Want more Biggest Loser? Subscribe to dingoRUE for continued coverage of The Biggest Loser.
Biggest Loser 4 host Alison Sweeney (Image Source: AlisonSweeney.com)
It’s official, NBC has decided to trim the fat (pun intended) and has dropped Caroline Rhea as host of the Biggest Loser 4. NBC has dropped Biggest Loser seasons 1, 2 and 3 host Caroline Rhea is favor of a new, shinier, sportier model, complete with new host scent, Alison Sweeney.
NBC gave the usual line, saying that she is leaving to “pursue other interests”, which in the TV world translates to, “we fired her ass.” While the executive producer of the show, Ben Silverman, took a bit more of a direct and honest approach and said Alison Sweeney “will bring not only a great fresh face but (also) a huge, loyal fan base” to the show. Apparently people still watch soap opera’s and actually give a damn about the “actors”? That’s news to me.
I’m personally a fan of Caroline Rhea as the host of the Biggest Loser, that’s not saying I’m a fan of hers in any other context, since I’m not, but I think she was a good fit for the show. However, after the debacle that was the Biggest Loser 3 season finale, I can understand why NBC decided it was time for her to “pursue other interests.”
Alison Sweeney, the new host of the Biggest Loser 4, comes to us straight from the gutter of the TV world, also known as soap operas. Not only does she come from the single worst genre in the history of TV, she comes from the absolute worst soap opera of all time, Days of our Lives. Though she apparently knows exactly what it’s like to be fat, since she wrote a book about her experiences as a big girl after ballooning up to a massive size 12! Yeah, that’s right, a size 12… I got news for you folks, only in TV land is size 12 considered massive. One of Caroline Rhea’s butt cheeks is bigger than that for Christs sake.
The Biggest Loser has always been one of my favorite reality TV shows and it is one of the few that is truley inspirational and motivational for people, so I really hope they don’t screw things up by letting some soap opera star host it. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Production for the Biggest Loser 4 is set to begin sometime this spring.
Article Source: RealityBlurred.com
Maybe I’m confused, but what exactly was the “debacle” surrounding the season 3 finale that could have led to Caroline Rhea getting fired? I don’t recall anything awkward or bad that she did, and couldn’t find evidence of anything in your recap either…
Apparently there was a whole lot of miscommunication and confusion through out the entire finale, and the producer or executive producer (I forget which), refused to do another one as a result. There we also a number of times that Caroline lost control of what was happening on stage and kind of let things go on as they wanted.
It wasn’t a huge ordeal from what everyone saw, but apparently the behind the scenes issues were numerous.
They’re just using that as an excuse to bring in some eye candy for the boys. Some eye candy who won’t have a thing in common with the morbidly obese people she’ll be dealing with. At least Caroline wasn’t patronising like this anorexic will be.
I thought that it was very boring last with Caroline Rhea. It’s like her mind was elsewhere. I think that Alison Sweeney will be a breath of fresh air!!!
I think Alison Sweeney will do great, I remember her doing Fear Factor and she’s real and down to earth. Now I love my soaps but I admit Days has gone way down hill. Soap Opera actors work hard, harder then anyone on a movie set or tv show.
Alison is great, I’m sure she’ll do a fantastic job!
I love Caroline as a comedienne but wasnt a big fan of her on the Biggest Loser. As far as the finale, I didnt like how she kind of rained on Bob and Erik’s happy moment and was yelling and yelling through it. She was obnoxious in the last minutes and it really ruined the happy ending. I am not a big fan of Allison Sweeney but I do find it more refreshing to see someone thinner telling a person they are cut because they are “trimming the fat”. Pot Kettle Black when it came to Caroline.
Marissa, that was an obnoxious and uninformed comment! Alison Sweeney actually did suffer from bulimia, and overcame it through a lot of hard work, in the form of careful diet and exercise. Anyone who has seen her on TV knows that she is by no means stick skinny. On the contrary, she is a very healthy, realistic weight, a fabulous example of change, and a perfect choice to host the show. And, excuse me, but when could Caroline Rhea ever identify with the “morbidly obese” contestants on the show? She may not be a size 2, but she is hardly obese. She is however, not an example of the lifestyle the contestants are there to develop. Frankly, if I were a contestant, I would balk at a host who wasn’t willing to make the same effort themselves. Caroline could have used the show as an opportunity to get healthy; she chose not to. NBC chose to replace her with someone who better embodied the spirit of the show and the message they are trying to send. Good for them!
Caroline Rhea used to be pretty darn good looking and then she became a fat slob. It was absurd to have her as the host on a show about people trying hard to shape up and lose weight. It would be good to see Rhea as one of the new contestants. She honestly needs to get with the plan!
I like Caroline Rhea. She is a real person that I enjoy watching. This new girl has yet to prove herself. I watched 15 minutes of the Tuesday 9/4 Special and I had enough of Sami to last the season. I don’t like soaps either.
I really love Caroline Rhea because she really seemed like a down to earth person. She was relatable, and come on, who would you rather have as a host if you were losing weight Caroline Rhea, a woman you can really relate to, and isn’t exactly the size 0, or an actress from a soap opera. Seriosly, I think it’s rediculous. Not to mention age and weight discrimination, but that’s the way it is, isn’t it? Once a woman gets past 35 and is bigger than a size 2 it’s time to bring in the ‘newer model.’ Again, very disapointing.
