The Biggest Loser (Season 4)

"The Biggest Loser" is an NBC reality television show that began broadcasting on October 19, 2004. The fourth season began airing on September 11, 2007 with 18 overweight contestants in a weight loss competition for an ultimate prize of $250,000. The Biggest Loser campus was located at California State University Channel Islands in Camarillo, California.

The season four contestants were divided into 3 teams: the Red team, led by trainer Kim Lyons; the Blue team, led by trainer Bob Harper; and the Black team, led by trainer Jillian Michaels who has never lost a season since she has been training against Bob Harper (although Bob did beat Jillian in two segments of the special editions). The teams were formed on the first episode, with the Red and Blue teams being selected by the two players who had won a foot race across the desert. The Black team was formed with the 6 remaining contestants who were not selected for the Red and Blue teams. While the Red and Blue teams returned to the Biggest Loser campus, the Black team was left behind, believing that they had been eliminated already. Instead, they remained in the desert and trained in secret with their trainer, Jillian, until they arrived on campus for the weigh in at the end of week 3.

Teams

Each week, the team that has lost the lowest percentage of their total weight must eliminate one member. On the losing team, the team member who has lost the highest percentage of weight that week is immune and cannot be voted out.

In the seventh week, the teams were dissolved and split into trios. Jez won a temptation and the right to decide the trios. The trios were:

* Jez, Neil and Isabeau;
* Hollie, David and Kae;
* Bill, Julie and Amy;
* Nicole, Ryan and Bryan

The individual players, regardless of which trio they belonged to, were allowed the option of continuing to work with their original trainer or switching to another trainer. Only Amy, who felt betrayed by Kim's negative comments prior to the previous week's elimination, opted to change trainers, choosing to train with Jillian.

That same week, Neil, a contestant on the original blue team, ignited controversy when he threw the weigh-in by water loading, which resulted in a shocking weight gain of 17 pounds. He did this in an effort to forcibly eliminate a black team member, and resulted in Jez's elimination. The following week, he lost 33 pounds. This makes him the greatest gainer in one week and the greatest loser in another week, occuring in back-to-back weeks.

Although they trained separately, the trios competed together in challenges and at the weigh-ins. The trio with the lowest combined percentage of weight loss is considered to have fallen below the yellow line, and its members are up for elimination. The remaining trios each receive one vote during the elimination. In the event of a tie, the trio member with the lowest percentage of weight loss is eliminated.

During the ninth week, the trios were dissolved and the players split into pairs. The pairs were: Kae and Amy; Hollie and Bryan; Nicole and Neil; Isabeau and Ryan; Bill and Julie. The contestants competed in their pairs at the challenges and at the weigh-ins. One member of the pair with the lowest percentage of weight loss was eliminated.

During the 10th week, the pairs were dissolved and the players were all competing as individuals. Although there was technically no longer a red, blue, or black team, the players still continued to work out with their original trainers and team, except for Amy who worked with the black team and even wore black colors instead of her original red.

In the 12th week, Bryan, the last remaining member of the red team, was eliminated, which deprived trainer Kim of her entire team, and thus she was eliminated as well. This is also the first time that an entire team, along with a trainer, has been eliminated before the final weigh-in.

In the 14th and final week, Neil, the last remaining member of the blue team, was eliminated, which means that trainer Bob has also lost his entire team, and thus he (like Kim before him) was also eliminated from the competition, leaving Jillian and her team to win it all. This is the first season that two entire teams, along with two trainers, have been eliminated; granted, this is also the first season to have three teams. Furthermore, this is also the first time that only one team is being represented at the finale. Finally, this is also the first season where one of the eliminated players actually lost a higher percentage than the winner; Jim and Neil each beat Bill.

Total Weight Loss (by teams)

* *=In week 13, Hollie had a one pound pass, meaning that instead of 5 lbs, 6 were counted at the weigh-in, but not on the scale.
* Eliminated
* Immunity (Team Biggest Loser)
* Immunity (Reward Challenge)
* Winner (among finalists) - 250k
* Winner (among eliminated contestants) - 100k
* Denotes when Amy was on the Black team
* Member of Kim's team
* Member of Bob's team
* Member of Jillian's team
* Last person eliminated before the finale

Contestant Information