Charity Lords of the Ring

Charity Lords of the Ring is an Irish reality television competition, broadcast on RTÉ One. Presented by Lucy Kennedy and ex-boxer Barry McGuigan, the four-part series follows ten personalities compete for their charity of choice, in the field of boxing.

Charity Lords of the Ring
Charity Lords of the Ring
GenreReality competition, boxing
Created byScreentime ShinAwil
Directed byRoy Heaybred
Presented by
Voices ofJimmy Magee
Theme music composerMickey Joe Harte
Billy Farrell
Country of originIreland
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producersBarry McGuigan
Larry Bass
Brian Peter
ProducerIsobel Nolan
Running time60 minutes
Release
Original networkRTÉ One
Original release15 August (2009-08-15) –
22 August 2009 (2009-08-22)
External links
Website

Charity Lords of the Ring is broadcast over four episodes on 15 August, 18 August, 19 August and 22 August 2009.[2] It is produced by Screentime ShinAwil and sponsored by Sona Vitamins.[2][3] Over €100,000 is anticipated to be donated to the charities involved,[4] with €26,000 going to the winner.[5] The show marks the television production debut of Brian Ormond.[6] One of the contestants left the show before broadcasts began due to a potentially life-threatening swelling to the brain.

The show's finalists were Paul Martin and Sean Gallagher.[7] The final was attended by several females including socialite and model Rosanna Davison, pop singer, television personality, and sometime glamour model Michelle Heaton as well as Pippa O'Connor and Tara Sinnott.[8][9] Seán Gallagher, despite having only partial eyesight,[9] won the series.[5]

Launch

The series was launched in late July 2009.[2] The contestants were revealed during an episode of Saturday Night with Miriam.[10][11]

Format

The programme features the experiences of ten celebrities through recruit training, with assistance from Tim Witherspoon, Peter Taylor and Katie Taylor.[12] All ten contributors had to take a half day medical before being allowed compete on the show.[2][4][13] It later emerged that RTÉ had asked if the contestants could avoid striking each other above their necks for fear that a violent "gore-fest" might affect the ratings.[9] This idea was dismissed because it was thought the celebrities would look like "total wimps".[9] Some injuries were caused during the programme, including a broken nose for Jack Sheedy from Lee Sharpe and an injured thumb and bruised ribs for Seán Gallagher from Alan Shortt.[9]

The first programme was aired on 15 August 2009.[14] In the first programme, four contestants were selected to take part in first round of contests. Two of the competitors were eliminated. The second programme was of similar format, another two had to leave.[12] Over €100,000 will be divided among the ten selected charities. Professional referees are involved in the show as is the Boxing Union of Ireland and Brian Peters Promotions.[2]

On 19 August, World Champion boxer Bernard Dunne appeared on the show.[15]

The final took place in front of a ticketed audience in City West on 20 August 2009.[16] The event also featured an exhibition match involving Katie Taylor.[16]

In 2009 it was reported that British broadcaster BBC was interested in the format.[1]

Contestants

On 25 July 2009, the competitors were announced for the programme.[10] They include Fair City actor Maclean Burke,[17] Apprentice UK contestant Ben Clarke, celebrity businessman Seán Gallagher,[17] showbiz reporter Paul Martin, television presenter John McGuire,[17] journalist Joe O'Shea,[17] children's television presenter Rob Ross,[17] former Manchester United association footballer Lee Sharpe,[17] retired Gaelic footballer Jack Sheedy[17] and comedian Alan Shortt.[18] O'Shea said he lost more than one stone in weight during training for the show.[17]

Ben Clarke left the show after 2 episodes after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening swelling to his brain.[18] He had complained of headaches whilst training and was told by neurosurgeons that he might die if he continued.[18] Clarke was replaced by Ray Shah [18] and was subsequently seen drowning his sorrows with Champagne in local celebrity haunt Krystle with Louis Walsh and Amanda Brunker.[19] Clarke had caused controversy earlier on in the show when he hit the tabloid headlines by breaking the strict 'no drinking' rules after sneaking out of the City West bootcamp[20] to go to out with Dublin model and socialite Niamh Walsh who he started dating during the show.[21]

Rob Ross was boxing for the charity Children at Risk in Ireland (CARI).[22][23]

Co-host Barry McGuigan's diary was published in the Evening Herald.[24]

ContestantsCharity[3]Amount Raised[25]Status
Seán GallagherNational Council of Blind€17,350WINNER
Paul MartinARC Cancer Support€16,100RUNNER-UP
Maclean BurkeBaby Max—Wings of Love Foundation€5,100ELIMINATED
Ben ClarkeThe Irish Anaphylaxis Campaign
—
INJURED
John McGuireOur Lady's Children's Hospital, Crumlin€5,100FORCED QUIT
Joe O'SheaRoyal National Lifeboat Institution€17,350INJURED
Rob RossThe CARI Foundation€8,600ELIMINATED
Ray ShahTemple Street Children's University Hospital€9,850ELIMINATED
Lee SharpeLee Sharpe Foundation€8,600ELIMINATED
Jack SheedyBarrettstown Gang Camp Fund€9,850INJURED
Alan ShorttMercy Hospital Cork Foundation€11,100ELIMINATED

Reception

Only 10 per cent of each episode was devoted to actual boxing, with the focus being more on fitness, a strict diet and loss of weight in an effort said to appeal to a family audience.[1] Before broadcast, the series was compared by the Sunday Tribune newspaper to "Operation Transformation parading in boxing trunks" but this has been denied by sources.[1] Paul Whitington, writing in the Irish Independent, reminded potential viewers that "they're celebrities, so watch out for the ones that panic mid-fight and start shouting, 'Not the face, not the face!'".[4]