Allison Sweeney used to be overweight years ago. She is not skinny without effort, so that in theory, makes her a good choice.
What was the debacle of the the season 3 finale??? I read the link but could not tell what the issue was and why it would be a reason to fire Caroline Rhea?
I miss Caroline Rhea as host of the Biggest Loser and will not watch it anymore without her. She made the show seem real becaise she herself had a problem with weight but now with the usual skinny blond as the host it just doesn’t have the same interest for me at all.
Bring back Caroline and I will enjoy watching as I have for the past three years – otherwise I am done with the show as nothing draws me to it now. I always wanted to see how Caroline looked and how she was doing herself with her weight whether it was good or bad and she had so much personality.
That’s all, except to say I was so disappointed tonite to see her gone when I tuned in the new show.
Yours truly,
Liz Fromer, Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
Caroline Rhea always made me a little uncomfortable as a host. It seemed to me that her timing was a bit off. I also think that if the premise of your show is that fitness is important and within everybody’s reach, the host who’s doling out the information and encouraging people along the way should embody that ideal. It’s not discrimination. It’s common sense. It appeared to me that she actually go chunkier over the course of time.
I had never heard of Alison Sweeney before, but I thought she did a good job and I felt much more comfortable watching her.
I am with you in the fact that I thought Caroline Rhea was a good fit for the biggest loser. I am a huge fan of the show and have followed in weekly, anxiously awaiting each new episode. Last night, however, I was all pumped to watch the season premiere of Biggest Loser 4, and was HUGELY dissapointed to see some cheesy, gorgeous soap star as the host, claiming to know what it was like to be fat…..to be a size 12 would be beyond my wildest dreams! Yet, she made that sound like she was enormous! How ridiculous was that! I didn’t enjoy her as the host at all and it really bugged me the whole 2 hours that they had switced hosts on us! I don’t see it turning me off of the show, it is a huge inspiration to me, but I am not happy with the change, or the choice in the host!
Frankly the reason I am at this site at all is that I missed Caroline Rhea and wondered why she was missing from the show. I thought that she was very good and I will miss her. That said, Alison Sweeney seems to be a great replacement and the fact that she successfully manages her weight now authenticates her as a good choice for the new hostess. I wish them both the best.
learn how to spell if you’re going to write anything!
Give Alison a chance, and you might find that you enjoy her. She, like Caroline, is very down-to-earth and likeable.
you were stupid to get rid of caroline rhea
Absolutly NOT! I am a big fan of Alison, but your costic attemps to complemnt her is a disgrace to the Dattime Drama’s as wll as The Biggest Loser.
You obviously don’t know your soaps. Alison Sweeney is very popular and has a huge fan base. I was very excited when I found out she was going to host Biggest Loser. By the way, Days is not the worst soap ever, Passions was, even though it did have several nice looking actors. Thanks for your time.
Caroline Rhea seemed to lose interest in the show or something. There was something different about the last season that made me dislike her as the host. I love the show and would have continued to watch with her hosting, but am actually glad that they have brought in someone new.
If you truly like the show and will continue to watch. If you choose to not watch a show based on the host, maybe you really didn’t enjoy the show. I think you should give Alison Sweeney a chance. She may not know what it is to be obese, but has overcome a different but very deadly eating disorder herself.
Yes, this article gave me exactly what I was looking for and did it in an entertaining way
I think Alison is doing an excellent job!
I cannot believe some of the comments I read about Ali Sweeney. She is a wonderful actress and the show she is on the not one of the worst soaps ever. It has gone down hill , I will admit that, but because they have hired a new writer and is changing everything. Which I do not like. As far as her knowing what it is like to be fat, she has overcome alot in her life .Apparently her doctor thinks that she carried a little too much fat for her height and body frame. We could all stand to lose a few pounds and get active no matter what size we are. So if you do not know Ali personally do not go around judging her , you have no right, miss know it all, kami p.
I like Caroline Rhea but I felt that she didn’t appear to be in shape and she had gained from the previous seasons. I think Allison Sweeney does a good job. I really think the show would gain credability by having a retired athlete as the host or hostees if they are still fit. Neither Caroline or Allison appear to be in great shape.
I’ve been watching Biggest Loser with Allison, and I think she’s doing a great job. I wondered what happened to Caroline, but I had an idea. I just wish she used the trainers too, then maybe she’d still be on the show, but Allison said in the begining that she had a weight problem too, so they know she understands where they’re coming from. I just wish they’d bring back Kim. I liked it when they had the 3 trainers.
personally, think ali is a bit better. She is a bit more professional and seems to enjoy the people the job more. and ali talks about it all the time on blogs, interiews,etc while caroline didn’t really. but caroline was more funny. i do wonder though..i looked at the comments and one said ali once suffered from bulima. is that true? i though that was only her character, sami.
The biggest loser is so Painful to watch now that Sweeney is hosting. It is painful to watch her host, read from the teleprompter and to actually interact with contestants. it seems as if she has such a boring personality.
At least with Caroline Rhea she had a personality, easily interacted with contestants and made those interactions interesting.
PLEASE bring Caroline Rhea back!
I liked Caroline Rhea and was upset when they got rid of her but, after giving her a chance, I really like Alison now too.
I LOVE the Biggest Loser. It is the Best show EVER! :0)
I’m so sick and tired of nobody columnists using the Lord’s name in vain. Well educated writers have no need to swear to get our attention, as they have a full vocabulary.
@Anonymous Oh god.