Hundreds of people showed up at Methodist Dallas Medical Center on Saturday to audition for season 12 of NBC's The Biggest Loser. All of the reality show hopefuls have struggled to lose weight, but still have at least 100 pounds to go.
Charles Nolen, of Fort Worth, has auditioned for plenty of musical theater roles, but his audition for The Biggest Loser is one of his most important. He's already gathered a growing group of fans who like hearing him sing. But Nolen is tired of being told "no" when he tries out for dancing roles.
"They'll tell me, well, you're a big guy, you move good for your size, but you're just not right for the role this year," said Nolen.
So he's joining hundreds of other people desperate to lose weight, each for their own reasons.
We told you 40-year-old Earl Kennedy's story last year at the season 11 casting call, for which he didn't make the cut.
"I decided not to wait on Biggest Loser to come around to help me change my life. I had to do that on my own or I probably wouldn't be here right now," said Kennedy.
Now he's back, after losing 100 pounds in just seven months. But it's been a long struggle to get down from his peak weight of 913.
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"I had lost a lot of weight, you know, but I gained about 200 of it back," said Kennedy, choking up during his casting interview.
This year, he's brought a teammate -- his best friend, Shellie Mathews.
"Big decision. My husband passed away and left me with a 4-year-old to raise. He ate himself to death. So I need to be there for my son and be there for my grandkids," said Mathews.
Many of the Biggest Loser hopefuls have coped with hardships by eating. And they hope a reality show competition can turn their lives around.
Their careers and their families depend on it, as well as their lives.
