The Biggest Loser (UK TV series)
Encyclopedia
The Biggest Loser is a British
reality television
show that began airing on LIVINGtv
from 2005 to 2006, before moving to ITV
in 2009. The show is a spin-off of the American
reality television show of the same name. The show originally featured Angie Dowds and Mark Bailey as the personal trainers, with Richard Callender replacing Bailey from series 3
. Dowds took what the ITV press centre called a "back seat" for part of the fourth series after having been found to have encouraged participants to undereat before a weigh-in. The first two series of the show were hosted by Vicki Butler-Henderson
, a motoring journalist turned television presenter who races cars and has hosted shows such as Fifth Gear
, the third series was hosted by Kate Garraway
. The fourth series is being hosted by Davina McCall
. In the first two series, the person who won the competition received £25,000 in cash, the third series winning prize was reduced to £10,000 but was reverted to the £25,000 cash prize in the fourth series.
In its first two series, it was an individual competition, even though the contestants train together in teams, and immunity from elimination is initially based on team competitions. The red team was trained by Angie Dowds, who used a hard no-nonsense approach. The blue team was trained by Mark Bailey, who trained with a more nurturing approach.
The third series changed to the new 'couples' format, where 8 pairs of friends, relatives or colleagues started together for the first 5 weeks, before they got split up into a 'black team', trained by Angie Dowds, and a 'blue team', trained by Richard Callender, and started competing against each other, similar to the first two series.
aired on LIVINGtv
from 6 October to 15 December 2005.
aired on LIVINGtv
from 11 October to 27 December 2006.
aired on ITV1
from 27 April to 19 June 2009.
aired on ITV1
from 10 January to 28 February 2011.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show that began airing on LIVINGtv
LIVINGtv
Sky Living is a UK television channel owned by British Sky Broadcasting, who purchased the Living TV Group group in 2010. Originally launched as UK Living in 1993, the channel changed its name to Living TV in 1997 and then to Living in 2007. On 1 February 2011 Living changed its name to Sky Living...
from 2005 to 2006, before moving to ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
in 2009. The show is a spin-off of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
reality television show of the same name. The show originally featured Angie Dowds and Mark Bailey as the personal trainers, with Richard Callender replacing Bailey from series 3
The Biggest Loser UK (series 3)
The Biggest Loser UK 2009 was the third season of the reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The season first aired on April 27, 2009 with the final episode on June 19, 2009 with eight overweight couples competing for a cash prize of £10,000. Kate Garraway was featured as the host,...
. Dowds took what the ITV press centre called a "back seat" for part of the fourth series after having been found to have encouraged participants to undereat before a weigh-in. The first two series of the show were hosted by Vicki Butler-Henderson
Vicki Butler-Henderson
Victoria "Vicki" Butler-Henderson is a racing driver and television presenter.-Biography:Butler-Henderson was born into a racing family. Her grandfather used to race a Frazer Nash at Brooklands, her father was in the British karting team and her brother Charlie is a racing driver. She has an older...
, a motoring journalist turned television presenter who races cars and has hosted shows such as Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear
Fifth Gear is a motoring television magazine show from the United Kingdom. Originally shown on Channel 5, the show is currently presented by Tiff Needell, Vicki Butler-Henderson, Jason Plato, Jonny Smith and Ben Collins...
, the third series was hosted by Kate Garraway
Kate Garraway
Kathryn Mary Garraway is an English journalist currently employed by ITV Breakfast.She has presented the UK version of The Biggest Loser.-Early life:...
. The fourth series is being hosted by Davina McCall
Davina McCall
Davina McCall is an English television presenter and actress, most notable as the presenter of the UK version of Big Brother up until its move to Channel 5.- Early life :...
. In the first two series, the person who won the competition received £25,000 in cash, the third series winning prize was reduced to £10,000 but was reverted to the £25,000 cash prize in the fourth series.
Format
The basic format of the show is that overweight contestants compete to win a cash prize by losing the highest percentage of their starting body weight.In its first two series, it was an individual competition, even though the contestants train together in teams, and immunity from elimination is initially based on team competitions. The red team was trained by Angie Dowds, who used a hard no-nonsense approach. The blue team was trained by Mark Bailey, who trained with a more nurturing approach.
The third series changed to the new 'couples' format, where 8 pairs of friends, relatives or colleagues started together for the first 5 weeks, before they got split up into a 'black team', trained by Angie Dowds, and a 'blue team', trained by Richard Callender, and started competing against each other, similar to the first two series.
Series 1 (2005)
The first seriesThe Biggest Loser UK (series 1)
The Biggest Loser UK 2005 was the first season of the reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The season first aired on 6 October 2005, with the final episode on 15 December 2005, where 12 overweight contestants competed for a cash prize of £25,000. Vicki Butler-Henderson was featured...
aired on LIVINGtv
LIVINGtv
Sky Living is a UK television channel owned by British Sky Broadcasting, who purchased the Living TV Group group in 2010. Originally launched as UK Living in 1993, the channel changed its name to Living TV in 1997 and then to Living in 2007. On 1 February 2011 Living changed its name to Sky Living...
from 6 October to 15 December 2005.
- WINNER: Aaron Howlett Total 138 pound at the Final.
Series 2 (2006)
The second seriesThe Biggest Loser UK (series 2)
-Weigh Ins:Teams* Rachel was not present at the finale.GameWinners-Ratings:Episode Viewing figures from BARB...
aired on LIVINGtv
LIVINGtv
Sky Living is a UK television channel owned by British Sky Broadcasting, who purchased the Living TV Group group in 2010. Originally launched as UK Living in 1993, the channel changed its name to Living TV in 1997 and then to Living in 2007. On 1 February 2011 Living changed its name to Sky Living...
from 11 October to 27 December 2006.
- WINNER: Jodie PrengerJodie PrengerJodie Prenger is an English actress and singer. She was the winner of BBC talent show-themed television series I'd Do Anything on 31 May 2008. She was also the winner of the second series of The Biggest Loser on Living in 2006...
Total 119 pound at the Final.
Series 3 (2009)
The third seriesThe Biggest Loser UK (series 3)
The Biggest Loser UK 2009 was the third season of the reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The season first aired on April 27, 2009 with the final episode on June 19, 2009 with eight overweight couples competing for a cash prize of £10,000. Kate Garraway was featured as the host,...
aired on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
from 27 April to 19 June 2009.
- WINNER: Kevin Sage Total 132 pound at the Final.
Series 4 (2011)
The fourth seriesThe Biggest Loser UK (series 4)
The Biggest Loser UK 2011 is the fourth season of the reality television series entitled The Biggest Loser. The season began airing on ITV1 on January 10, 2011, with seven overweight couples competing for a cash prize of £25,000...
aired on ITV1
ITV1
ITV1 is a generic brand that is used by twelve franchises of the British ITV Network in the English regions, Wales, southern Scotland , the Isle of Man and the Bailiwicks of Jersey and Guernsey. The ITV1 brand was introduced by Carlton and Granada in 2001, alongside the regional identities of their...
from 10 January to 28 February 2011.
- WINNER: Wil Graham Total 119 pound at the Final.
Series 5 (2012)
A fifth series has been commissioned to begin in 2012, with Davina and the trainers all staying on. Trainer Angie Dowds was found dead on 20 November 2011, an apparent suicide. The effect of this on the 2012 series of the programme is as yet unclear.Transmissions
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External links
- "Article from Hull and East Riding at Hull and East Riding Article about the new show.