American Idol season two winner Ruben Studdard, 34, is looking to slim down.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the R&B singer, also affectionately known as the “Velvet Teddy Bear,” will join the new cast of NBC’s Biggest Loser.
Fans will remember that Studdard dropped several pounds in 2008 after marrying Surata Zuri McCants, but packed the pounds back on after their divorce in 2012.
“I’ve never had an issue with my weight,” said Studdard. “But my family has a history of high blood pressure, diabetes, heart-related issues—thing I didn’t have to deal with yet because I’m young. But I don’t want to be worried at 40, and if I don’t fix things now, I will be.”
In years past, Studdard has worked to get the pounds off including working with a trainer and joining a Duke University weight-loss program. “We’re from Alabama, we love to eat!” he told the Today show several years ago. “So I basically had to change my thinking and as it pertains to the foods I wanted eat. [Duke] put me on a 1,200 to 1,500 calorie diet a day. It ended up being pretty easy.”
Season 15 of The Biggest Loser begins airing on October 8th.