Revolutionary New Fitness Competition Series Will Move to Its Regular 8-9 P.M. Timeslot Beginning Thursday, April 14
Contestants Include 10 Experienced Trainers and 10 Worthy Trainees from Around the Country Who Will Join Previously Announced Host Gabrielle Reece in a Transformative Journey
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. — March 1, 2016 — NBC is muscling up its primetime lineup with “STRONG” and will offer a sneak preview of the new one-hour fitness competition series on Wednesday, April 13 with back-to-back episodes from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT before the show moves to its regular timeslot on Thursday, April 14 at 8 p.m.
The sneak preview will be preceded by a live episode of NBC’s Emmy Award-winning musical competition series “The Voice.”
The show’s 20 contestants — 10 male trainers and 10 female trainees — are embarking on a transformative journey together in order to reach their full potential.
The impressive cast joins previously announced host Gabrielle Reece, a world-class athlete who embodies the notion of “STRONG.”
Executive producers are Dave Broome (“The Biggest Loser”), recent Golden Globe winner and Academy Award nominee Sylvester Stallone (“Creed”), Kevin King Templeton (“Creed”) and Holly Wofford (“American Ninja Warrior”).
As the series will demonstrate, getting fit is not necessarily about losing weight but achieving a balance between mind and body, and getting in shape both physically and emotionally.
The show’s 10 trainers, who have come from around the country to get their trainees in shape, are Adam Rothfelder (Milwaukee, WI), Bennie Wylie (Tuscola, TX), Chris Ryan (New York, NY), Dan Wells (Studio City, CA), Drew Logan (Manhattan Beach, CA), Ky Evans (Marina del Rey, CA), Leyon Azubuike (Santa Monica, CA), Mathew Miller (Las Vegas, NV) Todd Durkin (San Diego, CA) and Wesley Okerson (Los Angeles, CA).
From MMA to strength & endurance training to boxing, these athletes represent a wide variety of disciplines and will impart their training philosophy, experience and unrelenting dedication to their trainees. The individual pairings will be revealed in the April 13 sneak preview episode.
The 10 trainees, all anxious to get into the best shape possible, are Brittany Harrell-Miller (Lawrence, KS), Claudia “CC” Collazo (Teaneck, NJ), Devon Cassidy (Allston, MA), Giovanna Cicerchia (Wyckoff, NJ), Jasmine Loveless (West Hollywood, CA), Jill May (Willman, MN), Mahogany Brown Roberts (Nashville, TN), Nicole Bentley (Los Angeles, CA), Sarah Miller (Chicago, IL) and Victoria Castillo (Santa Ana, CA).
In every episode each team will train together and compete in epic physical challenges.
After a series of challenges, two teams will head to the Elimination Tower, where they will battle in a four story monolith where every muscle and ounce of determination will be put to the test. Each week, one of the teams is eliminated and later, their jaw dropping transformation will be revealed. Ultimately, the winning team will take home a significant cash prize of up to $500,000, which is a result of their overall performance.
PARTICIPANT PROFILES
Leyon Azubuike (29)
Santa Monica, CA
Azubuike is a professional strength and conditioning coach based at Gloveworx. His unique training style incorporates his boxing expertise, which he believes creates lean muscle that is especially effective for women.
Nicole Bentley (25)
Los Angeles, CA
After having watched her mother battle cancer, Bentley is motivated to start fresh, become as strong as her mother and be a positive role model for her younger sister.
Devon Cassidy (24)
Allston, MA
Cassidy is a determined young professional who is looking to get her life on track through fitness.
Victoria Castillo (32)
Santa Ana, CA
As a wedding photographer, Castillo has become inspired by taking photos of beautiful brides and is determined to look as fit as the women she photographs.
Giovanna Cicerchia (38)
Wyckoff, NJ
A stay-at-home mom with three beautiful children, Cicerchia is looking to take control of her health and make a big change in her routine.
Claudia “CC” Collazo (40)
Teaneck, NJ
Collazo is a devoted wife and mom of two teenage daughters who is looking for this opportunity to get in the best shape possible.
Todd Durkin (44)
San Diego, CA
Durkin is an internationally recognized personal trainer; strength, speed and conditioning coach; author and speaker. He currently owns and operators Fitness Quest 10, a nationally recognized gym.
Ky Evans (43)
Marina del Rey, CA
Evans is a trained ballet dancer-turned-scientist. He has built an impressive clientele that includes television and film personalities, professional athletes and Olympians and has been featured in more than 40 fitness publications.
Brittany Harrell-Miller (25)
Lawrence, KS
Harrell is a high-energy eighth grade algebra teacher with a passion for numbers, power tumbling and trampoline, as well as competitive cheerleading.
Drew Logan (41)
Manhattan Beach, CA
Logan is a 21-year fitness veteran, nutrition expert, celebrity trainer and spokesperson for the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute. His personal training business includes well-known names in pop and country music, pro sports, television and modeling.
Jasmine Loveless (30)
West Hollywood, CA
A busy professional bookkeeper who also cares for her mother, Loveless recently turned 30 and is looking to get in shape, build her confidence and find love for the first time.
Jill May (35)
Willmar, MN
May is an energetic mother of four children whose life has been focused around her family. She is striving to get back on track and become an inspiration for her children and other busy moms, demonstrating there is always time to change and improve, no matter the circumstances.
Mathew Miller (34)
Las Vegas, NV
Miller has been the strength and conditioning coach for the acclaimed Las Vegas acrobatic water show “Le Reve” for the past eight years. His job is to keep the performers in top shape and show ready all year long for two performances per night five nights a week.
Sarah Miller (29)
Chicago, IL
Miller is a freelance writer looking forward to getting strong for herself to reach her true potential and be an independent woman.
Wesley Okerson (37)
Los Angeles, CA
A 20-year fitness veteran, Okerson is a busy personal trainer with a high-profile client roster that has included Gerard Butler and Katie Holmes.
Mahogany Brown Roberts (38)
Nashville, TN
Roberts is a young mom who plans to regain her healthy physique and positive attitude.
Adam Rothfelder (33)
Milwaukee, WI
A former MMA fighter, Rothfelder currently owns CoMo, Wisconsin’s first strength training and indoor Parkour facility.
Chris Ryan (35)
New York, NY
Ryan is one of New York’s most sought-after personal trainers, whose clients are top business leaders. As an international fitness model, Ryan has also graced the covers of several fitness magazines, including Men’s Health, Men’s Fitness, GQ and others.
Dan Wells (41)
Studio City, CA
Wells is the owner of the popular CrossFit Horsepower gyms throughout Los Angeles. He has been at the forefront of this new wave of fitness training and his gyms are now home to hundreds of clients, including many well-known celebrities.
Bennie Wylie (39)
Tuscola, TX
As a former strength and conditioning coach at Texas Tech University and the University of Tennessee, Wylie has worked with some of the best and brightest athletes in the country. Currently, he is a strength and conditioning coach based on Abilene, TX.
“STRONG” is produced by 25/7 Productions in association with Sony Pictures Television.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Leslie Schwartz, email: Leslie.Schwartz@nbcuni.com, 818-777-3233
Devon Sanceda, email: Devon_Sanceda@spe.sony.com, 310-244-8952