• reality shows
  • reality TV reviews
  • about
  • contact
  • reality TV schedule
  • best reality TV
  • send tips or feedback
  • support
  • subscribe
The Biggest Loser 5

Biggest Loser Couples debuts; competition component was originally minimized

by Andy Dehnart 2 Jan. 2008 | 7:23 am

On the first day of 2008, NBC debuted The Biggest Loser 5, a season featuring couples. Once again, the show also brought back its game-within-a-game, having couples vote each other off while they work to lose weight.

However, the Los Angeles Times reports that wasn’t the plan at the start of the season, as the controversial part of the show–executive producer J.D. Roth “found himself defending the premise at every turn – even to his wife,” according to the paper–almost got dropped. “As shooting of the new season got underway, there were other changes too, including less emphasis on competition and more on training together as one large group and focusing on the often dysfunctional relationships that landed contestants on the show,” the L.A. Times reports.

Trainer Jillian Michaels says, “It was like that for a few minutes, until it became ‘too Kumbaya.’ … It doesn’t make very good TV.” However, she also said that part of the show “makes me physically sick,” trainer Jillian Michaels told the paper. “I don’t want to use what I do to send someone else home. I’m angst-ridden over it. I can’t sleep before eliminations. My friends are like ‘It’s just a show!’ and I can’t look at it like that. It has too much gravity to me.”

Bob Harper, who the Times reports “believes his work is carrying out God’s calling for him,” told the paper that he’s bothered by it, too. “I hate it … it’s just not who I am. I prefer the camaraderie over the competition. But it is what it is,” he said. Perhaps because of that, or perhaps just because of their commitment, the trainers “both continue to offer contestants support personally long after they’ve left the show,” according to the paper.

Meanwhile, Kim Lyons said again that she didn’t return for the new season because of projects she’s working on. However, the Los Angeles Times says that executive producer Roth said Kim “was not asked to return for” the new season, and both he and Kim “[were] noncommittal about whether she’d be back.”

discuss this story

more great reality blurred stories

  • Recommended reality TV: Tidying Up with Marie Kondo and America to Me
  • The best reality TV shows of 2018
  • The Survivor rule book and Survivor cast contract
  • Go behind-the-scenes at the Big Brother house
  • Behind the scenes of The Last Alaskans
  • Interviews with reality TV producers and cast members

most-popular stories on reality blurred

Jeff Probst, Survivor David vs. Goliath episode 10

Survivor Edge of Extinction: What we know so far about Survivor season 38

Survivor season 38 will feature returning players and a huge twist that could effect how the game is played and who wins.

Survivor Edge of Extinction marooning

Survivor’s marooning: 34 boats, 714 people, 9 hours, one great 10,000-word story

The opening minutes of Survivor Edge of Extinction took days to plan and involved "34 different boats carrying 714 bodies over a total of 1,500 miles."

Life Below Zero season 11, Sue Aikens

When Life Below Zero will return for season 11, and who it will follow

Exclusive: Life Below Zero is returning to National Geographic for season 11 this fall, with a cast that includes one new person.

Kunal Nayyar, Mayim Bialik, Method Man, Drop the Mic

How Drop the Mic’s celebrity rap battles are written

The new TBS series Drop the Mic features rap battles between celebrities, and one of its writers detailed how those are scripted by the show's writers.

Manu Tribe, Survivor Edge of Extinction

An ugly first vote on Survivor: Edge of Extinction’s premiere

The person who was thrown overboard first on Survivor Edge of Extinction was neither the weakest nor the most annoying, so why did they get those labels?

Are You The One season 5 cast

MTV’s Are You the One season 8 casting sexually fluid, non-binary people

AYTO's producers want the "usual hot singles" but also "sexually fluid individuals," and twins.

Hell's Kitchen 15, Gordon Ramsay, Fox

Kitchen Nightmares chef says he had “no interaction with Ramsay” except on camera

The couple featured on the Kitchen Nightmares season 2 episode "Bazzini" said the producers created drama on the Gordon Ramsay show.

