Celebrity Fit Club

The Format

The format of the show is simple. Eight celebrities who have been overindulging in that vice so many of their fellow celebrities eschew - food - put themselves at the mercy of a team of weight loss professionals who are determined to transform those famous-but-saggy bodies into something more befitting a Hollywood star. Or, well, at least help them drop a few pounds.

Marine Corps drill sergeant Harvey Walden IV is the force around which the show is built. He designs no nonsense, no excuses work out routines to put the stars through their paces (and increase their weight loss potential). Harvey is still an active duty Marine, and his tough guy attitude keeps the stars in their places. He is joined on the panel by a psychologist and a medical doctor, to advise on emotional issues related to weight loss and to medically supervise the diet and exercise regimes. For the first series of Celebrity Fit Club, Marisa Peer served as psychologist while Dr. David Katz dispensed the medical advice. All subsequent series have included Linda Pappadopoulos in the psychologist chair and Dr. Ian Smith keeping an eye the teams’ medical needs.

The celebrities taking part in the show are split into two teams and compete in series of fitness trials (at Harvey’s Fit Camp) for prizes. The teams also compete in overall weight loss, with the winning team scoring a cash prize.

Season One

Judge Mablean slimmed down in season one

Season One of Celebrity Fit Club debuted on VH1 in early 2005. The celebs who subjected themselves to public weigh-ins and posing on camera in unflattering outfits were:

Team One - Three Fat Bastards and a Black Beyotch (winning team):

• Comedian Ralphie May, who lost 27 pounds.
• Actor Joseph R. Gannascoli, who lost a total of 32 pounds, but not without actually gaining 12 pounds at one point in the show (a show record for weight gain).
• Actress Kim Coles; 24 pounds down.
• Snapple Lady Wendy Kaufman, who shed 28 pounds.

Team Two - Eastsiders:

• Actor Daniel Baldwin. Despite being team captain, Daniel went AWOL mid-season and did not show up for the final weigh-in.
• Mia Tyler, plus-size model, dropped 19 pounds.
• Musician Biz Markie lost 40 pounds.
• Divorce Court Judge Mablean Ephriam, who lost 25 pounds.

Season Two

Season two's Gary Busey

Also airing in 2005, season two of the show featured:

Team One - Sizzlin’ Soul and White Ice (winning team):

• Actress Jackee Harry, who lost 39 pounds.
• Musician Jani Lane, who was down 23 pounds by the end of the show.
• Phil “father of Bam” Margera, who shed a whopping 41 pounds. He holds the record for greatest weight loss.
• Actor Gary Busey lost 39 pounds.

Team Two - The Winners:

• Former America’s Next Top Model hopeful Toccara Jones, who shed 32 pounds.
• Actor Willie Aames, who lost 19 pounds.
• Actress/Comedienne Victoria Jackson, who dropped 22 pounds.
• Snapple Lady Wendy Kaufman, back for round two, lost 27 pounds.

Season Three

Season Three of Celebrity Fit Club hit the airwaves in 2006. This time, the celebrities in question were:

Team One - Kelly’s Bellies (winning team):

• Actress Kelly LeBrock, who lost 31 pounds.
• Actor Jeff Conaway. Jeff departed the show during episode three for rehab.
• Musician Gunnar Nelson, who replaced Jeff Conaway. Gunnar dropped 23 pounds.
• Musician Bizarre, who shed 31 pounds.
• Actress Countess Vaughn, who gained 4 pounds during the show’s run.

Team Two - Ebony Flame:

• Sonny and Cher daughter Chastity Bono, who lost 24 pounds.
• Actress Tempestt Bledsoe, who lost 19 pounds.
• Musician Young MC, who dropped 38 pounds.
• Writer Bruce Vilanch, who lost 21 pounds.

Season Four

Vincent Pastore

At the time of writing, season four of the show is in full swing. The teams are:

Team One - Hot Buttered Soul:

• Actress Tina Yothers
• Actor Vincent Pastore
• Musician Angie Stone
• Actor Ted Lange

Team Two - The Fat Crushers

• Musician Bonecrusher
• Musician Carnie Wilson
• Actor Nicholas Turturro
• Actress Erika Eleniak

Memorable Moments

Of course, Celebrity Fit Club has generated its share of not to be missed reality TV moments. To name just a few:

• Jeff Conaway’s breakdown at a season three weigh-in, after being confronted for being intoxicated at a Fit Camp challenge. Jeff blamed his strange behavior on Benadryl, but Dr. Ian was having none of it. Jeff was shipped off to rehab and retuned during episode six, claiming to be clean and sober - and still blaming Benadryl.

• Ever wondered what Eight is Enough actor Willie Aames is hiding under his shirt? A plethora of tattoos and a rather untoned chest it turns out, as we all discovered when Harvey sent a champion kick boxer to surprise Willie at this house and snap him out of a weight loss slump.

• Any moment featuring Gary Busey.

Visit VH1.com to view video clips of all the great Celebrity Fit Club moments you may have missed.