NEED TO KNOW
- A new documentary questions if the immensely popular reality competition, The Biggest Loser, which debuted in 2004 and promised to “change lives”, was beneficial or harmful for the participants
- Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser claims that some contestants lost weight in unhealthy ways and suffered abuse in hopes of winning the $250,000
- In the Netflix documentary, which premieres August 15, former contestants, trainers, and producers open up about what went on behind the scenes
The Biggest Loser was one of the most groundbreaking and popular shows in the history of reality TV. Now, a new documentary explores whether the contestants, who tried to lose as much weight as possible, were positively or negatively impacted by the competition.
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser takes a closer look at the ratings juggernaut, which debuted on NBC in 2004, where it stayed for 18 seasons, moving to the USA Network in 2020.
The then-groundbreaking reality competition challenged contestants to lose weight through diet and exercise, awarding a hefty monetary prize of $250,000 for the person who lost the most weight.
In PEOPLE’s exclusive first look at the trailer for the three-part documentary, premiering on Netflix August 15, former contestants, trainers, and producers share what went on behind the scenes, from life-changing hopes and dreams to excessive exercise and infighting.
While some were desperate to appear on the show — two women in matching sports bras and white pants are shown, chanting, “All my life I want to be The Biggest Loser,” while another woman in a black bikini flashes the camera saying, “I’ll do anything to be on the show” — others question if the promised weight loss was a positive thing.
The show’s contestants were pulled from a pool of people who significantly struggled emotionally. “We were not looking for people who were overweight and happy,” a voiceover alleges.
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Contestant Joelle Gwynn says, “People like making fun of fat people,” while others involved in the show claim the producers were “reinforcing the stereotypes.”
Trainer Bob Harper says in the trailer, Producers love that s— … they were like, ‘We want ‘em to puke, we want the madness of it all.’ ”
Part of the problem, the trailer says, is that the journey to fitness wasn’t as healthy as the depicted on the show. One contestant claims he was given caffeine pills, while another, contestant Tracey Yukich recalled, “My organs were literally shutting down.”
Other contestants said the trainers, including Harper and Jillian Michaels, attempted to provide a “therapy” to deal with emotional and psychological issues — without qualifications.
But producer David Broome insists it was beneficial: “You tell me one show that’s actually changed people’s lives the way The Biggest Loser has. I’d love to hear it.”
As Harper says, “To see us in a gym yelling, screaming — that’s good TV.”
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser debuts on Netflix August 15.
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