18 January 2022
FFIT Cymru will welcome a new food expert to its team for the new series later this year – Beca Lyne-Pirkis.
Beca, who has presented numerous S4C cooking programmes and reached the semi-finals of the Great British Bake Off, will join psychologist Dr Ioan Rees and personal trainer Rae Carpenter for series five, which begins in April.
Beca takes over from Sioned Quirke, who has been the FFIT Cymru dietician for the last four years.
Having spent the last three years studying nutrition and working on placement with the NHS, Beca will qualify to become a dietician in July.
Beca said: "I can't wait to get started. I have watched the series since the start and I know some of the former Leaders, and seen the positive impact this series has had on them.
"Food is the main area that I will be able to advise the Leaders on, but I'm also a mum, a wife, I work, and I'm someone who loves exercising and training for different races and challenges.
"We as experts will share our personal experiences to try and guide the leaders. I'm a busy mum and sometimes it's hard to strike the right balance, but I can prove that by planning and by being organised, there is no reason why you can't be successful."
Beca will create some new recipes for the leaders this year and viewers will be able to follow them on the FFIT Cymru website, s4c.cymru/ffitcymru, as well as the new Cegin S4C Kitchen website and app.
Beca added: "As someone who is studying to become a dietician and who has a huge interest in nutrition and cooking, the chance to be a part of the team, create recipes and try to inspire the leaders with food, is fantastic.
"Our job is to try and bring back the balance to the leaders' lives. People know me for my time on Bake Off and I still bake and eat cakes because it's something I enjoy doing.
"But cakes are not something you should be afraid of! No one should feel guilty about eating something and not enjoy it, but it's not something we should be eating all the time either.
"I just want the leaders to understand food a little better and see how your health can improve when you eat better.
"I also want to inspire people with recipes and new ideas, to bring the excitement back to the kitchen and to eating.
"I have a lot of hard work ahead, and I've also got a couple of ideas up my sleeve!"
S4C and Cwmni Da would like to thank Sioned Quirke for her hard work and substantial contribution to the series over the last four years.
Do you want to be one of the leaders of the new series of FFIT Cymru? Apply before Sunday 6 February for your chance to take part. Go to www.s4c.cymru/ffitcymru to apply online.
FFIT Cymru are keen to receive applications from people of any background, and we especially welcome applications from people from ethnic minority communities, disabled or Deaf people, and people who identify as LGBTQ+.
If you'd like an informal conversation for more information, you can contact the production team on ffitcymru@cwmnida.tv.
