Not to be outdone by ABC’s announcement today of the latest Dancing With the Stars cast, NBC has announced the contestants for The Biggest Loser Season 15, which debuts Oct. 15.
Alison Sweeney is back as host of The Biggest Loser, along with trainers Bob Harper, Jillian Michaels and Dolvett Quince. According to NBC, new creative elements are being introduced in The Biggest Loser Season 15 that give Bob, Jillian and Dolvett more powerful roles. For the first time, trainers sat in on casting sessions and helped select the new contestants. Also, the trainers will have a “trainer save” this season, allowing each one to save one eliminated contestant from going home.
NBC says that The Biggest Loser will start Season 15 with one-hour telecasts on Tuesdays at 8pm ET. There may be select two-hour telecasts as the season moves closer to its Feb. 4 finale.
The theme for The Biggest Loser Season 15 is “Second Chances.” The 15 contestants all exemplify that theme, including Ruben Studdard, who won Season 2 of American Idol a decade ago but now turns up on The Biggest Loser stage as Season 15’s heaviest contestant at 462 pounds, hoping to lose weight and learn how to live a healthy lifesytle.
Another notable contestant this season is Olympic weightlifter Holley Mangold, who is looking to get in the best shape possible for a second chance at gold in the 2016 Olympics.
Full list of new contestants competing for the $250,000 grand prize in The Biggest Loser Season 15:
Fernanda Abarca (3D Animation Artist/Cake Sugar Artist), 32, Montrose, Calif.
Craig Arrington (Warehouse Supervisor for Pharmaceutical Company), 30, Wilson, N.C.
Chelsea Arthurs (Clinical Research Professional/Event Planner), 28, Raleigh, N.C.
David Brown (Project Manager for Construction Company and Social Commerce Leader for Phone Company), 43, Edmond, Okla.
Rachel Frederickson (Voice-over Artist), 24, Los Angeles, Calif.
Hap Holmstead (Sales Consultant/Entrepreneur), 26, Pleasant Grove, Utah
Matt Hooper (Retail Manager), 38, Georgetown, Mass.
Holley Mangold (Olympic Weightlifter/Caterer), 24, Columbus, Ohio
Jennifer Messer (Clerk/Bookkeeper), 42, Abingdon, Va.
Tumi Oguntala (Brand Strategist), 41, Clifton Park, N.Y.
Marie Pearl (Senior Staff Accountant at a Community College), 30, Springfield, Mo.
Bobby Saleem (Attorney), 28, Chicago, Ill.
Jay Sheets (Marketing Associate for a Food Company), 38, Farmington, MO.
Ruben Studdard (Singer), 35, Birmingham, Ala.
Tanya Winfield (Chief Operating Officer of a Restaurant Franchise), 41, Plainfield, Ill.
The Biggest Loser Season 15 airs Tuesdays at 8pm ET on NBC beginning Oct. 15.
_______________________________
The Biggest Loser Season 15 contestants: Paul Drinkwater/NBC
eu precisso emagrecer pois ja tentei de tudo e nao comsigo quro ser a primeira brasileira a participar do progama
I have been a Ruben Studdard fan since his Idol days. I loved him just the way he was but for health reasons I am glad to see he decided to make a change. He has many more songs left in him and I would like for him to get a chance to have them all produced. I love you. You Go Sweetie!!!!!