THE FINALE OF 'THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES' WEIGHS IN WITH NBC'S TOP TUESDAY 18-49 RATING IN MORE THAN THREE YEARS, EXCLUDING OLYMPICS

'THE BIGGEST LOSER: COUPLES' CONCLUDES AS THE MOST-WATCHED 'LOSER' CYCLE IN BOTH 18-49 VIEWERS AND TOTAL VIEWERS SINCE THE FIRST 'BIGGEST LOSER' IN 2004-05

'LOSER' GAINS 81 PERCENT IN 18-49 AND 56 PERCENT IN TOTAL VIEWERS FROM ITS FIRST HALF-HOUR TO ITS SIXTH, SURGING TO A DOMINANT WIN IN THE 10-11 P.M. HOUR, BEATING THE ABC-CBS COMPETITION COMBINED IN 18-49 AND OTHER KEY MEASURES

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. � May 13, 2009 � Last night, the finale of "The Biggest Loser: Couples" weighed in with NBC's heftiest 18-49 rating for a Tuesday night since December 6, 2005 (excluding Olympics), according to "fast affiliate-based" "live plus same day" viewing figures from Nielsen Media Research.

Last night from 8-11 p.m. ET, the finale of "The Biggest Loser: Couples" averaged a 4.7 rating, 12 share in adults 18-49 and 11.8 million viewers overall. This was the highest-rated "Biggest Loser" telecast in adults 18-49 since the finale of "Biggest Loser 3" on Wednesday, December 13, 2006 (a 4.8/13 from 8-10 p.m.). Versus the year-ago "Biggest Loser" finale (a 4.4/11 in 18-49 and 11.4 million viewers overall from 8-10 p.m. on April 15, 2008), last night's finale was up 7 percent in adults 18-49 and 3 percent in total viewers.

From its first half-hour to its sixth, "Biggest Loser" gained 81 percent in 18-49 rating (to a 5.6/15 from a 3.1/10) and added 56 percent or 4.8 million persons in total viewers (to 13.4 million from 8.6 million). This extraordinary build resulted in a dominant win in the 10-11 p.m. ET hour, in which "Loser" beat the ABC-CBS competition combined in adults, men and women 18-49, adults, men and women 18-34 and adults and women 25-54. In adults 18-49, "Loser" prevailed in the 10 p.m. hour with a 93 percent margin of victory (5.4 vs. a 2.8 for CBS's "Without a Trace" in second place). In adults 18-34, the "Loser" margin of victory in the 10 p.m. hour was 171 percent (4.6 vs. a 1.7 for "Without a Trace").

Overall from 8-11 p.m. ET, "The Biggest Loser" ranked #2 in adults 18-49, behind only Fox's line-up with "American Idol." With a 4.7 rating in adults 18-49, "Loser" topped all other competing telecasts except "Idol" last night, including CBS's "NCIS" and "The Mentalist," Fox's "Fringe" and ABC's "Dancing With the Stars" results show.

In both total viewers and 18-49 viewers, "The Biggest Loser: Couples" is the top-scoring cycle of "The Biggest Loser" since the initial series that aired during the 2004-05 season ("The Biggest Loser: Couples" in "most-current" averages for the entire cycle is averaging a 4.1 rating in 18-49 and 10.2 million viewers overall). In 18-49 rating, the current cycle ties the second cycle (2005-06, 4.1), behind only the first cycle (a 4.3).

Versus last fall's "Loser" cycle (a 3.5 in 18-49 and 8.6 million viewers overall), this latest cycle is up 17 percent in 18-49 and 18 percent in total viewers. Versus the year-ago spring cycle (a 3.7 in 18-49 and 9.0 million viewers overall), "Biggest Loser: Couples" is up 11 percent in 18-49 and 13 percent in total viewers.

Helen Phillips, a 48-year-old retired retail manager and mother of two, was declared the winner of "The Biggest Loser: Couples" and $250,000 on last night's live season finale. Helen lost 140 lbs. and 54.47 percent of her body weight to claim the prize. She started the show at 257 lbs. and ended weighing just 117 lbs.

Preliminary 18-49 averages for Tuesday night are: Fox, 6.1/16; NBC, 4.7/12; CBS, 3.1/8; ABC, 1.9/5; CW, 1.0/3. In overall total viewers, May 12 preliminary results are: Fox, 16.5 million; CBS, 15.1 million; NBC, 11.8 million; ABC, 7.7 million; CW, 2.0 million

Note that all national ratings are "live plus same day" unless otherwise indicated.