# Amanda Byram
**Amanda Byram** (born 1973) is an Irish television presenter and former model, best known for hosting the American reality series *The Swan* and *Paradise Hotel*, co-presenting the [BBC One](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-one) game show *Total Wipeout* with [Richard Hammond](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hammond), and hosting the first two seasons of *Dancing with the Stars Ireland*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/105538/amanda-byram)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973, Dublin, Ireland[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/) |
| First TV role | Co-presenter of TV3's *Ireland AM* with Mark Cagney, announced in July 1999[3](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/tv3-unwraps-new-breakfast-show-presenters-1.211339) |
| UK breakthrough | *The Big Breakfast* on Channel 4 from 2001[4](https://extra.ie/2024/09/21/entertainment/ireland-am-former-presenters) |
| US hosting | *Paradise Hotel*, *The Swan* (2004), *Entertainment Tonight*, and *Grand Slam* with comedian Dennis Miller on GSN[5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=3820) |
| *Total Wipeout* | Six seasons on BBC One alongside Richard Hammond, 2009 to 2012[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/) |
| Author | Debut self-help book *The Switch* (2020)[7](https://www.amandabyram.com/) |
| Family | Married Julian Okines in April 2016; sons Phoenix (born 2021) and Jett (born 2025)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/) • [8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/amanda-byram/) |
## Early career and Ireland AM
Byram began working as a model before moving into television. In July 1999, TV3 announced that the 26-year-old model would join the veteran broadcaster Mark Cagney to present its new breakfast program, *Ireland AM*, which began that September as Ireland's first breakfast television show.[3](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/tv3-unwraps-new-breakfast-show-presenters-1.211339) After about a year on the show she moved to the UK, and in 2001 began presenting *The Big Breakfast* on [Channel 4](https://www.edgepedia.org/channel-4).[4](https://extra.ie/2024/09/21/entertainment/ireland-am-former-presenters) In 2002 she appeared as a guest host on [BBC Three](https://www.edgepedia.org/bbc-three)'s *Liquid News*, and she later hosted the UK edition of *Entertainment Tonight* on [Sky One](https://www.edgepedia.org/sky-one).[5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=3820)
## Work in the United States
In the United States Byram became known as the host of the Los Angeles-based reality series *Paradise Hotel*, which ran in 2003 and again in 2008, and of *The Swan*, a 2004 Fox makeover show in which contestants underwent full physical transformations.[5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=3820) • [9](https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/11/the-swan-host-amanda-byram-memba-her/) From 2007 she co-hosted the *Grand Slam* game show on the [Game Show Network](https://www.edgepedia.org/game-show-network) with the American comedian [Dennis Miller](https://www.edgepedia.org/dennis-miller), and she hosted the [Miss World](https://www.edgepedia.org/miss-world) pageant live from China in 2003.[5](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=3820) • [10](https://www.ifta.ie/awards/news/amanda15.html) In 2011 she appeared briefly as the character Elise in David Hewlett's film *A Dog's Breakfast*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/)
## Total Wipeout and Dancing with the Stars
Back in the UK, Byram was chosen to host the BBC One version of *[Wipeout](https://www.edgepedia.org/wipeout-2008-game-show)*, *Total Wipeout*, from 2009 to 2012, co-presenting six seasons with Richard Hammond; she traveled to the show's obstacle course in Argentina with the contestants and interviewed each one before they attempted the Qualifier round.[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/) • [11](https://totalwipeout.fandom.com/wiki/Amanda_Byram) Her other UK credits include *The Angel* and *Don't Stop Me Now* on Sky One and, later, a run as a presenter on Channel 4's *Food Unwrapped*.[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/) • [12](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/who-is-amanda-byram-husband-food-unwrapped/)
