'The Biggest Loser' sends home former 'American Idol' winner Ruben Studdard

The Biggest Loser eliminated Ruben Studdard during Tuesday night's fourth broadcast of the NBC reality weight-loss competition's fifteenth-season. 


Ruben Studdard, a 35-year-old singer from Birmingham, AL, was automatically ousted after his Red Team lost the season's fourth elimination weigh-in and he fell below the red line by posting the lowest weight-loss percentage of all the team's members.

The Red Team's trainer Dolvett Quince had already used his one "trainer's save" of the season last week, so Ruben's elimination could not be prevented.

"I have most definitely enjoyed each and every person at this ranch every minute, every second that I was here. I'm going to miss ya'll. I've had a ball here. It is an instant feeling of sadness because I'm going to leave the friends that I've made here on the ranch. This experience is one of the toughest experiences I've ever been through," Ruben, who won American Idol's second season, said following his ouster.

"I've been through two-a-day football practices, I've been through the American Idol experience, I've been through a lot of mental and physically-challenging experiences in my life. And this, you know, ranks right there at the top. I'm leaving this place with a wealth of knowledge, I'm 38 pounds lighter, and I'm going to take everything I learned away from here and try to live as healthy a life as I possibly can. It means the world to me to get a second chance. My goal coming to The Biggest Loser ranch was to leave here a changed person, and I think I reached that goal."


The Biggest Loser's fifteenth-season fourth episode began with host Alison Sweeney announcing the three teams would be competing in a Temptation Challenge.

For the challenge, one member from each team was required to search a field of 100 pumpkins and pick one at random. Inside each pumpkin was the prize of immunity, treats or cash. The first person to find an immunity pumpkin would make his or her whole team safe from elimination at the upcoming weigh-in as long as none of the members gained weight.

If a player found cash, he or she could keep it. If a team member discovered a treat, which filled the majority of the pumpkins, he or she would have to eat the treat in order to stay in the game. If a person passed on eating a treat, that person's entire team would be out of the challenge.

Chelsea Arthurs, a 28-year-old clinical research professional and event planner from Raleigh, NC, and Hap Holmstead, a 26-year-old sales consultant and entrepreneur from Pleasant Grove, UT, each won $500. David Brown, a 43-year-old construction company project manager and phone company social commerce leader from Edmond, OK, walked away with $100.

Hap also found the pumpkin with the immunity prize, so his Blue Team won immunity for the week.


By the end of the Temptation Challenge, Dolvett's Red Team consumed a total of 2,024 calories. Jillian Michaels' White Team consumed a total of 2,354 calories. Bob's Blue Team consumed a total of 1,450 calories.

Last night's episode also featured an update for Noah "Biingo" Gray, who was showcased during the last The Biggest Loser season as an example of how the show wanted to bring awareness to childhood obesity. He now plays sports to stay active and influenced his parents to lose weight. Biingo's father lost 100 pounds and his mother lost 80. As a family, they lost about 300 pounds total.

After the contestants received letters from their loved ones at home, they arrived for the season's fourth elimination weigh-in.

Alison announced there would be a red line, so the person on the losing team to post the lowest percentage of weight-loss would automatically be eliminated. Bob's Blue Team would be safe as long as they didn't gain even one pound, but if a player was to gain weight, Bob still had his "trainer's save" to use.

In addition to Dolvett, Jillian had also already utilized her "trainer's save." She used it in Week 1.


The Blue Team weighed-in first.

Holley Mangold, a 24-year-old Olympic weightlifter and caterer from Columbus, OH, dropped from 319 to 315 pounds, losing four pounds. Matt Hooper, a 38-year-old retail manager from Georgetown, MA, dropped from 319 to 315 pounds, losing four pounds as well.

Bobby Saleem, a 28-year-old attorney from Chicago, IL, dropped from 321 to 317 pounds and therefore lost four pounds. Hap lost five pounds after going from 368 to 363 pounds. Chelsea shed five pounds and fell from 220 to 215 pounds.

The Blue Team collectively lost a total of 22 pounds and posted a 1.42% weight-loss percentage, so they received immunity.

The White Team was next to weigh-in.


Marie Pearl, a 30-year-old senior staff accountant at a community college from Springfield, MO, fell from 229 to 225 pounds and shed four pounds. Craig Arrington, a 30-year-old pharmaceutical company warehouse supervisor from Wilson, NC, shed seven pounds, dropping from 357 to 350 pounds. 

Tumi Oguntala, a 41-year-old brand strategist from Clifton Park, NY, lost seven pounds after falling from 287 to 280 pounds. Jay Sheets, a 38-year-old food company marketing associate from Farmington, MO, dropped from 253 to 244 pounds, losing nine pounds.

The White Team lost a total of 27 pounds and posted a 2.40% weight-loss percentage.

Lastly, the Red Team weighed-in.

Rachel Frederickson, a 24-year-old voice-over artist from Los Angeles, CA, went from 224 to 216 pounds, losing eight pounds. David lost seven pounds and dropped from 354 to 347 pounds. Jennifer Messer, a 42-year-old clerk and bookkeeper from Abingdon, VA, lost six pounds after falling from 242 to 236 pounds. 


Tanya Winfield, a 41-year-old restaurant franchise chief operating officer from Plainfield, IL, dropped from 242 to 239 pounds, only losing three pounds. Ruben then stepped on the scale and learned he had fallen from 428 to 423 pounds, shedding five pounds.

Altogether, the Red Team lost 28 pounds and posted a 1.95% weight-loss percentage. Ruben, with an individual low 1.17% weight-loss percentage, fell below the red line and was automatically eliminated. Tanya came close to going home with a 1.24% weight-loss percentage.






About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski