest Family last time?
That was the McKenna family from Corraghbrack, Co. Monaghan. They won the final shown on RTÉ One on Sunday 21 December 2025 with Andrew Trimble as their coach, in his first series on the show.
Four families reached that final. Alongside the McKennas were the Carrs from Westmeath, the Linehans from Cork and the McDonaghs from Belmullet, Co. Mayo, who were coached by Davy Fitzgerald. In the Connaught Telegraph's report, the McDonaghs go out after a head-to-head with the Linehans, and the McKennas take the title from there.
Where was the last series filmed?
According to RTÉ, the 2025 heats were held at Gormanston Army camp over three weeks, with challenges set by members of the Defence Forces. Its opening episode had families racing up from the sea with kit bags and sandbags, then hauling a 7.5-tonne army truck along a disused runway.
For the final, the show moved to Avondale in Co. Wicklow, at the Treetop Walk and its 38m tower. RTÉ hasn't said where the new series was filmed.
How can you watch Ireland's Fittest Family?
In 2025 the series was on RTÉ One, which is free-to-air, and on the RTÉ Player, which is free to use in Ireland. After the final, viewers were pointed to the RTÉ Player to catch up on the season. We couldn't confirm on Wednesday 7 October 2026 which past episodes are on the RTÉ Player now, so check the app.
If you're in Northern Ireland, this is an RTÉ programme, so it depends on whether RTÉ One is in your provider's line-up.
What else is on RTÉ this season?
RTÉ's other big competition already has its result: see The Traitors Ireland winners. Next on the calendar is Dancing with the Stars Ireland 2027.
On Friday nights, the Late Late Show guest list is updated each week, and the Late Late Toy Show page has the date families plan around. For drama, we're following Tall Tales & Murder, The Galway Bay Murders and Kin series 3, and the soap schedule is in which soaps are on each night.
More sections: RTÉ · Winners · Christmas & Events · Guide
FAQ
What channel is Ireland's Fittest Family on?
In 2025 it was on RTÉ One and the RTÉ Player. RTÉ hasn't confirmed the channel or night for the new series.
What do the winners get?
In 2025 the prize was €15,000 and the title of Ireland's Fittest Family.
Who presents it?
Laura Fox presented the 2025 series. Nobody has been confirmed for the new series.
Sources
- RTÉ Entertainment (26 August 2026): new season report listing Ireland's Fittest Family among the returning shows
- RTÉ Lifestyle (24 October 2025): 13th season, six coaches, Laura Fox, Gormanston heats, Sunday 2 November at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player
- Irish Examiner (21 August 2025): the three new coaches and the three returning ones
- Connaught Telegraph (22 December 2025): the final, the McKenna family's win, the four finalists, Avondale
- Connaught Telegraph (17 December 2025): final billed for Sunday at 6.30pm on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player, €15,000 prize