The Biggest Loser Australia season 2

The Biggest Loser Australia
Season 2
StarringJillian Michaels
Bob Harper
Michelle Bridges
Shannan Ponton
Steve Willis
Presented byAjay Rochester
No. of episodes68
Release
Original networkNetwork Ten
Original release4 February (2007-02-04) –
26 April 2007 (2007-04-26)
Season chronology
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Season 1
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Season 3
List of episodes

The second season of the Australian version of the original NBC American reality television series The Biggest Loser premiered on Sunday 4 February 2007 at 7pm on Network Ten, with the finale on 26 April 2007. The show features 14 overweight contestants competing for A$200,000 and the title Australia's Biggest Loser for 2007. The eventual winner was Chris Garling, one of "The Outsiders", who lost 70.1 kg (46.89% of his start weight). Eliminated contestants also had the chance to compete for a runners-up prize of $50,000, which was won by Michael losing 70.0 kg (42.37% of his start weight). Five episodes were screened each week night, with a sixth episode introduced on Sunday nights. Industry experts were skeptical of its success screening on this competitive night. The show averaged more than 1 million viewers each night, peaking at 1,995,000 viewers for the finale and 1,560,000 viewers for a weigh-in show.[1] Over 10,000 Australians applied, 2,000 more than the 2006 season.[2] The show is licensed and produced by FremantleMedia Australia in association with Reveille.

14 contestants (2 more than the previous season) competed in 2 teams, later becoming pairs and then playing individually. An additional four being introduced throughout the game as part of twists or as replacement contestants. In the first two weeks, one contestant voluntarily quit and one withdrew on medical advice.[3]

Two new Australian trainers, Michelle Bridges and Shannan Ponton, were introduced to replace the previous American trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels who reprised their role temporarily.[4] Although Michelle states she doesn't like the format of the reality television show, she feels in the end it is helping change people's lives.[5] Jillian was ridiculed for participating in the Australian version and not the American version, she stated that the Australian show represented her more accurately.[6] Contestants were also introduced to former SAS soldier Steve Willis, dubbed "The Commando". Bob and Jillian left at the end of the second week, revisiting in the eighth week for a final time.

Two main new elements were introduced to the game including "The Walk" which gave contestants power to change the outcome of the game and a further two contestants were "secretly" trained outside the house and entered as "The Outsiders".

Before going to air, there were various allegations that Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan had applied to be a contestant and had been rejected. Network Ten argued that Donovan had simply not survived the application process.[7] Further criticism was received by exercise experts, saying the show promoted risky weight loss techniques and may endanger the show's viewers.[8] There was also much criticism of contestants leaving on medical advice after multiple health scares.[3]

  1. ^ 4 April 2007 Extreme Biggest Loser Archived 20 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine – noting ratings, and screen times. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 April 2007
  2. ^ "Back, and bigger than ever". The Age. Melbourne. 1 February 2007. Archived from the original on 18 January 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  3. ^ a b Biggest Loser under fire Archived 10 February 2007 at the Wayback Machine. Herald Sun. Retrieved 19 April 2007. Media response to Jules leaving The Biggest Loser
  4. ^ "Bob Harper & Jillian Michaels Reunite For 'The Biggest Loser Australia' 2". The Livin' La Vida Low-Carb Blog. Archived from the original on 4 May 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2007.
  5. ^ Tsitouris, Helen (3 February 2007). "Worth the weight". The Courier-Mail. Archived from the original on 4 April 2007. Retrieved 19 April 2007.
  6. ^ "WHO magazine Interview with Jillian; Jillian Michaels sounds off!". WHO. 31 January 2007. Archived from the original on 27 April 2007. Retrieved 20 April 2007.
  7. ^ (7 October 2006) Casey fails as Biggest Loser Archived 20 January 2008 at the Wayback Machine. The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2007
  8. ^ "Loser 'promotes dangerous weight loss'". Herald Sun. Archived from the original on 20 January 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2007.