Bullying, cheating & star whose weight loss ‘horrified' trainers – dark secrets of Biggest Loser exposed in Netflix doc

The Sun

a day ago

IT was the show that had America - and the rest of the world - hooked for 17 seasons, but now The Biggest Loser's darkest secrets have been revealed.
The show first aired in 2004 and saw obese Americans try to transform their bodies and lives via an extreme exercise and diet programme.
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The person who lost the highest percentage of their weight - relative to their starting numbers on the scales - won an incredible $250,000.
Seventeen winners were crowned until the show came to an end in 2020, after years of growing controversies and a changing attitude to that type of reality show.
Now, Netflix has premiered a three part documentary on the show, Fit For TV, where former contestants, trainers and producers speak about their experiences.
While some did credit the show with transforming their lives forever and had good things to say, many spoke of the darker side to the show that viewers didn't see.
Here are just some of the most explosive moments from the documentary.
Disordered eating
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It possibly comes at no surprise to some that many of the Biggest Loser contestants went from one bad relationship with food to a totally different one after participating on the show.
Having spent years overeating, a number of contestants opened up about how they ended up starving themselves to either win the show or keep the weight off once their season was over.
The show's first winner, Rory Benson, lost 122lbs but admitted on the documentary: "In the end it worked out great because I won, but I was doing what most doctors would say were super unhealthy things.
"The last 10 days I didn't put any food in my body, I was just doing the Master Cleanse just drinking lemon juice and maple syrup and cayenne pepper.
"All these tricks that are super unhealthy just to cut weight.
Biggest Loser star Ali Vincent's confession on Oprah: Where Are They Now
"At the final weigh-in we had to do a urine test, and they said 'Ryan, there's blood in your urine', which obviously means you're so dehydrated."
Meanwhile Suzy Mendonca who competed on series two has frequently spoken out against the show since she participated.
On Fit for TV, Suzy, who lost 90lbs says: "Automatically when I came home, I was starving myself.
"By the time I was on the aeroplane and back in New York I had already put 20 pounds back on, instantly.
"I slept in bed for two days because my body physically hurt too much to even move, and then by that third day I was out there pounding the pavement, running 10 miles training eight hours a day.
It was just all-consuming.
"Fast-forward I asked my husband 'Do you remember how I came back?', He's like 'I don't know what they did to you, you were changed.'"
She added: "I didn't know who I was financially, emotionally, mentally, physically. You know, I came back with a severe eating disorder.
I stopped eating."
At the end of the episode she says: "Was there anything positive I can take away from The Biggest Loser? That's a tough one, I'd like to say no."
Bullied by trainers
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For the majority of the show's run, the contestants were trained by Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels.
Both had no problem pushing the contestants to their limits, to the point they'd be sick or collapse on a treadmill.
But for Joelle Gwynn from series seven, she has never forgiven Bob for how he treated her in one infamous gym scene.
Bob had tasked his team with running on a treadmill for 30 seconds, but became frustrated when Joelle kept stopping a few seconds before the end.
Appearing on the documentary, Bob admits he lost his head before the scene showed him telling her: "Stop saying all these words, quit talking! Shut the f*** up! Just do it!"
I've never seen someone get abused like that, it was very, very, very embarrassing."
Joelle Gwynn
He added: "It wasn't one of my proudest moments."
But Joelle said during her piece to camera: "That little country bumpkin of a man berates me in such a way I've never seen on the show before.
"I've never seen someone get abused like that, it was very, very, very embarrassing."
She added cuttingly: "I do not care for Bob Harper, f*** you Bob Harper."
Meanwhile Tracey Yukich, who competed on series eight, recalls Bob and Jillian failing to clap her weight loss like they did for the other contestants, because she had been advised by the show's doctor not to train with them in the gym during her first few days there (more on that below).
She said: "Bob and Jillian not clapping for me when I lost weight, they were supposed to be my trainer and be happy for me."
Near death experience
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Indeed, the reason Tracey had been told not to train when she got the Biggest Loser ranch was because she nearly died on day one of series eight.
The contestants had been tasked with running a mile along a beach, and anyone who didn't cross the finish line didn't make the show.
Tracey set off all guns blazing but soon ran out of steam and collapsed on the beach.
