Knoxville's 'Loser' Ashley Johnston lets loose on ex-cast mates

Photo by Trae Patton

Ashley Johnston of "The Biggest Loser"

Photo by Trae Patton

Ashley Johnston of "The Biggest Loser"

Photo by Trae Patton

Daris George of "The Biggest Loser"

KNOXVILLE — So what did Knoxville resident Ashley Johnston really think of her fellow contestants on NBC's "The Biggest Loser"?

She spent six months with many of them. Some of the drama played out on screen, but a lot of it did not.

(In the end, Johnston was runner-up, second only to Michael Ventrella; SunShine Hampton had been a favorite to win it all.)

Now back home, Johnston looks back and ponders her relationships stemming from "Loser." She is in touch with a few of the other contestants daily, but not all of them - and for good reason.

Her thoughts:

Daris George. "I think Daris is a good catch. If I could have feelings for him in that way, he'd be a great catch. ... But he has a girlfriend already.

"My mom and his mother are close, and wanted us to get together before he had a girlfriend, but I don't think that's going to happen. He is, honestly, one of the best men I have ever met in my life. He's a very good man."

Michael Ventrella. "My relationship with Michael changed a lot. I was not happy with him at first. He was there to play the game. I wasn't like that in the beginning. I was there just to lose the weight. But there is a gaming aspect to the show. Michael changed a lot. He and I became very close.

"For a period of time, I could not stand him. I was like, 'Ah, you'd totally screw me over.' He changed over time, and now we are very close. He was the heaviest man on the show, and I was the heaviest woman. We share that bond."

Koli Palu. "He is not the fan favorite because he got very cocky. But he is genuinely a good man. He was the first one to tell me I could (go far) on the show. He let me see that I was stronger than I realized."

Melissa Morgan. On the night Morgan was voted out, "She didn't have anything good to say about anyone."

Now, "we are kind of neutral. Melissa will always be Melissa. I have no ill feelings toward her, but she's probably not someone I will keep in touch with as a friend."

SunShine Hampton. "SunShine and I became close (at the end) because we were the only two girls left. But there has always been a division between us. I don't know if we'll keep in touch. I feel like there was more game play behind my back than to my face."

Johnston thinks SunShine and her father, fellow contestant O'Neal Hampton, were plotting to get Johnston booted off the show. In the end, they failed and ended up winning no money in the finale.

Terry Morrow may be reached at morrowt@knoxville.com or 865-342-6445. His blog can be found at http://blogs.knoxnews.com/knx/telebuddy/. He contributes to "Live At Five At Four" on WBIR, Channel 10, and "The Marc & Kim & Frank Show" on WWST-FM, 102.1.

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