For what age: 8+
How many episodes in 14 season: 12 episodes
In a season unlike any other, NBC's "The Biggest Loser" takes on child obesity by featuring kid participants for the first time ever on the show, joining 15 fiercely determined adults eager to lose weight and change their lives forever. The focus for the three kids - 13-year-old baseball enthusiast Biingo, 16-year-old honors student Sunny, and 13-year-old former cheerleader Lindsay - will be on getting healthy rather than numbers on a scale, so they will not be eligible for elimination and will not weigh in on camera. They will work at both the ranch and at home, and their progress will be featured in every episode. New mother Jillian Michaels is also back, ready to whip contestants into shape with her tough-as-nails, no nonsense approach, alongside returning trainers and top fitness experts Bob Harper and Dolvett Quince. Contestants include a high school special education assistant and mother of four, a former college football player and the show's first openly gay contestant, who was bullied for both his weight and his sexuality when he came out at age 14.
This week, the contestants are encouraged to "Get Moving", and find themselves pushed to new limits when they are introduced to the new outdoor gyms that each trainer has custom designed. The stakes are high, with another red line looming for whoever loses the least amount of weight, and the dreaded "week 2 curse" that has instilled fear in all the contestants. Dr. H visits the ranch, giving the adult players an eye-opening wake-up call about just how unhealthy they really are, and one trainer has a heart-to-heart talk with their team to try and get them on track. Later, NFL star and San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates cheers on the adult contestants and kids at a football-themed challenge testing the speed, agility and strength of the adults as they compete for a special prize for the child on their team. Plus, the trainers do a special fitness test with the kids and season 10 winner Patrick House makes a special appearance before the dreaded red line at an emotional weigh-in sends another player home.
'Cutting the junk' is this week's theme, and the players begin with a trivia challenge testing their knowledge about childhood obesity. The losing team will have to spend 4 ½ hours each day - the amount of time the average kid spends watching TV - in a room surrounded by junk food, soda and video games. Meanwhile, Dr. Joanna Dolgoff, 'The Biggest Loser' childhood obesity expert and pediatrician, travels to the homes of kid participants Sunny, Lindsay and Biingo, to help the kids and their families cut the junk food and get on track with healthy eating. Then it's one of the show's craziest challenges ever when contestants have to race through a gooey bubble gum pit carrying 10 pound balls to win an amazing prize that everyone wants. Later, after a tense weigh-in, the players enter the show's new voting booth to decide which contestant will be going home.
The contestants are on their own this week when trainers Bob, Jillian and Dolvett leave town to surprise kid participants Biingo, Lindsay and Sunny and their families with a visit to their hometowns. Some players struggle without their trainer, but others rise to the occasion, and an unexpected leader emerges. In honor of this week's 'Pay it Forward' theme, contestants run a 5K and money is donated to a local Boys and Girls Club, with the winning team earning ,000 to split among themselves. The trainers plan special surprises for each kid in their hometown before returning to the ranch in time for last chance workouts, when Jillian has a run-in with a player on another trainer's team. Later, the weigh-in brings welcome news to one player who has been struggling, before another player is sent home.
This week kicks off with the players returning from a workout, only to find that the kitchen and refrigerators are empty. Tasked with trying to affordably stock the kitchen with a week's worth of healthy food, the contestants race against time to make healthy purchases within their budget at a grocery. Later, one contestant struggles to keep trying her best despite weight loss setbacks, while Dr. H and one of the trainers help a contestant realize the importance of addressing the emotional issues that contribute to weight gain. Trainers Bob, Jillian and Dolvett skype with kid participants Biingo, Lindsay and Sunny, and then a swimming challenge puts the players to the test as they compete for one of the most coveted prizes of all. Finally, a tearful elimination sends another player home.
It's the halfway point in the season, and the contestants find out that the weight of only one player on each team will count this week, but they won't know who it will be until the weigh-in. With this week's theme of "Leading by example", trainers Bob, Jillian and Dolvett skype with kid participants Biingo, Sunny and Lindsay, and motivate each one to do just that. While Sunny creates a circuit training routine for her fellow classmates, Biingo tries to recruit more friends to his after-school sports club. Lindsay gives an anti-bullying speech to her peers, joined by special guest Cody Simpson, who also talks about his experience being teased before performing for the kids. The adult contestants compete in a crazy challenge requiring them to avoid three swinging pendulums while walking on a balance beam to retrieve calorie-coded plates matching five specific dishes. Later, during last chance workouts, Dolvett's team has a special visit with five-time undefeated world champion fighter Laila Ali, who put them through a fun and challenging boxing workout.