While other contestants ended up helping her over the line, she became unresponsive, with show host Alison Sweeney recalling in the documentary: "She collapsed right there on the other side of the finish line and that's when I knew we really had a problem."
Tracey was airlifted to hospital by helicopter and she recalled seeing her late grandfather, then it went dark, before seeing the light.
She says on the show: "So I knew I died that day."
What to do if you lose too much weight too quickly whilst on Mounjaro
IF you're losing too much weight too quickly while on Mounjaro, it's important to take action to avoid potential health risks like muscle loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and fatigue. Here's what you can do:
Evaluate Your Caloric Intake
Mounjaro reduces appetite, which can make it easy to eat too little. If you're losing weight too fast (more than two to three lbs per week after the initial adjustment period), try:
Tracking your food intake to ensure you're eating enough calories (apps like MyFitnessPal can help).
Increasing protein intake to preserve muscle mass (aim for 0.6–1g per pound of body weight).
Adding healthy fats and complex carbs (e.g., avocados, nuts, whole grains) for balanced energy.
Adjust Your Dosage (With Doctor's Approval)
If your weight loss is too rapid or causing side effects, your doctor may:
Pause dose increases or lower your dosage.
Adjust your treatment plan to stabilise your weight loss.
Strength Training & Exercise
To prevent muscle loss:
Incorporate resistance training at least two to three times per week.
Stay active with low-impact exercises like walking or yoga.
Hydrate & Manage Electrolytes
Drink enough water (Mounjaro can reduce thirst).
Electrolytes matter - Consider adding magnesium, sodium, and potassium if you feel weak or fatigued.
Monitor for Malnutrition & Deficiencies
Rapid weight loss can cause vitamin/mineral deficiencies (especially B12, iron, and electrolytes). If you experience:
Fatigue, hair loss, or dizziness, ask your doctor about supplements.
Consider Further Medical Guidance
If your weight loss is excessive or causing health concerns, speak with your healthcare provider.
They might adjust your dosage, diet, or exercise plan to help stabilise your weight loss.
However, she was still determined to compete on the show - with her fellow contestants and viewers having no idea how bad things were for her back home.
The show's doctor, Dr. Robert Huizenga, put her on a strict plan to help her stay on the show, but it didn't go down well with the trainers, and they seemed to take it out on her via their silent response to her weight loss success.
Popping pills
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Throughout the three episodes of Fit for TV, there are numerous mentions of the fact Dr. Huizenga had banned caffeine from the Biggest Loser.
He said: "Caffeine, a weight loss pill absolutely against everything in the show. No caffeine pills, no caffeine! I banned coffee because people were abusing it.
"It was in the show rules and the patients signed off to that and the trainers signed off to that. And the producers signed off to that.
"If a trainer tells you different and you do that, that's on you."
"Sometimes you're tempted to do things that maybe you shouldn't do."
Danny Cahill
But series eight winner Danny Cahill - who lost an incredible 239lbs - admits he was given them by the assistant of one of the trainers.
He said: "At some point I was given Stackers, like a caffeine pill, you're allowed one of these a day, but they were approved by the trainer.
"I took it as I decided, hey caffeine will probably help me in a workout."
Danny also restricted his calories to 800 a day, despite burning between 6,000 and 8,000 calories.
He added: "Sometimes you're tempted to do things that maybe you shouldn't do."
However Bob said of the caffeine pills controversy: "I would never put anyone in harms way, giving drugs or pills to the contestants, it's all just madness.
"I will stand behind anything I've ever done on that show. I'm proud of what I've done."
The documentary also showed the moment Jillian's team were penalised ahead of the weigh in because of the furore.
Taking it too far
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While the whole point of the show was for the contestants to lose as much weight as possible and show off their incredible transformations at the finale, one participant stuck out in everyone's memories for the wrong reasons.
Series 15 winner Rachel Frederickson lost 155lbs, going from 260lbs to a tiny 105lbs.
But as she walked out in a silver dress during her finale, Bob and Jillian were visibly shocked by her appearance.
While Rachel didn't participate in the Netflix documentary, Bob recalled of her transformation: "Rachel came out and she had lost so much weight it was shocking.
"Jillian and I were just in horror."
Personally, I wouldn't have allowed it to happen, but I profited off a platform that did.
Jillian Michaels
Danni Allen, who had won the previous series, was also there that night and she said: "She was very thin, it was kind of startling, people's jaw's dropped."
Jillian was then seen talking on a podcast where she admitted: "She was...unhealthily thin, to say the least.
"Personally, I wouldn't have allowed it to happen, but I profited off a platform that did.
Fit for TV is available on Netflix now.