The Biggest Loser (U.S. TV series)
| The Biggest Loser | |
|---|---|
Logo used from seasons 14-16
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| Created by | Dave Broome |
| Presented by |
Caroline Rhea (2004–06) Alison Sweeney (2007–15) Bob Harper (2016) |
| Starring | See below |
| Narrated by |
J.D. Roth Alison Sweeney Bob Harper |
| Theme music composer | Heather Small and Peter-John Vettese |
| Opening theme | "Looking Good, Feeling Gorgeous" (Season 1) by RuPaul "Proud" (Seasons 2–9) by Heather Small "Brand New Book" (Season 12–13) by Train |
| Composer(s) | Jeff Lippencott and Mark T. Williams, Ah2 Music, Jason Bond, Darren Moss |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of seasons | 17 |
| No. of episodes | 247 (as of February 22, 2016) |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Eden Gaha |
| Running time | 80-85 minutes |
| Production company(s) | 3Ball Entertainment Eyeworks Reveille Productions (2004–12) Shine America (2012–2016) Twenty Five Seven Productions |
| Distributor | NBCUniversal Television Distribution |
| Release | |
| Original network | NBC |
| Picture format |
480i (SDTV) (2004–10) 1080i (HDTV) (2010–2016) |
| Original release | October 19, 2004 – February 22, 2016 |
| External links | |
| Website | |
The Biggest Loser is an American competition reality show that debuted on NBC on October 19, 2004. The show features obese or overweight contestants competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their initial weight.
Each season of The Biggest Loser starts with a weigh-in to determine the contestants' starting weights, which serve as the baseline for determining the overall winner.
The contestants are grouped into teams of three, each wearing separate colored T-shirts. Depending on the season a team may work with a specific trainer or all trainers may work with all contestants. The trainers are responsible (in conjunction with medical personnel retained by the show) for designing comprehensive workout and nutrition plans and teaching them to the contestants. However, the contestants are individually responsible for implementing the principles taught.
During an episode, various challenges and temptations (see below) are featured. Those who win a particular challenge are given special privileges, such as a weight advantage for the next weigh-in or even full immunity from being voted off the show.
Each week culminates in another weigh-in to determine which team has lost the most weight for that week, in percentage of total weight lost. The team that has lost the least percentage during that week (known as "falling below the yellow line", which refers to a line featured on a video screen showing the cutoff between safety and being at-risk) will have one member voted off (unless the team consists of only one remaining member, in which case there is no vote). The vote is usually made by the other teams, though some episodes feature one team making the decision alone. Some episodes feature a second, "red line"; if a contestant falls below the red line the contestant is automatically off the show with no vote. Other episodes allow for the contestants, if successfully meeting a goal at the weigh-in, to all receive immunity for the week.
When the number of contestants has shrunk to a predetermined smaller number (unknown to the contestants), the teams are dissolved and the contestants compete one-on-one against each other.
The season finale features both the contestants remaining on the show and those sent home early; the latter are brought back for the final show. Those sent home early compete for a smaller prize while those on the show compete for a larger prize and the title of "The Biggest Loser".
Episodes are typically two hours long. Some episodes have been aired in a shortened one-hour format to accommodate adjacent network programming such as The Voice and the State of the Union address. Each episode features some, but not all, of the following activities (some contestants may not participate in an activity with physical requirements if placed on medical restrictions):
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