Caroline Rhea loses The Biggest Loser

She’s hosted the show for three seasons, but this morning Caroline Rhea wins the title of The Biggest Loser, as NBC replaces her with a younger, sleeker model.

Producers announced today that soap actress Alison Sweeney, a blonde beauty who’s conquered her battle with the bulge, will take over in the fourth season.

Caroline, who could often be confused with contestants on the weight-loss contest, has hosted since its debut. Producers say she’s leaving to “to pursue other interests.” They also admit they’re looking for a younger demographic and hope Alison can give them one.

Though she’s played bad girl Sami Brady on Days of Our Lives, Alison’s only 30. And she’s got a good back story–no pun intended. In the 90s, she struggled with her weight and grew to a size 12 dress size– not Kirstie Alley standards, but larger than your typical TV actress. In 2004, she cashed in and wrote all about it in a book called All The Days of My Life (So Far). (Reality TV fans may also remember Alison for her appearance on a celebrity episode of Fear Factor. She panicked inside a coffin filled with large flatworms, Madagascar hissing cockroaches and millipedes.)

What else does she have going for her? The show’s executive producer says Alison has not only a fresh face, but “a HUGE……. and loyal fan base.” (Bet you thought he was going to say “butt.”)

Season 4 of Loser starts taping in the spring. Alison will juggle both gigs until Days, as has been rumoured, goes away.

Caroline Rhea, at 42, is remembered for her stand-up comedy act, playing Aunt Hilda on Sabrina the teenage Witch, a failed talk show and the episode of Curb Your Enthusiam in which Larry David kept mispronouncing her name. Last summer we were on a flight from LAX to Kansas City, when Caroline walked up the aisle and knocked us in the side of the head with her butt.)

–Tabloid Baby