| The Biggest Loser, Ryanland | |
|---|---|
| |
| Format | Reality TV |
| Created by | Jenny Roberts |
| Presented by | Jessica Smith (2004–2007) Ryan Crim (2007–present) |
| Starring | Leila Evans (2004-present) Dave Clark (2004–present) |
| Narrated by | Jessica Smith |
| Opening theme |
"Come On, Honey" (Seasons 1-3) by Jessica Smith. "Glamorous (Seasons 4-present) by Fergie |
| Country of origin | Ryanland |
| No. of seasons | 13 |
| No. of episodes | 189 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60-120 minutes (depending on episode and/or season) |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | RTN |
| Picture format |
480i (SDTV) (2004-2010) 1080i (HDTV (2010-Present) |
| Original run | |
The Biggest Loser is a Ryanland reality television game show that debuted on RTN, ???. The show features obese people competing to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of weight relative to their initial weight.
The show is currently in its seventh season (normally, unlike the US version, only has one season per year); Season 7 premiered on ???.
Premise[]
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 two, 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".
Episode format[]
Each episode will feature some, but not all, of the following activities (some contestants may not participate in an activity with physical requirements if placed on medical restrictions):
- Temptation:
Contestants prepare for the first day of the week only to find a situation that involves temptation. The temptation usually requires contestants to gamble by eating or drinking delicious but high-calorie foods in exchange for what may seem to be a beneficial trade-off. The benefits may or may not be known to the contestants in advance. Examples include eating sweet foods for a chance to call their loved ones, eating a big slice of cake to win an unknown prize (which, in one episode, turned out to be an exercise bike) or giving up time with trainer for a chance to win thousands of dollars. Contestants are given a set amount of time before the offer passes. - Reward Challenge:
Contestants compete to win a prize, first as teams and then as individuals after the teams are dissolved. After the challenge, viewers are shown the winning team savoring their reward while the losing team accepts their loss. Prizes range from immunity- which is exemption from elimination - to exercise equipment, phone calls home or weight prizes, which allow winners of a challenge to have a greater weight loss at the Weigh-In, or losers of a challenge to have a lower weight loss at the Weigh-In (e.g. a 6 lb weight loss would result in a 7 lb weight loss if a contestant were to win a "1 pound advantage" whereas it would result in a 5 lb weight loss if a contestant were to win a "1 pound disadvantage"). If the teams are uneven at the start of the Weigh-in, then the team that has more players may be asked to choose a certain number of players from that team to sit out. This would result in their results not being counted towards their team's total weight loss. - Initial Workout:
Contestants work out with the trainers. During this segment, the trainers will often speak with certain contestants, especially those doing poorly. Usually certain underlying emotional issues are revealed at this time (such as a loss of a family member or a physical calamity), which often are the triggering events that led to the weight gain in the first place. - Last Chance Workout:
Last chance workouts are often shown as grueling, final preparations for the weigh in. This is a real test of strength and trainers push contestants to their limits. - Weigh-In:
Although, the show depicts the weigh-in an evening setting, the actual weight measurement occurs off-camera in a morning session and the contestants are not told of the results during this time. All contestants are weighed to determine the amount they have lost relative to their total body weight. During team-based competition, the team that loses the highest percentage wins and the losing team must send one person home. When the teams are dissolved and the show becomes an individual competition, the two contestants who lose the lowest percentage of weight are below the yellow line and are eligible for elimination. A similar setup to individual-based weigh-ins happens when the two initial teams are broken up into four teams of two or three, as happened in the second and fourth seasons. In season ten, the rules changed. The contestants are now expected to weigh in before challenges. The yellow line now increases up to half of the slots depending on how many contestants there are at the ranch. The contestants that are below the yellow line face an elimination challenge before the vote. In addition, the Biggest Loser of the week is allowed to save a person below the yellow line from elimination. Some episodes have featured both a yellow line and a red line; a contestant who falls below the red line are eliminated outright from the competition without a vote of the other contestants. - Elimination Challenge:
Introduced in season seven, the elimination challenge was for the two people who were below the yellow line. In the only elimination challenge of that season, the longest one standing stayed while the other one went home. In season ten, the elimination challenge was re-introduced. The amount of people who were below the yellow line participate in a challenge to escape from the vote. The two contestants that are the least successful in the competition faces the vote. - The Vote:
The final segment of the show takes place in a dining room that has refrigerators labeled with each contestant's name (active contestants have their name illuminated) and filled with that contestant's favorite tempting foods. Prior to the vote, the contestants facing elimination plead their case as to why they should remain on the Ranch (several episodes feature contestants making a "sacrificial" request to be sent home, generally a team agreeing as to which member should stay and which one should go, or one contestant feeling that they can make progress at home while another needs the Ranch setting to continue his/her progress). The other contestants are not required to honor any requests to be sent home, though generally such requests are honored. The contestants facing elimination arrive at the dining room first; the other contestants each carry a covered plate containing the name of the person they wish to vote out. In the event of a tie, the contestant or team who lost the least percentage of weight is eliminated, except if both of the contestants or teams lost the least percentage of weight. As people are voted out, the light for their name is extinguished. After the vote, the eliminated contestant is shown at home and mentions the progress they have made in their weight loss.
Cast[]
For the first three seasons, the show was hosted by Ryanland Pop Star, Jessica Smith. Beginning with the series' fourth season, Smith was replaced with owner of Ryanland and the creator of multiple TV shows, Ryan Crim. Since the first season (even when she wasn't the host), has been the narrator of the show.
Dave Clark and Leila Evans, are the personal trainers of the show since the first season. In most of the seasons, they would each train one half on the team (until they merged into one group.
Seasons[]
| Airdates | Ep# | Contestants | Synopsis | The Biggest Loser | At-Home Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | |||||
| Season 2 | |||||
| Season 3 | |||||
| Couples (Season 4) | |||||
| Families (Season 5) | |||||
| Couples 2 (Season 6) | |||||
| Couples 3 (Season 7) | |||||
Television ratings[]
| Season | Episodes | Season Premiere | Season Finale | Season | Rank | Viewers
(in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season 1 | 10 | September 2005 | December 2005 | 2005-06 | ||
| Season 2 | 12 | September 2006 | December 2006 | 2006-07 | ||
| Season 3 | 12 | September 2007 | December 2007 | 2007-08 | ||
| Season 4 | 15 | September 2008 | December 2008 | 2008-09 | ||
| Season 5 - Couples | 19 | January 2009 | May 2009 | |||
| Season 6 - Families | 13 | September 2009 | December 2009 | 2009-10 | ||
| Season 7 - Couples 2 | 19 | January 2010 | May 2010 | |||
| Season 8 - Second Chance | 13 | September 2010 | December 2010 | 2010-11 | ||
| Season 9 - Couples 3 | 20 | January 2011 | May 2011 | |||
| 10 | 13 | September 2011 | December 2011 | 2011-12 | ||
| Season 11 - Couples 4 | 18 | January 2012 | May 2012 | |||
| 12 | 16 | September 18, 2012 | January 22, 2013 | 2012-13 | #18 | 11.60 |
| 13 | 12 | December 10, 2013 | February 19, 2014 | 2013-14 |