The Biggest Loser finale to air as segment on Studio 10
The finale of Ten’s The Biggest Loser: Transformed – the 11th season of the embattled reality franchise – will now air as part of an extended episode of the network’s panel show Studio 10, Mumbrella can reveal.
The revamped version of the program hit screens earlier this year, promising a live finale complete with viewer voting and a $100,000 prize for the audience’s favourite contestant – but with the show since relegated to day-time television on the back of poor ratings, Ten has confirmed its plans have changed.
“The finale of The Biggest Loser: Transformed will be part of a special, extended edition of Studio 10,” a spokesperson told Mumbrella.
Season 11 of the franchise returned to screens on 14 March, averaging 450,000 metro viewers, making it the 17th most-watched program of the day, well below 2015’s debut of 647,000.
The transformed show was Ten’s attempt to reboot the franchise with a new cast of trainers, more ‘relatable’ contestants and a less aggressive tone.
“The Biggest Loser has changed,” veteran trainer and the only remaining original cast member Shannan Ponton told audiences in ads prior to the show’s launch. “This is the show I’ve always wanted to make.”
In an interview with Mumbrella following the 10th season, Ponton urged producers to make the show less dramatic and manipulative, and instead focus on the more positive elements of the contestants’ transformations.
“We saw what an amazing job they [Endemol Shine] did when Masterchef was reborn. They went back to basics with real food, real chefs and real cooking and it’s been a ratings bonanza. I’d love to see the same philosophy put back into Loser,” he said.
“You have to take your hat off [to the production team]. They have done an amazing job to nurture the show and in my wildest dreams I didn’t think we’d get anywhere near 10 years. But looking forward, my heart and head as a humble goat herder says we need to get back to content that shows the essence of weight loss.”
The gamble on changing the show’s format, however, did not pay off for Ten, with viewer numbers slipping to 275,000 after it was removed from the network’s Sunday night schedule, before being moved to lunchtimes in April.
Yesterday’s lunchtime episode of The Biggest Loser: Transformed did not rate in the top 100 programs.
Ten acknowledged the show didn’t go to plan, but said the network is preparing to move on.
“It is true that The Biggest Loser: Transformed did not resonate with viewers as we had hoped and we will fix that part of the schedule for 2018,” Ten’s chief content officer, Beverley McGarvey told Mumbrella earlier this month.
“The Biggest Loser: Transformed team did a great job but very occasionally these things don’t work. A variety of factors may have led to its performance, including the timing of the show, the strength of the competition and possibly a bit of brand fatigue.”
The network is hoping its fortunes turn around with the return of the popular Masterchef franchise.
“We are very confident in the quality, appeal and potential of our next round of programs. We have been challenged in the pre-Easter period a few times over the past few years and always ensure our audience know when Masterchef Australia is on. This year is no different. Of course this challenging ratings period is making us extremely diligent in how we communicate and market our shows, but that is true every year,” McGarvey said.
Studio 10: TBL Transformed Finale will go to air on Monday 1 May, Mumbrella understands.
topics
Endemol Shine
MasterChef
Shannan Ponton
Studio 10
Ten
The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser Transformed
TV
TV ratings
Bring back Michell brightest and commando then your ratings might go back up.thos years was a flop with Libby who has a big mouth and do not like .
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Silly to launch at the tail end of 7 and 9’s top rating shows MKR and MAFS. Sillier still to remove it from prime time just as the other two finished up. There’s nothing else of substance on right now so no doubt it’d be doing just fine if Ten had kept their nerve.
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I like that it is a more positive and motivating show, good to see Shannon getting a chance to have the show as he wished it.
I didn’t mind Commando in previous series.
I also really like that it is showing people mostly under the obese level and how hard it is even for these people to get back on track.
It is a pity it was taken from prime time, maybe the finale could be on at night?
I wonder whether a whole new fitness craze could spring up with those mud course battles, they look like a lot of fun! Would sure beat tennis or golf.
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This is officially the end of The Biggest Loser Australia. The ratings have declined significantly since 2012. Most people have had enough of this show.
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what’s happened to episode 27??? There was a 9 minute clip available last night (Thursday 27 Apr) showing how the contestants were going back at home, but the rest of the program is nowhere to be found??
Now even that 9 minutes has disappeared.
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Yes, I can’t find it anywhere! Ratings may have gone down but I liked this year and I’m desperate to watch it! Please let me know if you find it anywhere?
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This season was treated with such disrespect from 10. The reason no one is watching is because no one knows it’s on (at 1pm)!!!! As for putting the finale within another show – OMG!!! That’s the highlight, the reason we watch it. I feel really sorry for Shannan and the contestants and am appalled with how it’s been handled (especially since the evening timeslot wasn’t filled with anything better).
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ratings poor because it is on when everyone is at work. Dumb move. It is the only show I watch.
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The ratings slipped because the Commando and Michelle bought their personal drama into the show previously.
1. People only watched for the fireworks
It was bulkshit last season. The show focused on the drama and contestants drama rather than the actual weight loss.
2. People want that drama and it’s pathetic.
Michelle and Commando gone, so they don’t watch it.
Shannan was right. It needed to go back to basics, but the Michelle and Commando saga did more damage than what people realise. Their whole relationship and ‘there’s no alliance’ made it difficult for White and Blue teams to get anywhere.
I for one, LOVE this show, this particular one. This format. It’s great.
Can’t wait for finale. But some how don’t think it’s going to be fair choice of winner as I don’t even know what the TV show IS that it’ll be airing on!
Shannan needs to get his own show. A… let me transform you one. Like this format. But with a personal one on one basis.
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Very dissapointed channel 10. Have watched this show since it started. Only found out about the time change through the series link on Foxtel. Still watched every episode to get ripped off by a studio 10 finale. What the????
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I could not agree more. I have never missed a season and most certainly the finale with weigh ins etc are what you have been waiting for. Channel 10 you should be ashamed.
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