‘The Biggest Loser’ Brings Back Jillian Michaels, Will Tackle Childhood Obesity
NBC’s The Biggest Loser is bringing something old and something new for its upcoming 14th season. Jillian Michaels, who left the show after Season 11 last year, will be back as a trainer for the upcoming season, which will deal with childhood obesity by featuring kid participants (ages 13-17) for the first time in addition to adult contestants. Michaels will join returning trainers Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince. Season 14, which kicks off in January, will also feature special celebrity guest stars. For the first time since its launch, The Biggest Loser was not on NBC’s fall schedule. The network brass in May said they wanted to give the long-running series time to reboot in the face of declining ratings. That includes the return of one of the show’s most recognizable stars, Michaels, whose replacement, Anna Kournikova, lasted one season. “As a former overweight teen, I know firsthand how dramatically weight issues can affect every aspect of a child’s life,” said Michaels. ”Having recently become a mother of two, I am more passionate than ever about helping empower children and families with the information and resources they need to live a healthier life.”
Contestants will be divided into three teams in Season 14 — supervised by Harper, Michaels and Quince. Each trainer/team will be paired with at least one child participant who will compete with and contribute to their respective teams, but the kids will not be eligible for elimination. They will work at both the ranch and at home, and their progress will be featured in every episode. The Biggest Loser as a production of Shine America, 25/7 Prods. and 3 Ball Prods., which is no longer active on the show. Dave Broome, Eden Gaha, Paul Franklin, Todd Lubin, Lisa Hennessy, Ben Silverman, JD Roth and Todd A. Nelson are the executive producers.
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