AceShowbiz -

"The Biggest Loser" will be back next year bigger, literally. The NBC show about losing weight and leading a healthier lifestyle, will present its biggest contestant ever when 31-year-old DJ from Chicago Michael Ventrella joins the competition at the starting weight of 526 pounds. The show's previous heaviest contestant was Shay Sorrells who weighed 476 pounds in Fall.

Because NBC sets up the next season to be another "Couples" edition, Michael will be competing with his mother Maria. Another couple who tops off Sorrells' weight would be twin brothers James and John Crutchfield from Orlando who weigh 485 and 484 respectively.

The ninth season which is also the third of couples edition will include cousins and spouses but not friends because it is strictly for family members. The casting was done over summer and there is a total of 22 people selected and divided into a team of twos. The show begins on Tuesday, January 5 with Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels returning as trainers and Alison Sweeney as host.

Eleven Teams Competing on "The Biggest Loser: Couples 3":

• Patti Anderson (55), business owner from Lafayette, CA, and her daughter Stephanie Anderson (29), radio sales executive from West Hollywood, CA
• Cherita Andrews (50), homemaker, and her daughter Vicky Andrews (22), student, from Houston, TX
• Miggy Cancel (48) chef from Pemberton, NJ, and her daughter Migdalia Sebren (28), homemaker from Sanford, NC
• James Crutchfield (30), human resources director, and his twin brother John Crutchfield (30) senior marketing manager, from Orlando, FL
• Cheryl George (50), store owner, and her son Daris George (25), salesman/deliveryman, from Ardmore, OK
• O'Neal Hampton, Jr. (51), U.S. Postal Service station manager, and his daughter SunShine Hampton (24), restaurant server, from Minneapolis, MN
• Darrell Hough (46), press operator/mechanic, and his daughter Andrea Hough (24), executive assistant, from Ann Arbor, MI
• Sherry Johnston (51) non-profit administrator, and her daughter Ashley Johnston (27) manager/esthetician, from Knoxville, TN
• Melissa Morgan (39) attorney, and her husband Lance Morgan (38) rancher, from Aspermont, TX
• Sam Poueu (24) youth football coach and security guard, and his cousin Koli Palu (29) football coach and head of security, from Rohnert Park, CA
• Maria Ventrella (51) corporate travel agent, and her son Michael Ventrella (31) deejay, from Chicago, IL