After three seasons on the sidelines, Jillian Michaels is returning to the show that made her a fitness sensation: The Biggest Loser!
"Several things brought me back," Michaels explained today at The Television Critics Association Tour in Pasadena, CA today. "First of all, I missed Bob Harper and was excited to meet Dolvett Quince. That said, you leave the show, you want to do new things and everyone's like, 'That's great! We support you! Can you go back to The Biggest Loser?' I greatly underestimated how inspired the American public gets by the show."
Unexpectedly, what led Michaels back was seeing Madonna on tour. "Bob and I saw Madonna in concert and she was playing all these new songs, and we were like, 'Can you just play Holiday?' The Biggest Loser is sort of my version of Holiday."
She added that she missed working with the cast and crew, including Harper, and was "inspired by how excited the public gets about the show."
This season also features a twist wherein three kid participants will take part for the first time as NBC's reality show tackles the childhood obesity epidemic. Three teens (ages 13-17) will work with the trainers and contribute to their respective teams from both the ranch and their home, but they will not be eligible for elimination, according to E online and the Hollywood Reporter.
As for how long fans can expect her to stay, Michaels vowed, "I will stay on as long as [they'll] have me."
Check out a sneak peek of tonight's season premiere, airing at 8 p.m. on NBC!
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