The Biggest Loser: Couples 3 is the ninth season of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The contestants competed to win a $250,000 prize, which was awarded to Michael Ventrella, the finalist with the highest percentage of weight lost. It first aired January 5, 2010. After the sixth episode, which aired February 9, The Biggest Loser went on hiatus and returned after the 2010 Winter Olympics on March 2. The live finale aired on May 25, 2010.

The season premiere tallied its best premiere rating ever, scoring a 4.6 in the adults 18–49 ratings for that night, up 2% from the previous season's premiere. In addition to being the top rated premiere for the entire series, it was also the second best rating for a non-finale of the series. It scored a total 11.68 million viewers.

This was also the last season to be filmed in 480i, due to the fall 2010 season moving to high definition.

Contestants

ContestantCouples TeamBlue vs. BlackSinglesStatusTotal votesJames Crutchfield, 30, Orlando, FL Brown TeamEliminated Week 15Patti Anderson, 55, Lafayette, CA Purple TeamEliminated Week 25Maria Ventrella, 51, Chicago, ILWhite TeamEliminated Week 34Migdalia Sebren, 28, Sanford, NC Green TeamEliminated Week 44Cherita Andrews, 50, Houston, TX Blue Team Sent Home Week 1Eliminated Week 5*John Crutchfield, 30, Orlando, FL Brown TeamEliminated Week 5† Darrell Hough , 46, Ann Arbor, MI Black TeamEliminated Week 6Miggy Cancel, 48, Pemberton, NJ Green Team Blue TeamEliminated Week 74Cheryl George, 50, Ardmore, OKOrange Team Black TeamEliminated Week 83Sherry Johnston, 51, Knoxville, TNPink Team Black TeamEliminated Week 93Lance Morgan, 38, Aspermont, TX Red Team Blue TeamEliminated Week 104Stephanie Anderson, 29, West Hollywood, CA Purple Team Black Team PurpleEliminated Week 115Melissa Morgan, 39, Aspermont, TX Red Team RedEliminated Week 6Returned Week 11Re-Eliminated Week 125Andrea "Drea" Hough, 24, Ann Arbor, MI Black Team Black Team BlackEliminated Week 134Victoria "Vicky" Andrews, 22, Houston, TX Blue Team BlueSent Home Week 1Returned Week 11Re-eliminated Week 141O'Neal Hampton, Jr, 51, Minneapolis, MNYellow Team Blue Team[*]YellowEliminated Week 153Sam Poueu, 24, Rohnert Park, CAGray Team Black TeamGrayEliminated Week 162Sunshine Hampton, 24, Minneapolis, MNYellow Team Blue TeamYellowEliminated Week 17Koli Palu , 29, Rohnert Park, CAGray Team Blue TeamGrayEliminated at the FinaleAmerica's Vote VictimDaris George, 25, Ardmore, OKOrange Team Blue TeamOrange2nd Runner-Up Ashley Johnston, 27, Knoxville, TNPink Team Black TeamPinkRunner-UpMichael Ventrella, 31, Chicago, ILWhite Team Blue TeamWhiteBiggest Loser

The "Total Votes" column indicates the number of votes cast against the contestant when he/she was eliminated. This contestant was automatically eliminated being the last one standing in his/her couples team without any votes. This contestant fell below the Red Line and was eliminated without any votes. This contestant was eliminated due to losing an Elimination Challenge. Cherita and Victoria (the Blue Team) were both eliminated because they lost the weigh-in against the Yellow Team for the opportunity to return to the ranch. Victoria was allowed to return to the ranch in Week 11 before being re-eliminated three weeks later. Melissa was first eliminated in Week 6 when she fell below the redline. She returned with the other eliminated contestants to try and win their way back onto the ranch. She won the stair-stepping challenge and returned to the game. O'Neal was not originally on either Blue or Black team. He joined the Blue Team after Miggy was eliminated.

Weigh-ins

Contestants are listed in reverse chronological order of elimination.

ContestantAgeHeightStartingBMIEndingBMIStartingweightWeekFinaleWeightlostPercentagelost1234567891011121314151617Semi-FinalMichael 31 6'3" 526492 481 471 456 44343241740839738938137236335834333432229926226450.19%Ashley 27 5'5" 37435334533332631731130129328627627126425825424823823121319118348.93%Daris 25 5'10" 346317 310301295283274267258248244237233226219214205195197 17816848.55%Koli 29 6'1" 403374 36635334133532631630629728728127627026025924423121818821553.35%Sunshine 24 5'6" 275XXX250245239232225216208202195192191187178176 16111441.45%Sam 24 6'4" 372354 345334320310298290286278264262252252246240238 23014238.17%O'Neal 51 5'11" 389X XX338333325316311302295291283278270265 23015940.87%Victoria 22 5'9" 358X XX319 285283272267266 22213637.99%Andrea 24 5'7" 298284 279272267262255250243238232227225222 2148428.19%Melissa 39 5'6" 233214 215214203198199 182178175 1439038.63%Stephanie 29 5'8" 264246243236230225221213210208199198 1659937.50%Lance 38 6'3" 365344 336324318314305300290282274 23712835.07%Sherry 51 5'1" 218201196190186180177171166163156 1199945.41%Cheryl 50 5'4" 227213 210203197194191187182 176 1517633.48%Miggy 48 5'9" 240227 219212211206199195 191 1499137.92%Darrell 46 5'10" 413383 373 361351343338 309 22418945.76%John 30 6'5" 484461451437427421 399 33514930.79%Cherita 50 5'8" 277XXX253 230 1869132.85%Migdalia 28 5'9" 265 249 245237233 2135219.62%Maria 51 5'4" 281 268 258 254 224 16711440.57%Patti 55 5'6" 243220216 197 1707330.04%James 30 6'5" 485462 413 35712826.39%

