The Speech

The Speech is a life affirming new series, which aims to help individuals to overcome their fear of public speaking, and in this case it’s 24 year old professional golfer Brian Casey from Navan, Co Meath. And while he may be hot on the golf course, when it comes to making a speech he’s likely to freeze… His fear of public speaking goes back to the school classroom, where he spent his childhood years battling with a severe stammer. Despite overcoming his stammer, Brian is still desperately afraid of talking in public and struggles to even get the words out. In just four weeks’ time, he’s going to have to face his fears and address a packed group of friends, family and peers to give an emotional speech at his golf club’s biggest and most prestigious event, The Captain’s Prize. The man who will prepare Brian for his big speech is no stranger to public speaking. Well known as a solicitor to the stars, Gerald Kean also gives after dinner speeches at charity functions several times a month. Brian has a lot to learn in the art of public speaking; he must control his emotions, manage his stammer, learn to address a room of people and perfect the craft of writing a killer speech all in just a few short weeks. Gerald knows that Brian has a lot work to do before he has the confidence to stand up in Headfort Golf Club to deliver the speech of a lifetime. Over the course of his training, Gerald sets tasks for Brian which escalate in intensity: from a five minute speech to a group of lady golfers to speaking on a radio interview, Brian’s final challenge involves making a nail biting presentation to a group of executives. As the big day draws close, will Brian be able to muster up the courage and stand up in front of the crowd gathered in his golf club? After four weeks of hard work, practice, writing and re-writing, Brian is about to face his fear. Will he deliver the speech of his life or will he fall to pieces?

The Speech is a life affirming new series, which aims to help individuals to overcome their fear of public speaking, and in this case it’s jack the lad 34 year old barman Shane Hughes from Dublin. Everyone who knows him sees him as an outgoing, confident guy and very few people know his deep dark secret; his mortal fear of public speaking. Shane has been with his fiancé Lisa Marie for 13 years and they share three children between them – and at last, they’re walking down the aisle. With the big day looming, Shane knows he has to conquer his fear and make his wife to be the proudest woman in the world. Shane’s fear started years ago in the school classroom where he used to do anything he could to avoid speaking out loud and even as an adult in his own home, he finds reading books to his children a struggle. Shane has a lot to learn in the art of public speaking; he must control his emotions, overcome his nerves, learn to address a room of people and perfect the craft of writing a killer speech all in just a few short weeks. Armed with determination to conquer his fear and his secret weapon in the form of celebrity speech coach, fashion stylist and TV presenter, Brendan Courtney, will he succeed? Brendan knows that Shane has a lot work to do before he has the confidence to stand up in packed room on his wedding day. Over the course of his training, Brendan sets tasks for Shane which escalate in intensity: from showing prospective buyers around a house in Dublin 4 to performing stand up comedy in front of an audience in Dublin’s International Comedy Club. Will the tips offered by comedian Aidan Bishop help him keep the audience on his side, or will his jokes fall flat? Shane’s skills are honed before he braces himself for the classic ting and tapping on the wine glass. The room will fall silent and hold their breath to see if his training has paid off and if he is able to overcome his nerves and keep his emotions in check so that he can d

The Speech is a life affirming new series, which aims to help individuals to overcome their fear of public speaking, and this week it’s proprietor of the Vibes and Scribes book and craft shop, Joan Lucey from Cork. A successful businesswoman, Joan is chatty, charming and confident – but when she’s asked to speak in public, that confidence plummets… In six weeks time, Joan is throwing a party to celebrate the launch of her business online – an occasion that will demand an impressive speech. The woman tasked with the job of preparing Joan for her big speech is television and radio presenter Kathryn Thomas. Kathryn knows that Joan has a lot work to do before she has the confidence to launch her online craft shop to the world. During the next few weeks, the tasks Kathryn sets for Joan escalate in intensity: from delivering a sales pitch for bananas on Moore Street, to showing tourists around Dublin Castle, Joan’s final challenge is to entertain a television studio audience before they watch a live show. It’s all unchartered territory for Joan, but will it help prepare her to deliver under the extreme pressure that she’ll face at the launch? As well as arming Joan with her own tricks of the trade, Kathryn organises a session with Remie Purtill-Clarke, a coach in performance and public speaking, in a bid to help Joan lose her inhibitions. After six weeks of training the day of Joan’s launch finally arrives. In Joan’s shop in Cork, guests start to arrive and Joan puts the tools she’s learnt into practice. Will the training she’s been given over the last few weeks give her the confidence she needs to pull off the speech of her life?

Despite being shy and quiet, 26 year old Jenni Houghton from Drogheda has decided to face one of her biggest fears on one of the biggest days of her life. She’s going to make a speech at her wedding. After ten years on and off, boyfriend Chris proposed to Jenni on New Year’s Eve 2011 in London – and their wedding will be a celebration with deep significance, because the couple have been through some very harrowing times together. In 2010, Jenni was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, and all throughout her treatment, Chris stood by her side. Their wedding has been scheduled for November 19th, a very special date for the two of them, as it marks Jenni’s two year anniversary of being in remission from cancer. Although Jenni can’t wait to get married, the idea of being centre of attention at her own wedding terrifies her. But she’s determined to overcome her fear and get up and thank Chris and the others who helped her get through the worst time of her life. Helping Jenni to take on the challenge of speaking from her heart is Rory O’Neill, aka Panti Bliss, whose highly acclaimed speech on homophobia was viewed by three quarters of a million people online. From teaching school girls about pigs to trying her luck as a bingo caller, Rory has several ideas designed to help Jenni overcome her fear of standing up in front of a group. After a few hiccups, Rory asks Jenni to complete a rather alarming final test; to perform a comedy speech in front of a packed Saturday night audience in his bar, Pantibar… Finally, Jenni and Chris’s big day arrives. As she stands up to take the microphone, will her weeks of guidance under Rory have paid off and will she manage to make the tribute she has longed to deliver?