From Trainer to Host, Bob Harper Takes Over 'The Biggest Loser' Season 17 with Departure of Alison Sweeney

By Precy Dumlao
Bob Harper is new host of The Biggest Loser.
Bob Harper confirms via Twitter he will be hosting the next season of The Biggest Loser. Bob Harper Twitter account

Veteran trainer Bob Harper will officially take over the helm hosting the 17th season of the NBC reality TV's inspirational weight-loss/competition series The Biggest Loser after main host Alison Sweeney bids the show goodbye, reported Us Magazine.

NBC made the announcement Tuesday, Sept. 8 after confirming that the popular show is indeed losing Sweeney.

Well, Sweeney's lost is Harper's gain.

The 50-year-old Harper said in a press release, "I'm super excited about taking the position of host on The Biggest Loser. I've been with the show since Season 1, so I know all of the ins and outs, and let me tell you, the weigh-in room is going to be a completely different ballgame with me at the steering wheel."

Harper also posted a tweet on his Twitter account confirming his new job, "Cat's outta the bag... #newjob." 

Aside from hosting the show, Harper will still be "offering his training expertise to contestants at various points throughout the season," and at the same time provide guidance to contestants "through all weigh-ins, challenges, and temptations."

Dolvett Quince and Jennifer Widerstrom will return to the show as the primary trainers in the upcoming season. Quince and Widerstrom will be responsible for training eight teams comprised of one pair of contestants realize their goal of achieving an ideal weight. This will be Quince sixth season with The Biggest Loser while Widestrom's will be appearing in his second season.

Last month, Sweeney announced she would be leaving NBC's The Biggest Loser which she hosted for 13 consecutive cycles after joining the show's 4th season, replacing Caroline Rhea, TV Line reported.

NBC made the announcement in a press release sent to Access Hollywood "After an incredible run together, Alison Sweeney will not be returning as host of The Biggest Loser next season."

The 38-year-old Sweeney and Days of Our Lives actress was responsible for leading 13 groups of contestants achieve their goal of losing weight since 2007.

Harper is the only original cast of The Biggest Loser after starting out as a trainer on The Biggest Loser in 2004. Harper's original duty was to train "eliminated" contestants to a secret location called the "Comeback Canyon" where he would single-handedly train them to re-enter the original Biggest Loser competition and be given a second chance to compete for the $250,000 grand prize by secretly competing at separate weekly weigh-ins.

The Biggest Loser is a joint production of Endemol Shine North America and 25/7 Productions with Ben Silverman, Dave Broome, Eden Gaha, Alex Katz, Joel Relampagos, Michael Brooks, JD Roth and Todd A. Nelson as the show's executive producers.

Production on the new edition of The Biggest Loser begins this month. 

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