'Biggest Loser' scandal: Jillian Michaels cheated, Ruben Studdard returns

Nov. 13 (UPI) -- Tuesday night's episode of The Biggest Loser got a little dramatic when host Alison Sweeney revealed that Jillian Michaels broke the rules.

"Before you all step on the scale, there is something important that needs to be addressed," Sweeney said before the weigh-in. "Last week, Jillian broke the rules and gave caffeine supplements to each member of her team without doctor's permission."

Sweeney added that Michaels' actions invalidated the last week's results -- in which Ruben Studdard was kicked off the show -- and left Michaels' white team with a 4-pound penalty.

Michaels, who has been with the show since its first season in 2004, stood by her decision to give supplements to her team.

"I stand by my opinion. A caffeine supplement is significantly healthier than unlimited amounts of coffee," Michaels said of the incident. "My only regret is that my team, they're the ones suffering the consequences of my professional opinion."

But the return of Studdard, a fan favorite and one-time American Idol winner, raised eyebrows for some viewers who suspected that Michaels' disgrace was a way to get him back on the show.

When one Twitter user asked Michaels whether producers manufactured the scandal for ratings, she responded: "You're spot on."

@careygardner @BiggestLoserRW you're spot on.

— Jillian Michaels (@JillianMichaels) November 13, 2013