Trip to Hell and back was a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’

As the fourth season of ‘Ultimate Hell Week’ kicked off on RTE on Thursday night, viewers from Trim spotted a familiar face with well known Trim Athletic Club member Ellen Vitting among the 28 recruits to take on the gruelling challenge.

Ellen who is originally from Kerry lived in Butterstream Manor for a decade and only recently moved back to her native county with husband Neil and children Aaron (10), and Zara (4), to settle in Kenmare to be closer to family.

The series was filmed last May straight after the celebrity version of the show, but Ellen had to remain tight lipped about taking part and most of her friends only found out she was in the show after the trailer aired.

Ellen has got huge support from her many friends in Trim AC and her old neighbours who have all been rooting for her and were delighted to see her make it through the first episode.

Thursday night's episode didn't go without incident for Ellen and she found herself at the end of a dressing down for smiling when the DS got on the bus and was quickly put in her place.

It was straight in the deep end for the recruits, who had to get on a boat in the hailstones and swim 200m in the freezing water to the Hell Week Base and Ellen says the cold and the constant scrutiny were the hardest parts for her rather than the physical challenges.

Ellen, who loves triathlons and adventure racing which involves cycling, running and kayaking on mountainous ground, said it was something that she always had in her head that she would like to do but up to this had been tied up with training for different events.

“Covid hit and I had more time to train and when I saw they were looking to sign up another group of lunatics, I thought it was as good a time as any as I wasn't in training for other events.”

“I was a bit giddy in the first episode, they gave out to me a bit. I got into more trouble than I would have liked. But its like when you know you're not allowed to do something, its hard not to.”

Ellen was living in Trim when the show was recorded and moved to Kenmare in September to be closer to family. She works as a financial planning and analysis manager with Liberty Insurance and had the opportunity to work remotely and decided to move while her children were still quite young.

“We were ten years in Trim, I loved Trim. Only I have family in Kenmare and my job moved to remote working, I would still be there,” she said.

Ellen joined Trim Athletic Club as soon as she moved to Trim. “It is what grounded me in Trim really and made me stay that long. I thought we might stay for a year or two but I made fantastic friends and it was the saddest thing about leaving.”

She was also involved in the Tri and Mhi triathlon club for a number of years.

Looking back on the Hell Week experience now and watching it on television Ellen describes it as “surreal”.

“It's surreal. I'm like did that really happen? I'm trying to remember what I did. It is so surreal watching it. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.”