The real reason Caroline Rhea quit the Biggest Loser after just three seasons

Cosmopolitan

12 hours ago

Caroline Rhea has been making us laugh for decades (see: her being our fantasy childhood aunt thanks to her starring role as Aunt Hilda in Sabrina the Teenage Witch.) But some were surprised to learn – thanks to the new Netflix documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser – that she also hosted the first three seasons of the reality show, The Biggest Loser, all about weight loss.
However, given the show's success (despite the controversy it later stoked for seemingly mocking those with larger bodies and forcing contestants into unhealthy challenges), some are now wondering why Rhea quit the Biggest Loser so soon into its 17-plus seasons and what she went on to do next.
Here's what we know about the comedian, host and actor's decision to walk away, and what happened to her career after.
Let's dive in!
Born and raised in Montreal, Canada, Rhea made a name for herself after moving to New York in 1989, to embark on a career in comedy, which later led to acting opportunities too.
"I moved with $300 and bought a pair of earrings for $220 the first day. Budgeting was not my strength," she joked via Instagram. "I moved in with my sister Cynthie who came to every show I did and lip-synced my act. Would never have had any success without my sisters. Anyway so far it's worked out."
Rhea's big break came when she landed the role of Hilda Spellman on Sabrina the Teenage Witch, which first aired in 1996, where she became a fan fave thanks to her hilarious one-liners, quirky charm and (in our opinion) love of a leopard print roll neck.
In 2004, Rhea's career took another new turn as she stepped up to host NBC's The Biggest Loser, a show that saw contestants bid for a cash prize by trying to lose as much weight as possible under the guidance of no-nonsense trainers, Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper.
It was pretty instantly popular, going on to have 17 seasons on NBC, before moving networks in 2020 and sliding down the ratings chart. Some who appeared on the show still praise it to this day for helping them to lose weight and improve their lives, while others have spoken out against it, saying challenges and methods were harmful.
After three successful seasons on The Biggest Loser, Rhea made the surprising decision to step away from the show. At the time, fans were left wondering why she would leave such a high-profile gig – and both she and the show remained relatively tight-lipped as to why.
According to one statement published by Variety at the time (2007), Rhea simply moved on "to pursue other interests".
She did go on to welcome her first child a year later, so perhaps family planning was part of what inspired the change, but this has never been confirmed by Rhea or the show's producers. Rhea was swiftly replaced by soap star Alison Sweeney, who also features as a talking head in the new Netflix documentary analysing the Biggest Loser's practices and cultural impact.
So, what does a comedy queen do after leaving a hit reality show? For Rhea, the answer was: a little bit of everything. She briefly hosted her own talk show, The Caroline Rhea Show, where she got to showcase her quick wit and knack for connecting with people, before diving into voice acting, lending her talents to Disney Channel's Phineas and Ferb as Linda Flynn-Fletcher.
She also made guest appearances on popular shows like 2 Broke Girls and The Grinder, all while returning to her first love: stand-up comedy.
Rhea welcomed her daughter Ava in the year 2008, when she was 44.
Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.