Former American Idol winner Ruben Studdard says there was no conspiracy to bring him back to The Biggest Loser 15 after he was eliminated the first time. In a press conference call this week after his second elimination, the “Velvet Teddy Bear” insisted his return to the show was all about fairness and there was no nefarious plot to get him back on The Biggest Loser to boost ratings.
In the next episode after Ruben was eliminated, coach Jillian Michaels was penalized for giving her team caffeine pills, which she claimed were safer than drinking endless amounts of coffee. Since these pills can help you to lose weight and were not approved by staff doctors, Jillian’s team was punished and the results of the previous weigh-in thrown out. Ruben Studdard was back in the game. For a little while at least. He got booted once again this week for failing to lose enough weight.
Despite mass outcry that the producers of The Biggest Loser 15 somehow conspired to have an excuse to bring Ruben back, the American Idol soul singer says isn’t so. “I don’t think that happened,” Ruben said, according to E! Online. “I have no control over what people decide to do. My only concern was my health and coming back to the show, so I don’t think at all it was a conspiracy to bring me back because they were all sad that I had to leave.
Ruben, who was eliminated for the second time this week, said he doesn’t think anyone wanted him back “more or less” than any other contestant. “It was just something that happened. And because of fairness issues, they brought me back.”
Even though he was kicked off the show twice, Ruben is still in the running for the at home prize on the Biggest Loser 15 and has lost at least 104 lbs already since he started on the show.