NBC'S HIT SERIES "THE BIGGEST LOSER" KICKS OFF SEASON 12 WITH NEW TRAINERS ANNA KOURNIKOVA AND DOLVETT QUINCE JOINING "BIGGEST LOSER" FAVORITE BOB HARPER, AND 15 CONTESTANTS COMPETING IN AN UNPRECEDENTED "BATTLE OF THE AGES" THAT BEGINS TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 , 8-10 P.M.ET

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. - August 25, 2011 - NBC's "The Biggest Loser" kicks off season 12 on Tuesday, September 20 (8-10 p.m. ET) with two new trainers - Anna Kournikova and Dolvett Quince - joining "Biggest Loser" favorite Bob Harper, and 15 contestants competing in a "Battle of the Ages" that will group contestants by age for the first time ever in the history of the show.

On the player's side, there will be three teams of five divided by age: the youngest players -- all under 30, the middle players - ages 30-49, and the older players - ages 50 and over. The season 12 contestants range from ages 24-65. In the premiere, host Alison Sweeney tells the teams that they will make their first game-changing decision - who their trainer will be - in the order in which they finish the first challenge. They can choose longtime "Biggest Loser" trainer Bob Harper, or one of the two new trainers -- internationally recognized tennis star and certified trainer Anna Kournikova, or top fitness expert Dolvett Quince.

Once each team chooses their trainer, "The Battle of the Ages" begins! And past seasons of the show -- with a previous winner who was 48 and an "at-home" winner who was 64 -- have proven that "The Biggest Loser" is anyone's game to win, regardless of age.

The new contestants include Vinny Hickerson, who overcame a difficult childhood to become a successful Nashville recording artist, Antone Davis, a 447-pound father of four and former NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons, and Jennifer Rumple, a television producer who has accomplished every goal she has set for herself except one - losing weight. Viewers will also meet Jessica Limpert, a travelling registered nurse whose long work shifts make it more challenging to eat healthy, Patrick Ferrari, who wants to lose weight to pass the physical agility test required to pursue his dream of being a police officer, and Bonnie Griffin, a 63-year-old grandmother of six who lost her home to Hurricane Katrina and lost her husband not long after.

The new contestants competing for the $250,000 grand prize are:

REBECCA "BECKY" COMET (Math teacher), 51, Benton, Arkansas

MIKE DANLEY (High school teacher/football coach), 62, Spencerville, Indiana

ANTONE DAVIS (Restaurant manager and former NFL player for the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons from 1991-97), 44, Knoxville, Tennessee

PATRICK FERRARI (Mental health adult foster care worker), 26, Albany, Oregon

JOHN "JOHNNY" FORGER (Realty company owner), 65, Canton, Massachusetts

BONNIE GRIFFIN (Retired payroll supervisor), 63, Picayune, Mississippi

VENCENT "VINNY" HICKERSON (Songwriter/entertainer), 27, Nashville, Tennessee

JESSICA LIMPERT (Travel nurse), 26, San Francisco, California

DEBORAH "DEBBIE" LOUNDS (Sr. administrative assistant), 60, Ann Arbor, Michigan

RAMON MEDEIROS (Tattoo artist), 27, Florence, Colorado

JOE MITCHELL (Home health therapist), 46, Knoxville, Tennessee

COURTNEY RAINVILLE (Internet marketing specialist), 24, Scottsdale, Arizona

JOHN RHODE (Special education teacher/football coach), 40, Mesa, Arizona

JENNIFER RUMPLE (Television producer), 39, Alameda, California

SUNNY SINCLAIR (Fifth grade teacher), 41, Frisco, Texas

"The Biggest Loser" is a production of Reveille and 25/7 Productions. Ben Silverman, Dave Broome and Todd Lubin are the executive producers.

For embeddable clips and full episodes from "The Biggest Loser," please visit NBC.com's official show site: http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/