In week 2, White team's percentage of weight lost dropped to 2.50% due to the 2lb disadvantage. That makes the Green Team's 2.52% the biggest loser of the week.

Winners $250,000 Winner (among the finalists) $100,000 Winner (among the eliminated contestants)

Standings Week's Biggest Loser (Team or Individuals) Week's Biggest Loser & Immunity Immunity (Challenge or Weigh-In) Results from "At-Home Players" Weigh-In (Week 5 and Week 11) Sent Home for 30 days after losing challenge Eliminated at the Finale

BMI Underweight (less than 18.5 BMI) Normal (18.5 – 24.9 BMI) Overweight (25 – 29.9 BMI) Obese Class I (30 – 34.9 BMI) Obese Class II (35 – 39.9 BMI) Obese Class III (greater than 40 BMI)

Weigh-in figures history ContestantWeekFinale 123456789101112131415161718Michael−34 −11−10 −15 −13 −11 −15 −9−11−8−8−9−9−5−15−9−12−23−37Ashley−21 −8 −12 −7 −9 −6−10−8−7−10−5−7−6−4−6−10−7−18−22Daris−29 −7 −9 −6−12−9−7−9−10−4−7−4−7−7−5−9−10+2−19Koli −29−8−13 −12−6−9 −10−10−9−10−6−5−6−10−1−15−13−13-30Sunshine-25 −5 −6 −7 −7−9−8−6−7−3−1−4−9−2-15Sam−18 −9−11 −14 −10−12 −8−4−8−14−2−100−6−6−2-8O'Neal-51 −5−8 −9−5−9−7−4−8−5−8−5-35Victoria-39 -34−2−11−5−1-44Andrea−14 −5 −7 −5−5−7−5−7−5−6−5−2−3-8Melissa−19 +1−1 −11−5+1-17−4−3-32Stephanie−18 −3 −7 −6−5−4 −8−3−2−9−1-33Lance−21 −8−12 −6−4−9−5−10−8−8-37Sherry−17 −5 −6 −4 −6 −3−6−5−3-7-37Cheryl−14 −3 −7 −6−3−3 −4−5-6-25Miggy −13−8 −7 −1−5−7−4-4-42Darrell−30 −10 −12 −10 −8−5-29-85John−23 −10 −14 −10−6-22-64Cherita-24-23-44Migdalia−16 −4 −8 −4-20Maria−13 −10−4-30-87Patti−23 −4 -19-27James−23-49-56

Weigh-in percentages history ContestantWeekFinale 123456789101112131415161718Michael−6.46%−2.24%−2.08%−3.18%−2.85%−2.48%−3.47%−2.16%−2.70%−2.02%−2.06%−2.36%−2.42%−1.38%−4.19%−2.62%−3.59%−7.14%−12.37%Ashley−5.61%−2.27%−3.48%−2.10%−2.76%−1.89%−3.22%−2.66%−2.39%−3.50%−1.81%−2.58%−2.27%−1.55%−2.36%−4.03%−2.94%−7.79%−10.32%Daris−8.38%−2.21%−2.90%−1.99%−4.07%−3.18%−2.55%−3.37%−3.88%−1.61%−2.87%−1.69%−3.00%−3.10%−2.28%−4.21%−4.88%+1.03%−9.64%Koli−7.20%−2.14%−3.55%−3.40%−1.76%−2.69%−3.07%−3.16%−2.94%−3.37%−2.09%−1.78%−2.17%−3.70%−0.38%−5.79%−5.33%−5.63%-13.76%Sunshine-9.09%−2.00%−2.45%−2.93%−3.02%−4.00%−3.70%−2.88%−3.47%−1.54%−0.52%−2.09%−4.81%−1.12%-8.52%Sam−4.84%−2.54%−3.19%−4.19%−3.13%−3.87%−2.68%−1.38%−2.80%−5.04%−0.76%−3.82%0.00%−2.38%−2.44%−0.83%-3.36%O'Neal-13.11%−1.48%−2.40%−2.77%−1.58%−2.89%−2.32%−1.36%−2.75%−1.77%−2.88%−1.85%-13.21%Victoria-10.89%-10.66%−0.70%−3.89%−1.84%−0.37%-16.54%Andrea−4.70%−1.76%−2.51%−1.84%−1.87%−2.67%−1.96%−2.80%−2.06%−2.52%−2.16%−0.88%−1.33%-3.60%Melissa−8.15%+0.47%−0.47%−5.14%−2.46%+0.51%-8.54%−2.20%−1.69%*-18.29%Stephanie−6.82%−1.22%−2.88%−2.54%−2.17%−1.78%−3.62%−1.41%−0.95%−4.33%−0.50%-16.67%Lance−5.75%−2.32%−3.57%−1.85%−1.26%−2.87%−1.64%−3.33%−2.76%−2.84%-13.50%Sherry−7.80%−2.49%−3.06%−2.11%−3.23%−1.67%−3.39%−2.92%−1.81%-4.29%-23.72%Cheryl−6.17%−1.41%−3.33%−2.96%−1.52%−1.55%−2.09%−2.67%-3.30%-14.20%Miggy−5.42%−3.52%−3.20%−0.47%*−2.37%−3.40%−2.01%-2.05%-21.99%Darrell−7.26%−2.61%−3.22%−2.77%−2.28%−1.46%-8.58%-27.51%John−4.75%−2.17%−3.10%−2.29%−1.41%-5.23% -16.04%Cherita-8.66%-9.09%-19.13%Migdalia−6.04%−1.61%−3.27%−1.69%*-8.58%Maria−4.63%−3.73%−1.51%-10.68%-25.45%Patti−9.47%−1.82%-8.80%-13.71%James−4.74%-10.61%-13.56%

