The winner of The Biggest Loser 4 was not, alas, the biggest loser, but because the show is about strategy and not entirely weight loss, Bill Germanakos won $250,000 after losing 164 pounds and 49.10 percent of his body weight. His twin brother Jim, however, lost 51.52 percent of his body weight. For having lost… continue reading
The Biggest Loser 4
Biggest Loser needs to dump its “you are not the biggest loser” send-off line
At the end of every episode, the host of The Biggest Loser 4–currently the awkward and stilted Allison Sweeney–says the same thing to the eliminated cast member. Allison uses basically the same line that Caroline Rhea did during the first three seasons: “I’m sorry to tell you you are not the biggest loser.” After Kae’s… continue reading
More contestants intentionally gain weight on The Biggest Loser
NBC’s The Biggest Loser is supposed to be about weight loss, but the last two weeks, it’s been about intentional weight gain, as at least three contestants have intentionally gained or not lost any weight. Last week, Neil gained 17 pounds with water to intentionally throw the weigh in and eliminate his competition. And this… continue reading
Neil gains 17 pounds to “assassinate” Jillian’s team on The Biggest Loser
NBC’s promises that The Biggest Loser 4‘s weigh-in last night would be the most! shocking! ever! actually turned out to be true, as Neil gained 17 pounds for strategic purposes. Neil, the 25-year-old who started as the heaviest person in the competition (at 421 pounds), first tried to play it off as if he couldn’t understand… continue reading
Biggest Loser’s rapid weight loss demoralizes fat people, increases risks
The rapid weight loss seen on The Biggest Loser may not be good for one’s health–and it also apparently depresses some fat people because they can’t lose weight as fast. “Whether it’s gallbladder disease, hair falling out, skin getting dry, the more rapid the weight loss, the greater the risk. You get above a kilogram… continue reading
Jillian quit Biggest Loser because of the editing and the show’s artificial drama
Update: This story refers to her departure for season three; in 2010, Jillian Michaels quit the show again to have a child. On last night’s episode of The Biggest Loser 4, Jillian Michaels told her team, “I missed this job, you know, when I didn’t do it last year, I missed it, but I forgot… continue reading
Biggest Loser 4 debuts tonight; NBC casting for fifth season
The Biggest Loser returns for a fourth season tonight at 8 p.m. ET with a two-hour premiere. The show has a new host, Alison Sweeney, and will feature the return of trainer Jillian Michaels as part of a new twist. Alison Sweeney told reporters that she identifies with the contestants. “I’ve struggled with my weight… continue reading
Jillian and Kim will both return for The Biggest Loser 4, as Jillian trains a “secret team”
After being mysteriously replaced last season, Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels announced that she would return for the fourth season. The fate of her replacement, Kim Lyons, was unclear until now, when NBC announced this season’s twist: Jillian “will train the secret black team of contestants who failed to be chosen for the blue or… continue reading
Jillian will return for The Biggest Loser 4
Trainer Jillian Michaels will be part of The Biggest Loser 4 this fall. She inexplicably left the show or was fired last season, but she did appear on the Australian versions. Jillian has “new role on the show [that] has been kept a secret,” Variety reports, and has no word about trainer Kim Lyons, who… continue reading
Caroline Rhea replaced by Alison Sweeney as host of The Biggest Loser 4
When The Biggest Loser 4 goes into production this spring, it will have a new host. Caroline Rhea, the host for the show’s first three seasons, has been replaced by Alison Sweeney, best known for her role on Days of Our Lives. NBC gave Variety the typical corporate bullshit line that Caroline Rhea left “to… continue reading
NBC orders fourth season of The Biggest Loser
NBC began casting for The Biggest Loser 4 five months ago, but the network only today announced that the show had been picked up for a fourth season. NBC’s Kevin Reilly promises that “The producing team has come up with unique ways to keep the series fresh and we anticipate the next cycle will continue… continue reading
Only 80 people audition for The Biggest Loser in Boston
On Saturday, only about 80 people auditioned for the (presumed) fourth season of The Biggest Loser in Boston. I say “only” because that marks a sharp decline since auditions for (presumably) the third season in San Diego earlier this year drew more than 1,500 people. The Boston Globe reports that “more than 80 people gave… continue reading
NBC casting for a fourth season of Biggest Loser
NBC has announced a series of open casting calls for the fourth season of The Biggest Loser. Producers will visit three cities on July 1, three more on July 8, and one on both July 2 and 9. The show’s “casting teams guarantee the first 800 people in line will be seen,” according to a… continue reading