For over a decade, The Biggest Loser was one of NBC’s most recognizable reality shows. It drew millions of viewers eager to watch contestants shed life-changing amounts of weight. The show was marketed as a blend of high-stakes motivation, competition and personal transformation. However, beneath the glossy before-and-after reveals, cracks began to show around season 17. Allegations of unsafe dieting, harsh treatment from trainers and shocking post-show struggles have since redefined the legacy of the series.
The controversies surrounding The Biggest Loser not only impacted contestants’ lives but also ignited larger debates about the ethics of reality TV. And Netflix’s newest release has blown up seemingly overnight as a striking investigation into the famous weight loss series. For those curious, here’s an overview of The Biggest Loser controversy over 20 years after the show’s debut.
When did ‘The Biggest Loser’ air, and why did it get cancelled?
The Biggest Loser made its debut on NBC in October 2004, quickly becoming a cultural sensation. The format was pretty simple and straightforward – overweight contestants lived together on a ranch while competing in punishing physical challenges and dramatic weekly weigh-ins. Then, the person with the highest percentage of weight loss by the finale walked away with a six-figure prize.
The original run of the show had 17 seasons, spinoffs (including Losing It With Jillian) and eventually a reboot. These renditions made it one of NBC’s highest-rated unscripted series. However, the glorified transformation narratives masked some troubling practices behind the scenes.
After competing on the show, some contestants faced metabolic struggles, leading to weight gain
Contestants later revealed how they were made to endure 12-hour workout days and dehydration tactics. Even calorie counts as low as 800 per day were not uncommon. This approach was designed to produce quick results that would dazzle on screen, but ultimately left participants with long-term health issues, as uncovered in some scientific studies. In fact, a 2016 NIH study tracked former contestants and found out that many of them had experienced a drastic slowdown in their metabolism. So, even years later, their bodies burned fewer calories than expected for their weight. This made it incredibly difficult to keep the pounds off.
Per New York Times, most contestants regained a significant amount of weight they had lost, with some even surpassing their starting weight. These revelations obviously undermined the show’s credibility as a path to sustainable health. After that, NBC quietly pulled the plug (after season 17). However, a short-lived reboot of the same name did air on USA Network in 2020, with a bigger emphasis on overall wellness instead of extreme weight loss. Yet despite these changes, the reboot failed to regain momentum and The Biggest Loser once again disappeared.
Where is Rachel from ‘The Biggest Loser’ now?
One of the most shocking moments from the show’s history occurred in the season 15 finale in 2014. When contestant Rachel Frederickson walked onstage after losing 155 pounds, she was met with a surprising reaction. She dropped from 260 pounds to just 105, so her transformation was quite extreme, as Today reports. It represented an almost 60% reduction in body weight, which made it one of the most dramatic in the show’s history. Her weight reveal was met with gasps from the live audience, and trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper looked visibly uncomfortable.
The backlash was swift. Viewers flooded social media with concern about Rachel’s drastic weight loss and claimed that she looked dangerously underweight. For many, this raised questions about whether the show had incentivized unhealthy practices and fanned the flame of The Biggest Loser controversy. The media turned her win into a broader cultural debate about body image and the (lack of) limits of reality TV weight loss.
In the years since, Rachel has stepped back from the spotlight. She has admitted that the criticism was hurtful in a moment meant for her to celebrate her achievements. But as People reports, other than the initial comments in response to audience reactions, she has tried to move on with her life. She continued with her passion, doing voice-over acting and eventually went on to get her degree. In 2020, she got her bachelor’s degree in logistics, materials and supply chain management from the University of Minnesota. She has been working as a customer insights and analytics manager at Land O’Lakes and has lived a relatively low-profile lifestyle since her appearance on the show.
Why did Jillian Michaels quit?
As many fans of the series remember, Jillian Michaels was one of the faces of The Biggest Loser for much of its run. She was known for her fiery temperament and boot camp-style training. So, she became both loved and hated by fans. But in 2014, she officially quit the show, citing serious disagreements with its direction.
According to Michaels, the editing often portrayed her as cruel. It also allegedly excluded moments of connection with contestants. Dramatic television moments were allegedly prioritized over the well-being of participants. Interestingly enough, the handling of Rachel Frederickson’s controversial win seemed to be a breaking point for her. As she shared with People, “I had to take a hard look at my work […] I came to the conclusion that moving forward, I need to be able to have an impact on the outcome of what I do.”
The former coach doesn’t appear in Netflix’s ‘Fit For TV’
Since the three-episode documentary released on Netflix, Michaels has even spoken out against it, citing that it is an “egregious lie”, per Entertainment Weekly. As viewers may have noticed, her name is brought up quite a lot. Many claims were made about her involvement in the use of caffeine pills for contestants and even low-calorie plans, as Us Weekly reports. But she has denied the allegations and clarified that she even advocated for healthier conditions for contestants.
And since the docuseries was released and accusations of unethical behavior became known, she’s even considered taking legal action. She is reportedly considering her options in opposition to Netflix, the show’s former medical lead, Dr. Robert Huizenga and her former co-trainer, Bob Harper.
As she shared with Fox News, “To be totally honest with you, at the moment I’m choosing my battles because there are a lot to fight. I will absolutely take on one of these. The question is, you can’t fight 10 Goliaths at the same time. So, I have to determine what I want my legacy to be and that is going to be a result of which fight I pick.”
Are Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper friends?
Fans of the show might’ve assumed that after all those years working together, Michaels and Harper were close friends. On screen, their chemistry balanced between camaraderie and competitiveness. But in reality, their relationship was far more complicated than you might assume, per Today. Harper even revealed in interviews that he was deeply hurt when Michaels didn’t reach out after his 2017 heart attack. After such a drastic health issue, as he shared with The Guardian, “Her silence spoke volumes.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the host of The Biggest Loser?
Over the years there have been different hosts, per People. Caroline Rhea was the first host of the show until Alison Sweeney took over for season four. Then in the final season of the original NBC run and reboot, Bob Harper was the host.
Who got married from The Biggest Loser?
There are a few couples who met from the series and are still together, according to Swoon. This includes Matt & Suzy Hoover (season two), Chelsea Arthurs & Toma Dobrosavljevic (seasons one, five and 16) and Daniel & Rebecca Wright (season eight). Then there is Antoine Dove & Alexandra White (season eight), Jessica Limpet & Ramon Medeiros (season 12) and Marty Wolff & Amy Hildreth (season three). But that’s not the end of the happy couples’ reign, Sam Poueu & Stephanie Anderson (season nine) and Koli Palu & Ashley Johnston (season nine) also met on the show and got married.
Does The Biggest Loser still exist?
No, the series no longer exists as an active TV show.
