'The Biggest Loser' Bringing In Some Big Changes For Season Four

Season Four of "The Biggest Loser" begins September 11, 2007

Get ready America because your favorite weight loss reality show is coming back for its exciting fourth season. The hit NBC television series "The Biggest Loser" returns for a special two-hour season premier on September 11, 2007 with lots of new changes sure to satisfy existing fans while bringing in many new ones.

With the departure of Caroline Rhea as host of the show, the producers of "The Biggest Loser" have brought in a fresh new face with beautiful and talented soap opera star Alison Sweeney taking over for Rhea. The "Days Of Our Lives" star has battled her own obesity demons and is a perfect fit for the show.

Sweeney was excited about the opportunity to be a part of "The Biggest Loser" for the first time this summer, but she had no idea just how much the contestants would become like family to her through this new journey in their lives.

"I didn't realize how involved I would become in all of their lives," Sweeney stated. "People ask me all the time if I had a favorite. I couldn't root for any one person, because I cared about them all so much. To see them struggling with it and what they are accomplishing by doing it, it touches you so deeply. I never realized how emotionally connected to these people I would become."

It's a connection that millions of television viewers make which is why the show has become such a runaway hit not just in the United States, but around the world including Australia. There's something about the weight loss experience that has potential new weight loss shows popping up to mimic "The Biggest Loser."

Another change that's coming to the new season of "The Biggest Loser" that I'm sure is a welcomed one by viewers is the number of contestants. After featuring 50 contestants from each state in Season Three, they decided to revert back to the original format featuring 18 contestants who are ready to shed the pounds for good in a competition to win $250,000.

This was a smart move on the part of the producers of "The Biggest Loser." One of the reasons I wasn't very thrilled with last season was it was hard to connect with the contestants since there were 50 of them starting off. The allure of the show is in connecting with the small handful of contestants right away and cheering them on along the way. You had a hard time doing that in Season Three.

It was an interesting experiment that didn't work as well as expected. The idea was to have all of America rooting for their state's representative in the competition. It made logical sense on paper, but the execution of the concept was lacking. I'm personally happy they've returned to what worked in the first two seasons.

Something else I'm ecstatic about is the return of popular trainer Jillian Michaels. Last season, everyone wanted to know "where is Jillian Michaels?" She decided to take some time away to start up her own online weight loss business to continue helping people lose weight and get healthy like she did with "The Biggest Loser" contestants on television.



With the immediate success of that new venture, Jillian decided the time was right to rejoin fellow trainer Bob Harper for Season Two of "The Biggest Loser Australia" earlier this year which actually served as a precursor for her return to the U.S. version of the show coming this Fall. Everyone involved with the show is stoked about her return and believe it will bring back many of the fans who missed her presence on the show in Season Three.

Here's what Jillian herself had to say about her triumphant return.

"YES — it's true! I am returning to NBC's The Biggest Loser this summer. It's been a long time in the works. I gotta tell you — I'm super excited. My team is FABulous, and I know you will adore them just as much as I do. They are working their asses off...literally!"

Now THAT is the Jillian Michaels we all know and love! :)

One of the features you will notice on this season of "The Biggest Loser" is a quick update on some of the past contestants with their progress since leaving the show. It's one thing to lose a whole lot of weight in a short amount of time for a chance to win a bundle of money. It's another thing altogether to KEEP that weight off for good.

I have already secured at least one blog interview with a very popular former contestant on "The Biggest Loser" which I will be publishing here very soon and I'm working on doing many more throughout the season. If you have a favorite contestant you would like for me to contact about an interview, then please e-mail me your suggestion at livinlowcarbman@charter.net. I'll do my best to see if they are available for either a blog or podcast interview.

You can see some of the updates I have written on the contestants from Season One and Season Two as well as Season Three winner Erik Chopin. Don't miss my full list of "The Biggest Loser" links for even more blog posts I have written about this remarkable show! And stay tuned for an introduction to the 18 new contestants featured in Season Four of "The Biggest Loser." Coming soon! :)

9-1-07 UPDATE: Get to know all 18 of the contestants from Season Four of "The Biggest Loser," including their before pictures, a brief bio, and updates and other changes in 2007.