If it’s a long way from Portlaoise to Geelong, it’s certainly a long way (metaphorically anyway) to a jungle in South Africa.
But that’s where Zach Tuohy currently is, having been unveiled this morning as a contestant on Australia’s version of I’m a Celebrity, Get me out of Here.
The reality TV show has a massive audience, further showing the status Tuohy is held in Australia, where he carved out a career in Australian Rules, retiring last year as an AFL legend, a Grand Final winner and the holder of the record number of appearances made by an Irish player.
The show subjects the contestants to a series of ‘trials’ – gruesome, hugely challenging or a combination of both – and contestants will be eliminated each week.
The programme airs Sunday to Thursday and is about just one day behind. Tuohy travelled from Australia to South Africa late this week before entering the jungle on Thursday. The first episode aired this morning Irish time
“I can’t start a fire, don’t know how to make a camp … if any of the trials are to drink a pint of Guinness, I’m in,” he joked as he was introduced on the show.
“Heights, spiders, gross food … is there any of that in the show?” he added when asked what he was afraid of.
A segment of the show then showed him making his way through a tiny tunnel which was crawling with cockroaches before having to open a lock, which was at the bottom of a cage of snakes.
That duly plunged him into water before he made his way out.
Zach’s dedicated charity is Heart Kids, an Australian organisation that supports families of children with early onset heart disease.
Among the other Australian celebrities taking part this year are Olympic swimmer Shayna Jack, rugby league legend Sam Thaidy and comedian Dave Hughes.
Tuohy was back in Ireland for Christmas for a trip that included the Irish launch of his autobiography.
As he adjusts to retirement he intends to split his time between the two countries and has indicated that he hopes to line out for the Portlaoise footballers once again in 2025.
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