The third annual televised Bermuda 100 Day Challenge, a weight-loss themed reality television show, launched yesterday with a weigh-in at the King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Contestants were weighed and assessed by a team of nurses from the Bermuda Hospitals Board Diabetes Education Centre.

The nurses recorded weight, blood pressure, waist measurements, BMI and sugar levels for the contestants.

The 24 contestants have been organised into four teams representing gyms across the Island.

The Gyms include: Sea View Ultimate Fitness, Magnum Power Force, Sandys 360 and the Olympic Club.

The objective for the contestants is to loose the most weight individually or as a team over a 100 day period.

John Kephart, President and CEO of Capital G & Trust ltd is a contestant and said he saw the challenge as a chance to set personal goals and inspire the community at large to live healthy.

"It is terribly important for the community to remember good health practices," he said.

"There are far too few incentives to maintain a healthy lifestyle and too many incentives to live unhealthily."

Robert Daniels, a contestant from Hamilton Parish said: "I've got nothing to lose but the weight."

Mark Anderson, also known by his drag queen alter ego, Sybil Barrington, is planning to lose 50 pounds over the 100 day period. He said that Queen Elizabeth had inspired him to join the programme.

"After seeing how good Queen Elizabeth looked for her age I decided that as 'Queen of Bermuda' I have to outlive the Queen of England.

"This is a step towards a healthier lifestyle."

Darlene Ming of the Bermuda Broadcasting company is a contestant for the second year in a row.

"I did okay in the challenge last year but I went awry when it came to actually changing my lifestyle," said Ms Ming.

"This year I hope to learn how to live a healthier lifestyle and stay on that path."

Co-organiser of the challenge, Andrew Phillips said: "The intention is to get the Bermuda community involved in the progress of the TV contestants. It is our hope that the nation's interest will increase toward eating right and healthy exercise."

The 100 day campaign will consist of four, one-hour long weigh in shows, and ten weekly three minute update segments. The show will air on Tuesday evenings at 8p.m. on ZBM TV 9.