Johnathan Hillstrand, Deadliest Catch

Why Deadliest Catch’s Johnathan Hillstrand didn’t actually retire

Johnathan Hillstrand has been actively crab fishing this season, but the Time Bandit isn't on Deadliest Catch season 14.

Ryan Ulrich, Devon Pinto, Patrick Bolton, Survivor 35

Why you should never judge a Survivor for their clothes

All about Survivor contestants' clothes and the rules for them: Who buys and pays for the clothes, why Survivors don't wear swimsuits the whole season, and other details.

Jeff Probst, Survivor David vs. Goliath

How Survivor is produced: Jeff Probst reveals many behind-the-scenes details

In a podcast interview, Jeff Probst went into incredible detail about how he produces Survivor, and what his team's priorities are. Here are highlights from that interview.

behind the scenes of reality TV

Eric Reynolds, reality TV story editor

How I went from reality TV fan to reality TV story editor

What does a reality TV story producer do? How do you find work in reality show post-production? In this edition of The Confessional, Eric Reynolds shares his story.

Ultimate Survival Alaska's Dallas Seavey in a frozen lake

Ultimate Survival Alaska fake? “No” “Everything … is real”

Ultimate Survival Alaska, which is now in its third season, sends four teams of three on a 13-leg race through Alaskan wilderness. It is dramatic and thrilling, and features moments of great danger. It has also been accused of staging moments and not authentic. Is Ultimate Survival Alaska fake? “Nothing is staged. Everything you see those people do… continue reading

Big Brother 20, BB20

Big Brother finals casting process: how it works, rules finalists must follow

Big Brother debuts its 13th season this week, introducing us to eight new cast members and several returning cast members. All went through a process that we’ve often heard mentioned but that, until now, has never been revealed in detail: finals. That refers to the final stage in the casting process, when finalists are brought… continue reading

older

Kim Lyons won’t be on Biggest Loser 5, but may return

newer >

Tim Gunn shows up as The Biggest Loser shamelessly pimps itself out to even more advertisers

more stories about The Biggest Loser 5

reality TV news and reviews, in your inbox

One hand-crafted message sent every Friday. Free. Subscribe now:

about Andy Dehnart

Andy Dehnart’s writing and criticism about television, culture, and media has appeared on NPR and in Vulture, Pacific Standard, The Los Angeles Times, and other publications. He has covered reality television for more than 18 years, and created reality blurred in 2000.

A member of the Television Critics Association who serves on its board of directors, Andy, 41, also directs the journalism program at Stetson University in Florida, where he teaches creative nonfiction and journalism. He has an M.F.A. in nonfiction writing and literature from Bennington College. Learn more about reality blurred and Andy.

stay connected with reality TV

Get advice about what to watch and keep up with the latest in reality television with reality blurred's e-mail newsletter. Just enter your e-mail address:

about reality blurred

reality blurred is your guide to the world of reality TV and unscripted entertainment, with reality show reviews, news, and analysis. It was created in 2000 by Andy Dehnart. He's still writing and publishing it today.

reality blurred is regularly updated with highlights from the world of reality TV: news and analysis; behind-the-scenes reports; interviews with reality TV show cast members and producers; and recaps and reviews of these reality TV shows, including Survivor, Big Brother, The Great British Baking Show, Shark Tank, The Amazing Race, The Bachelor, Project Runway, Dancing with the Stars, Top Chef, and many more.

explore

  • recent news
  • reviews of reality TV shows
  • behind the scenes reports
  • interviews with producers and reality stars
  • archives
  • send tips
  • search
  • advertise on reality blurred
  • about reality blurred
  • newsletter
  • RSS and social media
  • contact reality blurred
  • send tips & contribute
  • privacy policy
  • terms of service
Copyright © 2000 to 2019 Andy Dehnart and individual contributors.