Dallas News -

CHARLENE GETS IN SHAPE ON DISCOVERY HEALTH CHANNEL’S

WORLD PREMIERE SERIES BODY CHALLENGE HOLLYWOOD

--Four-Part Reality Series Debuts September 14 and Follows Celebrities as They

Strive for Healthy Lifestyle-

In the 1970s, the wildly successful television shows, ‘Dallas,’ ‘CHiPs,’ and ‘The Brady Bunch’ were watched and loved by millions. Today, fans of these shows can see a new side of their favorite actors. Discovery Health Channel follows six personalities from these and other TV shows as they get healthy and lose weight in an exciting 12-week health and fitness challenge in BODY CHALLENGE: HOLLYWOOD. Erik Estrada (“CHiPs”), Charlene Tilton (“Dallas”), Susan Olsen and Christopher Knight (both from “The Brady Bunch”), Kym Whitley (“Sparks”) and David Anthony Higgins (“Malcolm in the Middle”) join the challenge in a quest to lose weight, reduce body fat, and transform their eating habits.

The four-part series premieres Tuesday, September 14 on Discovery Health Channel with two episodes airing back to back at 8PM and 9PM ET/PT. Episodes three and four premiere on Wednesday, September 15 at the same times.

BODY CHALLENGE: HOLLYWOOD is the fifth series in Discovery Health Channel’s popular Body Challenge franchise and follows the celebrities for 12 weeks as they slim down and tone up. In addition to their fitness goals, they all have selected personal goals to accomplish such as bungee jumping, modeling and fitting into costumes from old TV roles.

With the help of experienced personal trainers the former TV stars undergo a healthful regimen of training, aerobics and other physical exercise, as well as nutritional counseling to meet their specific goals. Discovery Health Channel follows them every step of the way, tracking their progress.

Nutritionist Jack Yeager of In2Nutrition.com meets with the challengers before they begin the program, advises them on the health benefits of slimming down and offers tips for a healthy transformation. The celebrities also participate in fitness challenges, competing against each other to win prizes such as stationary bikes and treadmills. The stars begin reshaping their physical image and, to boost their self esteem even further, they get special star treatment at a spa.

At the end of 12 weeks, the challengers face a panel of judges who pick the individual they believe has made the most positive life change. That lucky winner will be named champion of BODY CHALLENGE: HOLLYWOOD and will receive a grand prize – a luxury Hawaiian spa vacation.

 

The TV personalities featured in BODY CHALLENGE: HOLLYWOOD are:

Erik Estrada

Estrada is best known as Officer Frank Poncherelo (or “Ponch”) in the TV hit, CHiPs. Generations of fans still tune in for another ride. Estrada has now been discovered by a whole new generation and culture as “Johnny” in the top-rated international series Dos Mujeres, Un Camino airing on Televisa. BODY CHALLENGE HOLLYWOOD came at a key moment in Estrada’s life, he says: “I was about to turn 55 and I hadn’t worked out in 10 years, even though I did it all the time through my 20s. But I had no wife or kids then—I could just work, work out and party! Once I had kids and I didn’t have to fit into that uniform anymore, my body started growing outwards.”

 

Charlene Tilton

Best known as Lucy Ewing in the original cast of “Dallas,” Charlene Tilton is taking on another kind of drama this year – as one of the challengers shaping up and getting healthy. Working with both a nutritionist and a personal trainer, Tilton has reshaped herself, surpassing her goal of losing five inches from her waist (she’s lost nearly seven), and dropping her body fat by eight percent. She is particularly pleased to have gained muscle and strength.

 

Susan Olsen

Susan Olsen, internationally recognized for her role as Cindy Brady on “The Brady Bunch,” is an actress, writer, artist, producer, radio personality and—her most important role of all—proud mother of a seven-year-old son. For most of Olsen’s adult life, diet and exercise took a back seat to her other priorities. “If I lost weight, it was usually a fluke, and I’d join gyms and barely go.” Having lost 25 pounds prior to the series, “I wanted to lose five more—and keep it off, which is the scariest part. I thought this would be a way to cement diet and exercise into my life.”

 

Christopher Knight

Christopher Knight was ten years old when he was cast as Peter in “The Brady Bunch.” Joining BODY CHALLENGE HOLLYWOOD “was like a big dare,” Knight says enthusiastically. “And having all those eyeballs scrutinizing my progress gave me even more incentive to reach this goal.”

 

David Anthony Higgins

David Higgins is best known for his recurring role in “Ellen” and his regular appearances in “Malcolm in the Middle.” Having had a weight problem since childhood, Higgins topped 300 pounds when he got married. He’s now the father of a 12-year-old son and a 2-year-old daughter,

and because of them discovered his motivation to join BODY CHALLENGE HOLLYWOOD: “I want to be around for my kids—and live to see my grandchildren.”

 

Kym Whitley

An actress, director and stand-up comedienne, Whitley is a recurring character in the WB TV series “My Wife and Kids”. “The BODY CHALLENGE HOLLYWOOD producers didn’t come to me, I came to them!” says Whitley. She had gained 50 pounds working on a television sitcom, then 30 more while on tour in a play, eating late-night dinners with the cast every night. “I was about to hit a wall—I knew I needed help and motivation, or I was just going to get bigger and sadder.”

 

BODY CHALLENGE: HOLLYWOOD is produced for Discovery Health Channel by Film Garden Entertainment. Nancy Jacobs Miller and Michelle Van Kempen are executive producers. Gary Benthin is supervising producer. Sandy Varo is series producer. Claire Vande Polder is executive producer for Discovery Health Channel.

Discovery Health Channel takes viewers inside the fascinating and informative world of health and medicine to experience firsthand, compelling, real life stories of medical breakthroughs and human triumphs. Currently in 53 million homes, Discovery Health Channel is the only 24 hour network and website -- discovery.com/health devoted to what matters most - - health.