* with one pound disadvantage

Elimination voting history

Contestant Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 Week 9 Week 10 Week 11 Week 12 Week 13 Week 14 Week 15 Week 16 Week 17 FinaleEliminated James Patti Maria Migdalia Cherita Melissa Miggy Cheryl Sherry Lance Stephanie Melissa Andrea Victoria O'Neal Sam Sunshine KoliVictoriaDarrellJohn MichaelJamesPattiXXXXLanceXXLance?MelissaAndreaX?XXBiggest Loser AshleyJamesPatti?MigdaliaXXXCherylAndreaXStephanie?SamXO'NealSamXX Daris??MariaMigdaliaXXMiggyXXLanceStephanieMelissa?X?SamXX Koli?PattiMariaMiggyXXMiggyXXLanceStephanieMelissaAndreaVictoriaO'NealMichaelXEliminated SunshineXXXXXXMiggy XX?Stephanie?AndreaXXMichaelX Sam?PattiMariaMiggyXXXCherylSherryXX?XXO'NealX O'NealXXXXXXXXXLance?Melissa?XXEliminated Week 15 VictoriaXXXX X Eliminated Start of Week 5; Returned Week 11 ?MelissaAndreaXRe-eliminated Week 14 AndreaJames?MariaMigdaliaXXX?SherryXStephanieXXEliminated Week 13 MelissaJamesPattiMariaMiggyXXSamXRe-eliminated Week 12 StephanieJamesXMichaelMigdaliaXXXCherylSherryXXEliminated Week 11 LanceJamesPattiMariaMiggyXXMiggyXXMichaelEliminated Week 10 SherryJamesPatti?MigdaliaXXXSamAndreaEliminated Week 9 Cheryl??MariaMigdaliaXXXStephanieEliminated Week 8 MiggyJohn??XXXLanceEliminated Week 7 DarrellJames?MariaMigdaliaXXEliminated Week 6 JohnXPattiMichaelMiggyXEliminated Week 5 CheritaXXXX X Eliminated Start of Week 5 MigdaliaJohn??XEliminated Week 4 MariaJamesPatti X Eliminated Week 3 PattiJames XEliminated Week 2 JamesX Eliminated Week 1

Not in house for vote Immunity Immunity, vote not revealed Immunity, unable to vote Below yellow line, unable to vote Below red line, automatically eliminated Unable to vote due to disadvantage from challenge Lost yellow v. blue weigh-in, was automatically eliminated Not in elimination, unable to vote due to Elimination Challenge for the two players below the yellow line Not in elimination, unable to vote Unable to vote due to single-player falling below the yellow line Vote Not Revealed Eliminated or not in house Last person eliminated (at the finale) via public voting Valid vote cast $250,000 winner (among the finalists) Below yellow line, America's vote

Notes In week 4, Michael received a disadvantage from the challenge. As a result, he was not allowed to vote in the elimination. In week 5, O'Neal and Sunshine were to have the only vote at elimination. However, because John fell below the yellow line, he was automatically eliminated. In week 6, Melissa fell below the red line; therefore, she was eliminated automatically. In addition, there was no voting. The elimination between Darrell & Cheryl was decided via an Olympic-styled challenge. In week 14, Koli won the right to the only vote at elimination through temptation.

Episode summaries

Week 1 First aired January 5, 2010

Eleven teams of couples—siblings or cousins or spouses or parent-child—are chosen this season, and this is the largest, sickest bunch of contestants yet seen on the show. Twin brothers John and James (484 and 485 pounds, respectively) break the team record with a combined weight of 969 pounds. Michael becomes the first contestant to weigh-in at over 500 pounds (526) and is still the heaviest contestant on the American version of the show. Four contestants start out at over 400 pounds, tying the record from the prior season. Unlike prior seasons, the couples initial weigh-in took place in front of family and friends in their hometowns.