**Dancing with the Stars Ireland.** In 2016 she was announced, with the former Westlife singer [Nicky Byrne](https://www.edgepedia.org/nicky-byrne), as host of RTÉ One's *Dancing with the Stars Ireland*, which she described as an opportunity to come back to Ireland.[13](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2016/1206/836806-dancing-with-the-stars/) She co-hosted the first two seasons and announced in August 2018 that she would not return for the third, citing personal and professional commitments in London and Los Angeles.[14](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2018/0828/988117-amanda-byram-departs-dancing-with-the-stars-ireland/) In October 2015 she had hosted the inaugural IFTA Gala Television Awards in Dublin, broadcast on TV3.[10](https://www.ifta.ie/awards/news/amanda15.html)
## Fitness, The Switch, and later life
Byram retrained as a fitness professional, earning a Level 3 personal training certification, and launched an activewear range, Body By Byram.[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/) Her debut book, *The Switch: The Secret to Overcoming the Pressures of Perfection and Finding Health and Happiness*, published in 2020, describes decades of destructive dieting and body-image struggles, including eating disorders and depression following the cancellation of a wedding in her late thirties, and sets out the exercise, nutrition, and mindset practices she adopted in response.[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/) • [7](https://www.amandabyram.com/) She has also written travel pieces on hotels, spas, and fitness retreats, appearing in *Grazia*, the *Mail on Sunday*, *Your Fitness*, and on the Huffington Post.[6](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/)
In April 2016 she married the London-based television producer Julian Okines.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/) • [15](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-20462940.html) Their first son, Phoenix, was born in 2021, and their second son, Jett, arrived in February 2025.[8](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/amanda-byram/) • [16](https://evoke.ie/2026/02/23/entertainment/amanda-byram-back-work) After stepping away from filming while her children were young, she returned to television in early 2026 as one of several famous Amandas in an *Amandaland* sketch for [Comic Relief](https://www.edgepedia.org/comic-relief).[16](https://evoke.ie/2026/02/23/entertainment/amanda-byram-back-work) • [17](https://evoke.ie/2026/03/16/entertainment/amanda-byrams-project-revealed)
## References
1. [Amanda Byram, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0125973/)
2. [Amanda Byram, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/105538/amanda-byram)
3. [TV3 unwraps new breakfast show presenters, The Irish Times (29 July 1999)](https://www.irishtimes.com/news/tv3-unwraps-new-breakfast-show-presenters-1.211339)
4. [Where are Ireland AM's former presenters now?, Extra.ie (2024)](https://extra.ie/2024/09/21/entertainment/ireland-am-former-presenters)
5. [Amanda Byram, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=3820)
6. [About Amanda Byram, amandabyram.com](https://www.amandabyram.com/about-amanda-byram/)
7. [Amanda Byram, TV Host & Author, amandabyram.com](https://www.amandabyram.com/)
8. [Amanda Byram, RTÉ Entertainment topic page](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/amanda-byram/)
9. ['The Swan' Host Amanda Byram 'Memba Her?!, TMZ (2023)](https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/11/the-swan-host-amanda-byram-memba-her/)
10. [Amanda Byram to Host IFTA Gala Television Awards, IFTA (2015)](https://www.ifta.ie/awards/news/amanda15.html)
11. [Amanda Byram, Total Wipeout Wiki](https://totalwipeout.fandom.com/wiki/Amanda_Byram)
12. [Amanda Byram: From modelling to Food Unwrapped presenter and author, Entertainment Daily (2021)](https://www.entertainmentdaily.com/tv/who-is-amanda-byram-husband-food-unwrapped/)
13. [Nicky Byrne always wanted Dancing with the Stars job, RTÉ Entertainment (2016)](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2016/1206/836806-dancing-with-the-stars/)
14. [Amanda Byram departs Dancing with the Stars Ireland 'with a heavy heart', RTÉ Entertainment (2018)](https://www.rte.ie/entertainment/2018/0828/988117-amanda-byram-departs-dancing-with-the-stars-ireland/)
15. [Body beautiful: Amanda Byram on giving up fad diets, Irish Examiner (2017)](https://www.irishexaminer.com/lifestyle/arid-20462940.html)
16. [Amanda Byram 'a bit unsteady' as she goes back to TV for first time in five years, EVOKE (2026)](https://evoke.ie/2026/02/23/entertainment/amanda-byram-back-work)
17. [Amanda Byram's comedy project revealed as star returns to our screens, EVOKE (2026)](https://evoke.ie/2026/03/16/entertainment/amanda-byrams-project-revealed)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Television presenters and hosts › Game show hosts and announcers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license