The Biggest Loser

Twenty former athletes, including NFL players and Olympic gold medalists, try to change their lives and get healthy on the new season that also features new trainers Jessie Pavelka and Jennifer Widerstrom joining veteran trainers Dolvett Quince and Bob Harper. The contestants are led by former NFL players Scott Mitchell (12 seasons in the NFL) and Damien Woody (two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots), as well as Olympic gold medalist and former professional tennis star Zina Garrison. Other contestants striving for weight loss include former WNBA standout Vanessa Hayden, three-time Olympic gold medal softball player Lori Harrigan-Mack, and a mix of former college and high school sports standouts. Season 16 also features trainer Bob Harper in an exciting new role, giving contestants a second chance at life on the show. Just when the eliminated contestant each week thinks they are headed home, they will actually be whisked away to a secret location called "Comeback Canyon." There they will be trained by Harper, competing at a separate secret weekly weigh-in for the chance to return to the competition and a shot at "The Biggest Loser" title and $250,000 grand prize.

Week two begins with the trainers and contestants getting to know each other and reveal more about themselves, with the exception of one player who refuses to talk about what led to her weight gain. This week's challenge has contestants busting through "walls of excuses" and racing through an obstacle course while carrying a punching bag, with the winning team getting a prize that none of the players want to be without. Then Dr. Huizenga meets one-on-one with contestants to reveal the results of their medical exams and what the future holds if they don't lose weight, leading one contestant to storm out of the room when the truth is too hard to hear. Later, the weigh-in at the ranch reveals which contestant will be headed to trainer Bob's Harper's "Comeback Canyon," while the weigh-in at "Comeback Canyon" ends with one contestant leaving the competition for good.

The contestants compete in two challenges this week to gain pound advantages at the weigh-in. The first challenge tests their nutrition knowledge, with their trainers consuming food for each incorrect answer. The "Wall of Glory" is revealed in the gym, showing contestants when they were top athletes, inspiring them to work ever harder in the gym. Then trainers Dolvett Quince, Jessie Pavelka and Jennifer Widerstrom help out at an endurance challenge before a weigh-in determines who will be headed to the surprise "Comeback Canyon" location with trainer Bob Harper and which of Bob's two eliminated contestants will be headed home.

This week kicks off with a "Lottery Challenge," where one contestant is randomly chosen to go home with their trainer for the week. But the pressure is on when they find out their weight will be the only weight that counts for their team this week on the scale. While the chosen contestant deals with the emotional issues at home that caused them to gain weight, the remaining team members try to stay on track at the ranch without their trainer. Later, the two eliminated contestants at "Comeback Canyon" compete to stay there one more week, while the ranch weigh-in finds one player making the ultimate sacrifice for their team.

All athletes dread the thought of being benched or sidelined from a game, and this week's challenge gives the winning team the power to sideline one player from an opposing team so their weight won't count at the weigh in. And the challenge comes with high anxiety as the players are suspended in the air racing to cross a canyon and put together a puzzle when they're done. Everyone has to step it up this week to avoid the dreaded red line elimination, because they won't know which player is chosen to sit out until they get to the scale. After the weigh-in, the eliminated player is thrilled to learn they have a second chance at Comeback Canyon, while the eliminated contestant at Comeback Canyon heads home for good..

The contestants return to the Los Angeles Coliseum this week, where their journey began, to face their first temptation - a tailgating challenge. Each player enters a tent filled with stadium food favorites, and has to decide whether to consume the high-calorie food and possibly win the coveted prize of immunity, or walk away from the temptation eating nothing. Later, one player opens up to his trainer about issues from childhood that have continue to take an emotional toll, while one of Bob's 'Comeback Canyon' contestants gives him a very special gift. Then a red line at the weigh-in sends one contestant from the ranch to a surprise second chance at Comeback Canyon, while one of Bob's two eliminated contestants there heads home for good.

A challenge at the beginning of the week causes quite a splash as the red, white and blue teams have to hold a certain percentage of their body weight to keep their trainers from falling into a pool. The team that drops their trainer first loses them for the week, while the team that drops their trainer second will only have their trainer at the last chance workout. While the two teams without their trainers try to rise to the challenge at the ranch, Bob Harper tries to get his two eliminated contestants to work together as a team at Comeback Canyon. And one contestant takes a trip away from the ranch and gives her trainer a glimpse of her "glory days." Then a weigh-in full of surprises - including one player reaching "One-derland" - ends with one contestant falling below the dreaded red line, but thrilled to get a second chance at Comeback Canyon.

It's eight weeks in to the competition, and the remaining contestants have already lost almost 700 lbs. But this week it might prove harder to stay on course when a challenge involving giant treadmills over water gives the winning team the opportunity to assign penalties to the two losing teams. One team is tasked with cleaning duties that must be finished before they can access their trainer and the gym, while the other team is sent without their trainer to a city full of temptations - Las Vegas. Meanwhile, at Comeback Canyon, trainer Bob Harper tries to convince his two contestants to make their health a priority rather than always taking care of others first. Then the player who falls below the red line at the ranch weigh-in and feels unprepared to return home is thrilled to get a second chance at Comeback Canyon, while the weigh-in there sends another contestant home for good.

It's the halfway point in the competition and contestants get the exciting news that three NFL legends - Super Bowl champs Michael Irvin, Donald Driver and Willie McGinest - will be joining them this week. First, they'll be part of a football challenge in which a trainer and contestant from each team must catch footballs from the NFL legends - while tied together. And the stakes are high, because the winning team gets the coveted prize of video chats with loved ones. Later, the NFL players join the trainers in the gym and have fun putting their own spin on coaching the contestants. Then a red line at the weigh-in puts all the players on edge, while the Comeback Canyon weigh-in sends another contestant home for good.

