Mark Koops

A reality-TV producer known for his specialty in competition-based programming, Mark Koops broke into the business overseeing the country sing-off show "Nashville Star." After testing the mettle of contestants with movie-stunt-based challenges on the short-lived "Scream Play," Koops partnered with MTV to produce the kin-governed dating shows "Parental Control" and "Date My Mom." His ability to bring out the combative dynamics of family landed him a gig producing the father-and-son physical-challenge series "My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad," which in turn positioned him as an executive force behind "American Gladiators" (2008), a relaunch of the classic TV tournament of strength and agility. Beginning in 2004, Koops innovated the reality-TV field with a long string of hairdresser-themed series that included "Blow Out," the eliminatation-based "Shear Genius," and the spin-off "Tabatha's Salon Takeover." The producer found one of his most fruitful projects in the long-running "The Biggest Loser," an inspirational weight-loss series chronicling the trials and tribulations of contestants vying to lose the most poundage. Koops has at times departed from his usual format to mine territory in the world of immersive journalism, namely with docu-series such as "30 Days" and "The Buried Life."