Claire Byrne, writing in the Evening Herald, described it as "the best idea anyone has had all year -- throw a group of celebrities into a ring and tell them to beat the heads off each other".[26] Byrne bemoaned the lack of female contestants, suggesting that politicians Mary Hanafin and Mary Harney, beauty queens from pageants such as The Rose of Tralee, Mary from Dungloe and Miss Ireland, a possibly nude Nell McCafferty, actress Amy Huberman and the hosts of The Afternoon Show could have helped solve the matter.[26] Michael O'Doherty, writing in the same publication, ridiculed the contestants who were "short, rotund, and believe that poncing around in a ring for ten minutes is going to make them 'look hard'", whilst also criticising Paul Martin and Joe O'Shea by telling his followers to "ignore their wordy, self-serving bollox".[27] David Robbins, writing in the Irish Independent, described it as "the lowest point in popular culture since the Circus Maximus", pointing out that RTÉ, having already placed celebrities in kitchens, hotels, GAA dressing rooms and sinking ships, was now encouraging "celebrities [to beat] each other up" and that this "may reduce the available pool of contestants for future shows, and thus hasten the end of the genre as a whole".[28]

After the series had begun, there were reviews too. Katie Byrne in the Evening Herald said RTÉ were "deluded in terms of what constitutes a celebrity"; however, she admitted it had "come so close to genius" but was lacking in irony.[29] In the same publication, George Byrne dubbed it "RTE's celebrity boxing atrocity", opining that "quite simply, the fact that charitable causes may benefit financially from something is no excuse for bad television programmes...or rotten records" before comparing the motives to those of television programmes Fáilte Towers and Celebrity You're a Star and the musical attempts of Queen at Live Aid, records released in aid of the Bradford City stadium fire in the United Kingdom in 1985 and the Zeebrugge ferry disaster in 1986 as well as "the dreadful "Let's Make It Work"" which "we were forced to endure [...] on what seemed like an hourly basis on RTÉ radio".[30]

References
  1. "RTÉ's 'Lords of the Ring' thinks outside the boxing". Sunday Tribune. 26 July 2009. Archived from the original on 1 August 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  2. "'Lords of the Ring' to be Produced by Screentime ShinAwil for RTÉ". Irish Film and Television Network. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  3. Linda McGee (5 August 2009). "Sona Vitamins announced as Sponsors of RTÉ's Charity Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  4. Paul Whitington (15 August 2009). "Charity Lords of the Rings". Irish Independent. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  5. "Winner crowned in Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. 23 August 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2009.
  6. Lorna Nolan (15 August 2009). "Birthday boy Brian's knockout night". Evening Herald. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
  7. "Paul & Seán to face off in Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. 20 August 2009. Retrieved 20 August 2009.
  8. "Stars gear up for Lords of the Ring final". RTÉ. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  9. Melanie Finn, Showbusiness Editor (22 August 2009). "Worried RTÉ chiefs wanted Lords of the Ring to pull their punches". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  10. "RTÉ launches Charity Lord of the Ring". Prosperity. 27 July 2009. Archived from the original on 21 July 2011. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  11. "Miriam's Saturday guests announced". RTÉ. 24 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  12. "RTÉ Television: Charity Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  13. "RTÉ Press Centre: Charity Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. 26 July 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  14. "ShinAwil Goes Live With 'Lords of the Ring'". Irish Film and Television Network. 17 August 2009. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  15. "Dunne visits Lords of the Ring camp". RTÉ. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 19 August 2009.
  16. "Shocks in store on Charity Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. 18 August 2009. Retrieved 18 August 2009.
  17. "RTE reality show shapes up to be ratings knockout". Irish Independent. 6 August 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  18. "Apprentice reject Ben Clarke: one blow to the head could've killed me". The Belfast Telegraph. 10 August 2009. Archived from the original on 19 April 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  19. "www.thefreelibrary.com/BEN'S+BIG+BLOW%3B+Brain-scare+star+regrets+he+won't+get+chance+to+knock...-a0205428985". The Mirror. 10 August 2009. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  20. "www.sundayworld.com/showbiz/sw-gossip.php?aid=2839". Sunday World. 3 August 2009. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  21. "www.herald.ie/entertainment/around-town/apprentice-ben-has-fighting-spirit-after-leaving-tv-show-1855751.html". Evening Herald. 10 August 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  22. "TV star Ross eager to get in the ring". RTÉ. 14 August 2009. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  23. Linda McGee (14 August 2009). "Rob Ross - Charity Lords of the Ring". RTÉ. Retrieved 14 August 2009.
  24. Barry McGuigan (21 August 2009). "Celebrity Diary: Barry McGuigan". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  25. "Charity Lords of the Ring Raises over €100,000 for Charity through Sona Vitamins Sponsorship". RTÉ. 27 August 2009. Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  26. "Why I'd love to see RTÉ's Afternoon Show hosts battle it out in the ring". Evening Herald. 11 August 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 11 August 2009.
  27. "Have a nice fight". Evening Herald. 6 August 2009. Archived from the original on 17 February 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  28. Katie Byrne (17 August 2009). "Lords could have been a contender". Evening Herald. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
  29. George Byrne (22 August 2009). "Sticking the word 'charity' on something is no excuse for terrible entertainment—OH LORD: RTÉ's celebrity boxing atrocity is sadly not the first time we have had absolute rubbish thrust upon us in the name of a good cause". Evening Herald. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013. Retrieved 22 August 2009.
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