The Biggest Loser

An all-new twist shakes up the fifth season premiere of "The Biggest Loser," heightening the emotion and tension in the competition. For the first time ever in the history of the show, teams of two will compete against each other rather than individuals. Ten teams - including a mother and son, husband-and-wife, best friends, brothers and a divorced couple - have to pick their trainer, weigh in and compete in challenges together. This week, the teams will have to pull a giant hot air balloon across a field, with the winner getting a coveted 2 lb. advantage at the first weigh in.

The nine remaining teams are surprised by the news that Bob and Jillian will be training them together as one team. Then the contestants are tempted by a delicious barbecue buffet, and the challenges get more difficult as they are tasked with riding giant seesaws! In the end, one more team is sent packing.

The remaining eight teams compete in a game of "elimination" where the last team standing wins immunity so they can't be sent home this week. While the challenge causes rifts in the house as the players become more competitive, the trainers are determined to work the teams harder and post more impressive numbers on the scale at this week's weigh-in. Then an elimination round follows, and another team is sent packing.

It's win or go home after a surprise elimination pits one outcast duo against all of the others. At the challenge, contestants compete for a prize they all desperately need after nearly a month away from their loved ones letters from home. Three teams plot to throw the weigh-in, then have a change of heart, but is it too late for them to turn back?.

In this week's episode, one team retaliates after being called lazy by another team, and the willpower of the contestants is put to the test during a soda temptation. Then the game is changed forever - for trainers and contestants - after a dramatic escalator challenge.

This week, the teams compete in a lively cook-off challenge, with celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito as the judge. The winning team gets a special dinner prepared by Rocco, plus a very desirable "surprise" from home. Also, one team faces a setback when one of their strongest players suffers an injury, and one of the contestants gets a surprise visitor. In the end, another player is sent packing.

Its nearly the halfway point of the season, so the contestants celebrate the occasion with a challenge involving the total of their weight lost to date. Plus, they receive an inspirational visit from their doctor to assess their health advances. There's also a surprise guest trainer Jillian Michaels' mom, a psychotherapist, who helps the contestants begin to understand the issues in their past that have contributed to their weight gain. Then another elimination round leads to a heartbreaking farewell as one more player is sent home.

For the first time in the history of NBC's hit series "The Biggest Loser," the last nine contestants all get a trip home to see their loved ones in the middle of the season. It's a week filled with heartwarming reunions, real world temptations and tearful goodbyes when contestants must return to the ranch.

The competition heats up as only eight players remain. One team is surprised with a special trip to Las Vegas, but will they maintain their diets and workouts in Sin City, or give in to temptation? Then, in a very emotional elimination, one unsuspecting player makes the ultimate sacrifice for their team.

After revisiting the hospital to check in on their progress, the remaining players face off in one of the biggest challenges in Biggest Loser history -- they must fly across a ravine on zip-lines and collect flags. One player gets the chance to give immunity to himself or one of his teammates, and his decision ultimately affects his own fate. And a shocking announcement at the weigh-in changes the way the rest of the game will be played.

It's down to the six final contestants, but not for long. In a shocking twist, all fourteen of the players eliminated so far return to the ranch and surprise the six. At weigh in, the scale reveals how the eliminated contestants have done on their own at home, and the man and woman who have lost the most weight get to the return to the game!.

After working so hard to lose weight for 12 weeks, the remaining seven contestants get treated to the ultimate day of pampering with makeovers for all. First, they're joined by legendary fashion maven Tim Gunn, who helps each of them choose a stylish outfit at Macy's that flatters their new, skinnier selves. Next they're treated to eye-catching new hairstyles so they'll be looking their best at a runway fashion show that will be photographed for the May issue of Prevention Magazine. Then the contestants strut their stuff - with new clothes and new "dos" - down a fashion show runway, unaware that loved ones are waiting to surprise each one in emotional, heartwarming reunions.

Only six players are left, and the remaining women try to hold their own against the men who are still in the game. In a surprising pop quiz, one player wins a mysterious prize. And at this week's challenge, the players get the chance to sabotage one another by giving each other calories.

Since The Biggest Loser is a global phenomenon, the last five players are surprised with a trip to the other side of the globe Australia! Once there, they get a visit from the Biggest Loser: Australia winner, Adro, compete in a race around the city of Sydney, and climb the legendary Sydney Harbor Bridge. In the end, the final four players are determined by an emotional weigh-in and elimination.

Then they head to the final weigh-in, where two of the final four players fall below the yellow line. But instead of them choosing which of the players will be a finalist for the finale, Sweeney tells them about one last game-changing twist - that for the first time ever in "Biggest Loser" history, America will determine who the third finalist will be. Viewers will vote online at www.nbc.com on the two that fall below the yellow line, with voting taking place for 48 hours following the end of the east coast broadcast at 10 p.m. ET on April 8. Who America chooses to be a finalist - and who they choose to eliminate - will be revealed in the first five minutes of the live finale on April 15.

Mark Kruger and Roger Shultz of trainer Bob Harper's "blue team" fell below the yellow line, and in a surprising twist, learned from host Alison Sweeney that viewers - not the other contestants - would determine which of them would be the third place finalist by voting at www.nbc.com. America's vote will be revealed at the beginning of the live finale, and then the eliminated player will weigh in with the other 16 eliminated contestants to compete for the $100,000 "at home" prize.