Jeremy McConnell became known to many through Celebrity Big Brother. But his sporting story has since taken him to the HYROX World Championships, racing in Elite 15 doubles alongside Dylan Scott and representing Ireland in the relay.
Speaking on the Rox Lyfe podcast after the 2025 championships, Jeremy discussed the role fitness has played in his life following bereavement, addiction and struggles with his mental health. He also explained what he wants to change about his training, why his Marathon des Sables experience affected his preparation, and his perspective on the relay incident involving Hunter McIntyre.
Why Fitness Became Jeremy McConnell’s Focus
Jeremy describes fitness as his medicine. After years in the public eye, he found that training gave him a healthier focus and something he could work towards.
In the interview, he speaks about losing his mother, brother and half-sister in a short space of time when he was a young teenager. He explains that he struggled to process those losses, and later used alcohol and drugs as an escape.
Changing his environment became part of changing his life. That meant stepping away from familiar social situations and surrounding himself with people who supported a different direction.
HYROX gave that direction a sporting purpose. Rather than working towards a short-term body transformation, he could study his performances, identify weaknesses and keep improving.
“Fitness saves me from a dark place,” he says.
Jeremy also makes clear that he still experiences anxiety and depression. His account is about the role training plays in his own life, alongside his ongoing effort to change habits and be there for his daughter.
How Jeremy Is Rethinking His HYROX Training
Jeremy’s football background gave him a foundation in fitness, but he recognises that HYROX requires sustained endurance. In the interview, he identifies his aerobic development as an area he still needs to improve.
He also admits that enjoying running led him to chase volume without enough structure. He questions the fixation on reaching 80 or 100 kilometres each week, explaining that his previous training lacked proper periodisation.
His aim at the time of the interview was to take a more deliberate approach: build gradually, adjust intensity and choose races that allow him to prepare properly.
Recovery is part of that change. For someone who finds it difficult to sit still, taking a genuine rest day can be a challenge.
“I’m taking rest super seriously, because I feel it’s just as important as the hard days.”
Jeremy also describes using heart rate variability, or HRV, to help guide his training decisions. For him, it provides another piece of information when deciding whether to complete a hard session or switch to something easier.
His focus is on making the work count, while allowing enough recovery to benefit from it.
Mental Edge from Ultra-Endurance Suffering
If there’s one thing Jeremy’s not afraid of, it’s discomfort.
He recently completed the gruelling 250km Marathon des Sables – a multi-day ultra across the Sahara Desert – while weighing 96kg and carrying a 13kg backpack. “It was 83km in 50-degree heat at one point. I was crawling mentally. But I found something in me I didn’t know I had.”
That resilience transfers to HYROX, especially under pressure: “There are fitter lads than me. But I’ve lived through shit. That’s what I bring to the race.”
Mind Games, Mischief & That Infamous Shoulder Barge
A major talking point in the episode is the now-infamous moment at the 2025 World Championships when Jeremy, racing for Ireland in the relay, was barged into the sideboards by American athlete Hunter McIntyre. The move got the USA team disqualified – and lit up social media.
Jeremy’s take? “I like Hunter. We shook hands after. He plays the villain, I get it. But HYROX needed to set a standard. If you’re giving penalties for sled lines, you can’t ignore something like that.”
He also appreciates the drama. “Sport needs characters. Mental warfare, banter – I’m glad it’s coming into HYROX. It’s entertainment. It’s personality.”
The situation had an unusual complication. Dylan Scott was part of the disqualified USA relay team and Jeremy’s doubles partner for the following day.
Jeremy says the incident did not damage their relationship, describing Dylan as a good friend and expressing sympathy for the American athletes who lost prize money.
Elite 15 Doubles and What Representing Ireland Meant to Him
At the time of the interview, Jeremy wanted to return to Elite 15 doubles with a more selective race calendar and better preparation. Having qualified for the 2025 World Championships alongside Dylan Scott, he was keen to build on that experience.
He also recognised the time that training and travelling take away from family life. His ambition remained, but he spoke about making room for rest and spending time with his daughter.
Asked for his favourite sporting experience, Jeremy chose the World Championships. Seeing his daughter watching him walk out, and getting to wear the Irish kit after never having that opportunity in football, made it a moment he could appreciate beyond his performance.
The full conversation also covers his football background, race-day banter and some questionable kit choices, including the goalkeeper gloves he wore in the Elite 15 doubles final.
To check out the full interview, watch below or listen on the Rox Lyfe podcast.
