The Oprah Winfrey Show will be filming an episode right here in Meridian Friday, as Oprah’s trainer Bob Greene recruits Meridianites for “Oprah and Bob’s BestLife Challenge 2008.”

Meridian will be the first stop on the BestLife Challenge tour, partly because of the city’s “Just Lose It, Meridian” campaign. Greene will be signing people up for the BestLife Challenge at Dumont Plaza in downtown Meridian at noon.

Since the show will be filming as Greene signs people up for the challenge, some Meridianites will be on the show, which will air Monday, Jan. 14, at 4 p.m. on WTOK-TV.

The city encourages residents to be a part of the movement for a fitter America by signing up for the BestLife challenge, and hopes that lots of people will show up at the filming to show America that Meridian is dedicated to better health.

Meridian’s Assistant for Governmental Affairs Maureen Lofton said: “We would like a big crowd at Dumont Plaza for the taping because it’s important to show that the people of Meridian are committed to fitness … it will reflect well on the community if a big and enthusiastic crowd shows up.”

She then added, “I think it’s interesting that without any prompting from us, the researchers from Oprah picked up on the fact that Meridian is trying to do something to promote fitness.”

Lofton said the show will feature individual interviews with some Meridianites, and that she expects the camera will also pan over the crowd. However, she said the city does not know the exact extent to which Meridian and the crowd at Dumont Plaza will be featured on the show.