Following a 4-0 thrashing last Saturday, the last thing any of Sporting Hackney FC’s players would have wanted to face was a sleepless night of physical and mental testing.But, after having their impressive Middlesex Premier League run unceremoniously derailed by Deportivo Galicia, brothers Chris and Kevin Monahan took part in a gruelling sleep-deprivation experiment for a Channel 4 series that will air next Tuesday.
Produced by Holborn-based company Twofour, Bedtime Live is scheduled to hit our screens on March 19 at 8pm and aims to explain how parents can ensure that their children slumber soundly.
An episode later this month will feature the efforts of the Monahan brothers as they were pitted against fellow amateur sportsmen from across the capital in a bid to mirror the effect that restless kids impart on their fathers.
“They asked for guys who didn’t have children themselves so we wouldn’t have experience of being woken up at crazy hours,” explained Chris, 30, who plays as a forward for Sporting Hackney alongside elder sibling Kevin, 32.
“My brother and I were up for it and met up with them at the end of our match at Merton Rugby Club.
“It was a shame about our result earlier because we have had a good season so far, but we didn’t have time to think about that – they took DNA samples from us as soon as we arrived.”
Part of a group of 10 men, the brothers were subjected to rigorous fitness assessments and memory examinations throughout the night. As Chris admitted, they were nearly driven to collapse.
“The toughest time was about six or seven in the morning as you are absolutely exhausted,” he added.
“Because there was a few of us, everybody was chatting loads. Time flew by then, but when the banter died down it suddenly got extremely difficult to keep your eyes open.
“On the tasks, it was very tough to keep your concentration.
“We got through eventually, but the journey home the next morning was absolute agony. Still, it’ll be great to represent Sporting Hackney on the screen.”
Bedtime Live is to be presented by sleep expert Professor Tanya Byron and experienced sports anchor Jake Humphrey, whose wife Harriett is expecting the couple’s first child.
Before the series gets underway on Tuesday, Sporting Hackney – currently sitting in fourth on the league ladder – can kick-start their season this weekend by beating FC Romania at Hackney Marshes.
