ABC has revealed the identities of four out of 12 players competing on The Mole's fifth season, which the network also announced will now premiere a week later than originally planned.
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The Mole's fifth season -- the show's first non-celebrity edition in six years -- was initially scheduled to debut on May 26 but will now premiere a week later on Monday, June 2 at 10PM ET/PT.
Hosted by former Extra weekend anchor Jon Kelley, The Mole's revival will follow the show's original format, with a group of 12 contestants competing in new missions at new locations while trying to determine who among them is The Mole -- a saboteur trying to keep them from winning money in the game.
Throughout the competition, the contestants must decide who they think is serving as The Mole and try to learn as much about him or her as possible. At the end of each one-hour episode, the player who knows the least about The Mole will be eliminated from the game.
At the conclusion of The Mole's 10-episode run, the contestant serving as the saboteur will be revealed and one of the final two contestants will win a "substantial cash prize," according to ABC.
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The first four players participating in The Mole -- and their ABC-supplied bios -- are:
Kristen, a 35-year-old neuroscientist from Santa Monica, CA
Kristen says that, because she's tall, blonde and beautiful, no one ever thinks she could be a neuroscientist. She's currently conducting research to find a cure for Parkinson's Disease at UCLA. Growing up in an upper-middle class family in the Midwest, Kristen showed horses competitively and also dabbled in modeling. She says that competing her entire life as an equestrian and scientist have made her hone skills that will serve her well in the game and believes her athleticism and naturally strategic mind will also be assets. Kristen feels her best trait is her kindness, and her worst is that she's a perfectionist.
Clay, a 32-year-old criminal litigation attorney from Philadelphia, PA
Clay is a devoted husband and father of two sons who likens his household to the Cosby family. He feels that the skills he uses as a criminal trial attorney will closely parallel his strategy in the game, and plans to use his argumentative abilities to convince others to do what he wants. Clay is analytical and can easily hide his emotions. He says he will use the same skills he employs in selecting a jury for figuring out who the Mole is, and that because of his trial experience, he has developed a keen sense of how to read people from all walks of life. Clay thinks he can outsmart the other players in the game because he's smarter than most people. He does admit that he suffers a bit from OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder), and has been known to touch a light switch ten times before he can leave a room.
Paul, a 29-year-old machinist from Yonkers, NY
Paul has the accent and demeanor that clearly reveal he's an Italian New Yorker from Yonkers. He works 9 to 5 as a machinist for a utility company, and as a wedding DJ on the weekends. It was at one of these weddings that he met his wife and his life changed forever. A self-professed, former "pla'ya", Paul is now a man who dotes on his family, especially the love of his life, his two-year-old daughter. Outgoing and with a charismatic personality, he feels he has an advantage in The Mole because, growing up, his father worked for a spy gadget company and would use the gadgets to spy on his kids. Paul considers confidence, his best trait and his worst trait, and admits -- his wife will readily agree -- that he just doesn't know when to shut up.
Victoria, a 26-year-old retail manager from Bishop, TX
Victoria is a spunky, former pageant girl and cheerleader from a small town in Texas. She once told pageant judges that her favorite reality show was The Mole because you get to be deceptive in the game. This didn't go over so well with the judges. Victoria is very close to her family and professes to be a daddy's girl. She admits that her looks and sweet demeanor often get her what she wants, especially from men, and though people often mistake her for a naive, small town girl, she admits she can be conniving when she wants to be. Victoria says people usually underestimate her intelligence, but she is much more observant and deceptive than she lets on. She considers herself very competitive and says she won't hesitate to backstab in the game if she has to. She admits one of her flaws is that she cusses like a sailor.
About The Author: Christopher Rocchio