Soap star shines down on the 'Farm'

RTÉ reality television show Celebrity Farm came to an end last night with Fair City actor George McMahon winning the €50,000 …

RTÉ reality television show Celebrity Farm came to an end last night with Fair City actor George McMahon winning the €50,000 prize for the charity of his choice.

McMahon, better known to many as "Mondo" in Fair City, won the prize after spending a week on a farm with seven other celebrities who were all voted out one-by-one on live TV each night.

At 18, McMahon was the youngest celebrity contestant and had absolutely no experience of farm life before he entered the house.

The eight contestants entered Celebrity Farm a week ago and included the entertainer Twink, broadcaster Paddy O'Gorman, singer Mary Coughlan, artist Kevin Sharkey, children's television presenter Mary Kingston, 2002 Rose of Tralee Tamara Gervasoni, and socialite Gavin Lambe-Murphy.

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McMahon's three charities of choice include The Bubblegum Club, which organises trips away for sick children; the Children's Cancer Fund of Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children at Crumlin; and community-based voluntary organisation St. Michael's House, which cares for children and adults with learning disabilities.

On hearing of their impending windfall, the Children's Medical and Research Foundation said they were "delighted" and "thrilled".

The controversy surrounding the artist Kevin Sharkey took another twist when he appeared on TV3's The Dunphy Show lambasting the other celebrities of the show and complaining that the figures for people voted out were never released.

A spokeswoman from RTÉ said they "refute totally and absolutely the allegations" made by Sharkey.

"No element of Celebrity Farm has been rigged," she said.