The Biggest Loser (British TV series)
British reality weight-loss competition series.
The Biggest Loser is a British reality television show that aired on Sky Living from 2005 to 2006, then moved to ITV from 2009 until its cancellation in 2012. A spin-off of the American series of the same name, it featured overweight contestants competing to lose the highest percentage of their starting body weight for a cash prize.
Quick Facts
- Creator
- Dave Broome
- Presenter
- Vicki Butler-Henderson (2005–2006) / Kate Garraway (2009) / Davina McCall (2011–2012)
- Starring
- Mark Bailey (2005–2006) / Angie Dowds (2005–2011) / Richard Callender (2009–2012) / Charlotte Ord (2012) / Rob Edmond (2012)
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Language
- English
- Num Series
- 5
- Num Episodes
- 80
- Location
- Stanford Hall (2005–2012) / The London Studios (2011) / The Maidstone Studios (2012)
- Runtime
- 60–90 minutes (inc. adverts)
- Company
- Shine TV
- Channel
- LivingTV
- First Aired
- 2005-10-06
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The show originally aired on Sky Living from 2005 to 2006, hosted by Vicki Butler-Henderson, with personal trainers Angie Dowds and Mark Bailey. After moving to ITV in 2009, the third series was hosted by Kate Garraway, and the fourth and fifth by Davina McCall. The trainer lineup changed over time: Richard Callender replaced Bailey from series 3, and after Dowds died in 2011, Charlotte Ord and Rob 'The Killer' Edmond took over for the fifth series. Series 4 aired in 2011 and series 5 in 2012.
Reader's Guide
The Biggest Loser (British TV series) was a significant entry in the reality weight-loss genre, adapting the American format for UK audiences. Its first two series featured individual competition with team training, where the 'red team' (trained by Angie Dowds) and 'blue team' (trained by Mark Bailey) competed for a £25,000 prize. The third series introduced a couples format, with eight pairs starting together before splitting into black and blue teams. The prize was reduced to £10,000 for that series but reverted to £25,000 for the fourth. The show was recorded at Stanford Hall, Leicestershire, with a week in the USA and finals at The London Studios (2011) and The Maidstone Studios (2012). Its cancellation was announced in September 2012, with no further series planned. The series is remembered for its dramatic weight-loss transformations and the contrasting training styles of its trainers.
Did You Know?
- The show was a spin-off of the American reality television show of the same name.
- Angie Dowds, a personal trainer on the show, died in 2011.
- The first two series were hosted by Vicki Butler-Henderson on Living TV.
- The final was pre-recorded at The London Studios in 2011 and The Maidstone Studios in 2012.
More in British television series revived after cancellation 1-24
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