Week 10 on the ranch comes with a big surprise, when the original red, white and blue teams are disbanded, and contestants have to form all new teams decided by chance. Moving on to another trainer proves to be a difficult adjustment, especially for one player who struggles to accept the change. Then it's time for a cooking challenge with celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, who judges which team makes the healthiest and tastiest dish and awards the winning team a valuable one pound advantage on the scale. Later, one trainer bids a tearful goodbye to their player who falls below the red line, while the eliminated contestants at Comeback Canyon face off on the scale to see who will spend another week with trainer Bob Harper

This week is all about teamwork as the eight remaining contestants must work together to lose at least 50 pounds collectively so everyone can remain at the ranch for another week. If they don't reach that goal, someone will be going home. A sand pile challenge that requires a big team effort gives the players the opportunity to win a substantial weigh-in advantage. Later, while hiking with their trainers, the contestants take time to celebrate their accomplishments and vocalize their intentions as they move forward on their weight loss journeys. Meanwhile, at Comeback Canyon, two fierce competitors vie for the chance to stay one more week with trainer Bob Harper. One competitor from Comeback Canyon is ultimately sent home, while the ranch scale reveals whether the eight contestants there are safe for another week.

Host Alison Sweeney surprises the contestants with the news that this week they'll be competing as singles, rather than as teams. In their first challenge as singles, the players must cross an obstacle course, including a mud pit, and complete a memory puzzle at the end for the greatest prize of all at the ranch - immunity. Then trainers surprise the final seven contestants with heartwarming videos of support from players, coaches and family members back home, fueling their fire to keep working hard at the ranch. Later, after a fiercely competitive week at Comeback Canyon, trainer Bob Harper sends one player home for good, while the ranch weigh-in results in a tearful elimination as the contestants vote to send another player packing.

In the first of two special Hawaii episodes, the remaining six contestants are off on the adventure of a lifetime to the breathtaking island of Kauai. There they'll continue the competition and do everything they can to avoid falling below this week's red line. They start their trip at the scenic Waimea Canyon State Park before the trainers put them through an intense workout at Polihale beach. Then, in a Hawaii-style challenge, they all hop into kayaks and paddle out in the ocean to retrieve a bag of puzzle pieces. The finished puzzle reveals the prize for the winner - an incredible, private helicopter tour of Kauai. Later, one trainer and a contestant face their fears together about the open water and try snorkeling, before all the contestants arrive at the beach weigh-in in outrigger canoes to determine who is going home - and who gets to stay in paradise for another week!

The Kauai adventure continues for the remaining five contestants, who tackle their fears head on this week. Dolvett encourages one player to push past his fear and join him rapelling down a waterfall, while Jessie takes another on a rope-swinging adventure in the jungle. Then it's time for a fun, Hawaiian-style challenge, a Lacrosse-inspired obstacle course with coconuts that will reward the winner with a one-pound advantage on the scale. Meanwhile, at Comeback Canyon, two players also have to face their fears in a balancing challenge 25 feet up in the air before a weigh-in sends one player home for good. Then the contestants leave Kauai and head back to the ranch, where a red line at the weigh-in determines which player is eliminated.

The contestant have made it to the fan-favorite makeover week in an exciting episode that also brings game-changing surprises. Fashion expert Tim Gunn and celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves return to create more inspirational transformations, working their makeover magic on the final four ranch contestants as well as the two eliminated players at Comeback Canyon. After the ranch contestants get incredible new looks, they are reunited with their loved ones on a downtown rooftop overlooking Los Angeles. It's a magical night that also features a surprise live performance from popular singer/songwriter Gavin DeGraw, performing his hit solo, "Fire." Meanwhile, the made-over Comeback Canyon contestants are treated to emotional reunions with their loved ones separately, 15 weeks after leaving home. And the stakes have never been higher at Comeback Canyon, because this week's weigh-in winner will be joining trainer Bob Harper in his long-awaited, surprise return to the ranch, bringing his Comeback Canyon champ to join the competition. And that's not the only surprise awaiting the contestants at this week's weigh-in.

Trainer Bob Harper has finally returned to the ranch, and this week he reveals which player he is bringing back from Comeback Canyon to rejoin the competition. While the four other finalists are excited to see their friend, they are also more determined than ever to stay in the competition. One contestant struggles with this new curveball in the game, while another shares concerns with their trainer about being able to continue their new healthy lifestyle once they get home. Later, it's time for a rowing and basketball challenge that awards the winner a one-pound advantage, a valuable prize at weigh-in as the final five become the final four.

It's the last week on the ranch for the final four contestants, and time to celebrate just how far they've come on their weight loss journeys. They'll return to the Los Angeles Coliseum where their journey began for a challenge requiring them to put all of their lost weight back on and drop it incrementally at 16 stops as they did each week, while running up and down the Coliseum steps. The winner gets a cash prize plus a valuable weigh-in advantage when the stakes have never been higher. The finalists also watch emotional journey packages with their trainers, revisiting the memorable milestones of their time at the ranch. 'Today' show lifestyle and fitness correspondent Jenna Wolfe visits as guest trainer, leading the contestants while pregnant through an intense, 'no excuses' workout, while Bob Harper puts the other three trainers - Dolvett, Jennifer and Jessie - through an intense workout of his own. And season 15 contestant Ruben Studdard appears in a 'Challenge America' segment before the final weigh-in at the ranch reveals the three finalists of season 16 who will be competing for the grand prize of $250,000 and the title of 'The Biggest Loser.'.

Contestants from this season reunite and reveal how much weight they've lost; the at-home winner is revealed; the grand-prize winner is announced.