PAST SEASON “BIGGEST LOSER” WINNERS, INCLUDING MICHELLE AGUILAR AND ALI VINCENT, CHEER ON THE FINAL FOUR AS THEY FACE THEIR TOUGHEST CHALLENGE YET – RUNNING A FULL MARATHON ON NBC’S “THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES” ON TUESDAY, MAY 5 (8-10 P.M. ET)

UNIVERSAL CITY, CALIFORNIA – The final four contestants, cheered on by five past season winners on the show, will face their toughest challenge yet — running a full marathon (26.2 miles) — on the penultimate episode of “The Biggest Loser: Couples” airing Tuesday, May 5 on NBC (8-10 p.m. ET).

First, the final four contestants – Tara Costa (New York, NY), Mike and Ron Morelli (South Lyon, MI) and Helen Phillips (Sterling Heights, MI) head home for 30 days. After heartwarming reunions with family and friends, they try to get back into their routines but find it challenging to make diet and exercise a priority back at home. Adding to the challenge is the news from host Alison Sweeney that when they return to the ranch at the end of 30 days, their final challenge will be their toughest one yet – running a full marathon. Trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels make surprise visits to the finalists to help steer them back on track.

Back in California, the final four are off to try to complete the 26.2 mile course. Cheering them on along the way are some past season “Biggest Losers” — grand prize winners Michelle Aguilar (season 6) and Ali Vincent (season 5), plus “at home” winners Jim Germanakos (season 4), Heba Salama (season 6) and Bernie Salazar (season 5). And as an added incentive, each player who finishes the marathon will get $10,000 to donate to the charity of his or her choice.

Later, it’s the very last “last chance workouts” with the trainers before a final weigh in determines who the two definite finalists will be – and which two contestants fall below the dreaded yellow line. Then America will vote to select the third finalist to compete for the grand prize of $250,000. Viewers can vote by phone or online at www.nbc.com. The contestant America has chosen will be revealed in the live season finale on May 12 (8-11 p.m. ET).

Last week Filipe and Ron fell below the yellow line and Filipe was eliminated.

The teams competing for the $250,000 grand prize are:

BEST FRIENDS:
Carla Triplett (Assistant bank manager), 36, and her best friend Joelle Gwynn (Non-profit founder), 41, Southfield, Michigan (Both eliminated week five)

Daniel Wright (Student), 19, Willow Spring, North Carolina (Eliminated in week eight) and his best friend, David Lee (Student), 23, Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina (Both eliminated week four)

COUSINS:
Sione Fa (Owner, landscape company), 28, Maricopa, Arizona (Eliminated in week 14) and his cousin, Filipe Fa (Lube technician), 26, Mesa, Arizona (Eliminated in week 17)

Blaine Cotter (College counselor), 27, Gilbert, AZ (Eliminated week 7) and his cousin Dane Patterson (Real estate appraiser), 27, Mesa, Arizona

ENGAGED COUPLE:
Damien Gurganious (Industrial designer), 31, (Eliminated in week 3) and his fiancée Nicole Brewer (Wardrobe stylist), 37, Brooklyn, New York (Eliminated in week 3 due to Damien’s elimination, returned in week 13 and then eliminated again in same episode)

FORMER MODELS:
Tara Costa (Model/Finance manager), 23, New York, NY, and her friend Laura Denoux (Model/Sales director), 24, Miami, Florida (Eliminated in week 15)

FATHER/SON:
Ron Morelli (Retired food distributor, currently City Councilman), 54, and his son, Mike Morelli (Student), 18, South Lyon, MI.

GRANDPARENTS:
Estella Hayes (Retired nurse), 63 and her husband, Gerald “Jerry” Hayes (Retired engineer), 63, Wheaton, Illinois (Both eliminated in week 2 due to Jerry’s elimination)

MOTHER/DAUGHTER:
Helen Phillips (Retired retail manager), 47, Sterling Heights, MI and her daughter, Shanon Thomas (Massage therapist), 29, Centerline, MI. (Eliminated in week 7)

Cathy Skell (Title sales closing agent at real estate firm), 48, Shiocton, Wisconsin (Eliminated in week 11) and her daughter, Kristin Steede (Business owner), 28, Greenville, Wisconsin

SISTERS:
Amanda Kramer (Cosmetologist), 30, Boise, Idaho (Eliminated in week 10), and her sister, Aubrey Cheney (Information and education specialist), 28, Gooding, Idaho (Eliminated in week 12)

Alison Sweeney hosts, and trainers Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels also star.

“The Biggest Loser” has become a worldwide hit airing in over 90 countries and produced in 25 countries. Since its debut in 2004, “The Biggest Loser” has grown to become a standalone health and lifestyle brand by developing tools and products inspired by the show and approved by its doctors and experts. Anchored by the online, subscription-based extension of the show, Biggestloserclub.com, The Biggest Loser Meal Plan, The New York Times best-selling books series, best-selling fitness DVD series, a line of appliances, fitness equipment, protein supplements and countless other health and lifestyle based products, The Biggest Loser consumer products program has generated over $50 million in spending with presence at more than 25,000 major retailers to date. Check out www.biggestloser.com for more information.

“The Biggest Loser: Couples” is a production of Reveille LLC, 25/7 Productions and 3Ball Productions. Ben Silverman (NBC’s “The Office,” “Ugly Betty“), Dave Broome (“A Model Life with Petra Nemcova,” “Tsunami Aid: A Concert of Hope”), JD Roth (“Age of Love,” “Beauty and the Geek”), Todd A. Nelson (“Unan1mous,” “Beauty and the Geek”) and Mark Koops (“American Gladiators,” “Shear Genius”) serve as executive producers.

Source: NBC Press Releases

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