TV star Sinead Desmond has revealed she was struck down by the potentially deadly swine flu.

The Ireland AM presenter is back at work after suffering the latest setback to her health, a year after she was rushed to hospital from the TV3 studios with a brain haemorrhage.

She contracted swine flu a few weeks ago -- but initially thought it was just a hangover.

"I just thought it was a really bad hangover or something then the doctor came around to take my temperature and confirmed I had swine flu.

GLOWING

"I was laid low for a week and couldn't go near anyone while I had it -- I was like some leper staying in by myself," she told the Diary.

Back to full health and glowing now, the TV host is preparing for a return attempt to scale Mont Blanc for charity.

Her training for the adventure comes just three months after she was helicoptered off the mountain on the French-Italian border after being struck down by altitude sickness.

But now the determined beauty is juggling 4.30am starts with getting her fitness levels back up as she prepares herself for the gruelling challenge.

"I'm hoping to attempt it in April or May of next year but it all depends on the weather," she explained.

"I've been back training for the past couple of weeks so I'm busting my ass in the gym in Dun Laoghaire all the time. I'm doing lots of cardio exercises and endurance-building stuff."

The TV3 star, who got hitched to hubbie Davie Ryan in a dream ceremony in the south of France last summer, has also taken up boxing.

"I have never done it before and it's the best stressbuster ever. If you want to knock the block off somebody, take up boxing, it's honestly the best way to channel that energy.

"Davie is steering well clear of me as I'm building up some serious abs," she added.

Sinead is adamant that her failed Mont Blanc attempt had nothing to do with her brain haemorrhage.

Last September, she had to be helicoptered off Europe's highest peak at around 4,000 metres and was "gutted" not to complete the climb in aid of Crumlin Children's Hospital.

Jetting

"It had nothing to do with what happened before. Altitude sickness just affects everyone differently and there's no knowing how you're going to react until you're up there," she said.

"Davie didn't want me to do it the first time around but he knows me well enough that if he says 'don't do it', I'll do it anyway."

Meanwhile, Sinead's next adventure is jetting down under next Monday, visiting Adelaide and Melbourne and reporting back for Ireland AM.

- MF