Kirstie Alley takes weight-loss battle back to TV

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Kirstie Alley is to parlay her lengthy weight-loss battle into a U.S. TV series for what the actress called in a Tuesday Twitter message a “very funny docu about me losing weight, raising unpretentious kids, and biz.” The untitled reality show, to be aired on the A&E cable network next year, will follow Alley’s life as a single mom at home with her teenage children as she launches a new weight-loss program. Alley, 58, starred in the TV comedy “Cheers” and in the satirical 2005 show “Fat Actress” about an overweight actress trying to make her way in diet-obsessed Hollywood. Her weight had then ballooned to about 200 lbs (91 kg) and she was later hired as the spokeswoman for U.S. weight-loss program Jenny Craig and lost about 75 lbs (34 kg) before regaining much of it. Alley told fans on her Twitter account that she did not like before-and-after weight photos, and said the show would show her real weight loss journey. “I hope it’s not like any real show you’ve ever seen. That’s my goal. I hate reality shows, so this outta be a REAL challenge,” Alley said.