Danny Cahill crowned 'The Biggest Loser's eighth season champion

Danny Cahill was crowned The Biggest Loser's eighth-season champion during last night's live finale broadcast of the NBC reality weight-loss series.


The 39-year-old land surveyor and musician from Broken Arrow, OK began the competition at 430 lbs. and weighed-in at 191 lbs. during the finale, giving him a 239-pound weight-loss and a 55.58% weight-loss percentage that won him the show's $250,000 grand prize.

Rudy Pauls, a 31-year-old engineer from Brooklyn, CT whose starting weight was 442 lbs., finished as the runner-up. He shed 234 lbs. for a 52.94% weight-loss percentage.

"Anybody can do this. It may not come off 10 pounds at a time, it may not come off 50 pounds at a time, but it comes off," said Rudy. "It's just determination."

Amanda Arlauskas, a 19-year-old patient care technician from Butler, NJ whose starting weight was 250 lbs., finished third.


Amanda became the season's third finalist by defeating Liz Young in a home viewer vote that took place after last week's episode and lost 87 lbs. for a 34.80% weight-loss percentage.

Rebecca Meyer, a 25-year-old student/nanny from Des Moines, IA who was ousted during the tenth week of the competition, won the weigh-in of the season's 13 previously eliminated contestants and thus claimed the $100,000 consolation prize. 

Rebecca started the competition at 279 lbs. and lost 139 lbs. for a 49.82% weight-loss percentage.

The start and finish weights and final weight-loss percentages of the other previously eliminated contestants are as follows.

Alexandra White, a 20-year-old student from Harrisburg, PA whose starting weight was 309 lbs., lost 91 lbs. for a 29.45% weight-loss percentage, while Antoine Dove, a 23-year-old health insurance agent from Dudley, NC whose starting weight was 367 lbs., shed 152 lbs. for a 41.41% weight-loss percentage.


In addition, Antoine proposed to Alexandra -- and she accepted -- during the finale broadcast.

"I love you with all my heart. I've accomplished the impossible in my life because you were by my side, and now we're going to be able to live our lives together forever if you'd accept this ring," he asked her before she said yes.

Sean Algaier, a 29-year-old youth pastor from Tulsa, OK whose starting weight was 444 lbs., lost 155 lbs. for a weight-loss percentage of 34.91%, Julio Gomez, a 40-year-old mortgage loan officer from Algonquin, IL whose starting weight was 407 lbs., shed 180 lbs. for a 44.23% weight-loss percentage, and Mozziz "Mo" Dewalt, a 56-year-old youth mentor from Louisville, KY whose starting weight was 355 lbs., dropped 92 lbs. for a 25.92% weight-loss percentage.

During the finale, Sean also revealed that he decided to name his newborn baby after trainer Jillian Michaels.

Dina Mercado, a 28-year-old custodian from Commerce, CA whose starting weight was 253 lbs., lost 79 lbs. for a 31.23% weight-loss percentage, Abby Rike, a 35-year-old teacher from Mabank, TX whose starting weight was 247 lbs., shed 100 lbs. for a 40.49% weight-loss percentage, and Tracey Yukich, a 37-year-old homemaker from Allen, TX whose starting weight was 250 lbs., dropped 118 lbs. for a 47.20% weight-loss percentage.


Shauntina "Shay" Sorrells, a 30-year-old social worker from Newport Beach, CA whose starting weight was 476 lbs. -- the most ever for a The Biggest Loser contestant - lost 172 lbs. for a 36.13% weight-loss percentage.

In addition, Jillian and fellow trainer Bob Harper also invited Shay to weigh-in again at The Biggest Loser's ninth-season finale in May and revealed Subway will give her $1,000 for each additional pound she loses by then.

Daniel Wright, a 20-year-old student from Willow Spring, NC whose starting weight was 312 lbs., lost 111 lbs. for a 35.58% weight-loss percentage, and Allen Smith, a 44-year-old firefighter/EMT from Columbus, IN whose starting weight was 325 lbs., dropped 116 lbs. for a 35.69% weight-loss percentage.

Liz, a 49-year-old salesperson from Lewisburg, TN whose starting weight was 267 lbs., shed 91 lbs. for a 34.08 weight-loss percentage.

(Photo credit NBC / Trae Patton)






About The Author: Christopher Rocchio