It's halfway through the competition, and the remaining eight players go to singles this week. The contestants face their first temptation in honor of Valentine's Day, featuring favorite Valentine's Day treats and the promise of the winner getting a weigh-in-advantage for themselves and a friend. Meanwhile, the trainers continue to motivate the kid participants to stay active and work toward their goals at home. Jillian arranges for Sunny to take a Bollywood dance class, Dolvett motivates Lindsay to attend a cheerleading practice, and Biingo anxiously waits for news from the doctor about whether he'll be able to start practicing for the youth baseball league tryouts that Bob set up for him. Back at the ranch, one player displays an amazing act of kindness, and another has an emotional, heart to heart talk with a trainer about the circumstances leading to his weight gain. Later, a racing challenge leads to two players winning heartwarming reunions with loved ones, and in this week's Challenge America segment, Season 11 winner Olivia Ward and her husband share a healthy way that couples can celebrate Valentine's Day. And finally, the elimination following the weigh-in forces one contestant to make their most difficult choice yet at the ranch.?
The players work together to lose 70 pounds in order to win immunity for all; the kid participants are tested in a pop challenge; a sand-digging challenge offers a weigh-in advantage; the trainers and players participate in a team-building exercise; Subway's Jared Fogle offers words of wisdom; and Jillian and the kids endorse Seventeen magazine's 'Body Peace Treaty'.
It's 'Face Your Fears' week, and the fear of leaving the ranch is the first one addressed when a 'save your neighbor' challenge determines which contestant has to leave the ranch and go out on their own for the week - along with another player of their choice. One by one, with the help of trainers Bob, Jillian and Dolvett, each contestant is forced to face their fear - ranging from a fear of sharks to claustrophobia to a fear of singing in public. And they all face fear in a harrowing challenge off the top of a seven-story building that will reward the winner with the most coveted prize of all. Back at home, the kid participants are also facing their fears head on. Sunny's very real fear of losing her Mom due to her mother's weight prompts her to have a very difficult and emotional conversation, while Dolvett arranges for pre-diabetic Lindsay to face her fear of developing the disease by meeting someone with diabetes and learning about their daily challenges. On the lighter side, Biingo faces his fear of eating vegetables! Later, the weigh-in will reveal how the two players out on their own did this week, and will also determine who is leaving the ranch for good, leaving the final five contestants of the season.
It's the eagerly-anticipated makeover week for the final five contestants, who also get the promise of immunity at the next weigh-in if they each lose a certain percentage of body weight. The makeover fun begins with fashion expert Tim Gunn, who works his magic helping the contestants pick out stylish new outfits to flatter their new slimmer selves. And celebrity hairstylist Ken Paves crafts incredible new looks for each player, leading to amazing and dramatic transformations. Then for the first time ever in "Biggest Loser" history, the contestants will all go home for their makeover reveals, where family and friends will all gather to celebrate their transformations in heartwarming, emotional reunions. Later, back at the ranch, the anxious contestants weigh in to see if they all lost enough weight to keep everyone safe from elimination.
It's down to the final five and the stakes have never been higher. This week, a red line will determine which contestant is going home, and a yellow line will determine which two players America will vote for to determine who the third finalist will be for season 14. But first, the contestants compete for a weigh-in advantage during a 'put their weight back on' challenge, pulling all the weight they have lost up a mountain by sled, and then dropping weights incrementally representing how many pounds they lost each week. Kid participants Biingo, Lindsay and Sunny return to the ranch and see just how far they've come watching videos of their journeys alongside the trainers, and later get an update from child obesity expert and pediatrician Dr. Joanna Dolgoff on their great progress. The adult contestants also watch emotional highlights of their weight loss journeys and get impressive health updates from Dr. H. Then it's time for the last weigh-in on the ranch, determining who is sent home and who the final four players are for season 14.
In this must-see, exciting live finale, the contestants from this season return for a special reunion and a chance to weigh in one last time - and show America how much weight they've all lost since beginning their weight-loss journeys. Kid participants Biingo, Lindsay and Sunny will also return to show off their inspiring transformations. America's vote will be revealed for who will be the third finalist, eligible for the grand prize, and all the players who have been eliminated will compete for the 0,000 'at home' prize. Then it's the moment viewers have been waiting for, when one of the three finalists will be named this season's 'Biggest Loser' and win the coveted grand prize of 0,000!
