Latest news with #FitforTV:TheRealityofTheBiggestLoser
Daily Mirror
8 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix viewers left with 'jaw on floor' over 'outrageous' new documentary
The new documentary is now available to stream on Netflix Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser -Netflix trailer Netflix viewers have branded a new documentary as "outrageous" as they have been left with their "jaw on the floor". August 15 saw a brand new docuseries land on Netflix, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, which takes an inside look at the making of the hit competition. The show ran for 18 seasons beginning in 2004 and finishing in 2016, and there was a revival attempt back in 2020. But this three-part series features exclusive interviews with the creators, producers, past contestants and trainers like Bob Harper who were involved in making the show. And fans are hooked as they brand the documentary as "outrageous" and is a must see. One star, who appeared in season 8, Tracey Yukich spoke about her experience on the documentary as she said it was life-changing. During one particular extreme challenge set up by the show's producers, she says she had a near death experience. Taking to TikTok one user branded the documentary as "outrageous" as they added: "Throughout the entire series my jaw was on the floor, I was in a red hot rage." One person commented: "It's really horrific. I actually loved watching the Australian version at the time. How things have changed! Why didn't I see it then?" Another replied: "OMG I literally just finished binge watching this! Awful." In another video, one person said they were left in tears as another replied: "Glad I'm not the only one who just broke into tears." Over on X, one person wrote: "Netflix has been in their bag with these documentaries. This Biggest Loser Doc is crazy." Another said: "Anybody watch that Netflix doc about the Biggest Loser yet? Wow that was one of the saddest things I've seen in a while." A third added: "this biggest loser doc is no joke. I love it. Netflix." Exploring the good, the bad, and the complicated, the series examines the show's approach to transformation and the support systems in place as well as how the experience shaped the lives of those involved on the show after the cameras had stopped filming. A Netflix synopsis reads: "Contenders on "The Biggest Loser" wanted the body of their dreams. Instead, many fell into a televised nightmare. Now, they tell their side of the story."
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
What happened to Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels as Netflix doc examines reality show
The fitness expert was a big part of the show but does not feature in the Netflix docuseries A new docuseries examines the experiences of those behind hit reality TV show The Biggest Loser. Now streaming on Netflix from today (August 15), Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser takes an inside look at the making of the hit competition that ran for 18 seasons beginning in 2004 and finishing in 2016. Although there was an attempted revival back in 2020. The three-part series features interviews with the creators, producers, past contestants and trainers like Bob Harper who were involved in making the show. However, one person heavily involved with the show who does not feature in the series to be interviewed, is Jillian Michaels. So who is she, what happened to her after the show and what does she do now? Here is everything you need to know. Who is Jillian Michaels? Jillian Michaels is a fitness expert and media personality who was one of the professional trainers featured in multiple seasons of The Biggest Loser. She appeared in seasons one and two before taking a break and returning for the fourth season until its 11th. She left again before making another comeback for seasons 14 and 15. Leaving the show for good, she claimed that there were fundamental differences between her and the producers. Often seen has being extremely tough with contestants, according to TV Insider she was unhappy with how she was portrayed. She told People magazine: "You saw none of the relationships, none of the bonds that I build with my clients. Millions of people have this warped negative perception of me." Are Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper still friends? It seems that whatever friendship was seen on screen between the two trainers has not continued now it is no longer on the air. During a 2020 interview with Us Weekly, Bob revealed that the pair had not been in touch 'at all'. In fact, Bob tells the docuseries makers that when he suffered his heart attack, Jillian was the only person who did not contact him to wish him well. What is Jillian Michaels doing now? After leaving The Biggest Loser, Jillian launched her own app called Jillian Michaels The Fitness App. According to its website the app offers custom workouts and meal plans devised by experts as well as online support. An annual membership costs around $150. Jillian has also become a media personality in her own right with more than half a million followers on her YouTube page. It is where she hosts her Keeping It Real Podcast. According to its IMDB page, the show began in 2011 and "follows Jillian Michaels having in-depth interviews with the world's leading experts in all fields of wellness. From medicine, fitness, and nutrition to parenting, money, and relationships, the show is raw, authentic, and fact-based." The fitness expert has courted some controversy for her political views having shared that she voted for Donald Trump in the 2024 election.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Biggest Loser contestant says they 'died that day' after extreme challenge on beach
Dramatic shows footage of how contestant's nearly ended in Netflix documentary A former contestant on The Biggest Loser says they 'died that day' after attempting an extreme challenge. A new docuseries on Netflix, streaming from today (August 15) called Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser takes an inside look at the making of the hit reality TV competition that ran for 18 seasons beginning in 2004 and finishing in 2016. Although there was an attempted revival back in 2020. The three-part series explores the good, the bad, and the complicated during the show's lifespan. It features interviews with former contestants, producers, health professionals and trainers like Bob Harper who were involved in making the show. It examines the show's approach to transformation, the support systems in place, and the unique challenges of filming reality television. Many of those involved reflect back on what it was like to make the show, what it meant for them at the time and how they view it all today. Tracey Yukich appears in the documentary to talk about her experiences as a contestant. Tracey featured in season eight and says it was life changing. However, that is not simply because she was just able to lose weight. During one particular extreme challenge set up by the show's producers, she says she had a near death experience. For the participant's first major mission that year, they were transported away from the ranch that they spent majority of their time in to a beach front location. Crews were filming them from helicopters as well as on the ground. A mile-long course had been set up along the beach to test each of the new contestants before they had even really started their new exercise regimes. Tracey struggled and collapsed. Footage is shown of the dramatic moment on the show, where there is serious concern by fellow contestants. The medical team rush onto the scene and they are heard several times exclaiming Tracey is unresponsive. Describing what happened for the documentary, Tracey says: "I'm running, and my legs feel really heavy. Like lead. What's happening right then is my body's starting to shut down. I might not make it. But I told myself 'I'm gonna do it' because I wanted to change my life." Tracey is then seen on the show, unable to walk and struggling to speak as she begins to crawl towards the finish line. Other contestants then come over to try and help her. However, as they do and cheer for her, she collapses. "I don't remember a lot," Tracey says, "I remember hearing the helicopter. I just felt like I was floating. And then my grandpa was there. And then I saw darkness. But then I saw light. So I knew, I knew I died that day." At the time of filming, it was believed Tracey suffered heat stroke. However, she has since explained it was rhabdomyolysis, a potentially life threatening muscle injury. "My organs were literally shutting down. I didn't realise that I had rhabdomyolysis. And rhabdomyolysis is your body's way of saying 'I'm going to shut down on you'. It started with my liver, then it was in my kidneys and then it goes to your heart. And that's where I almost died." Tracey says that she was unable to get out of bed to go to the bathroom herself and could still feel grit and sand in her fingernails. Doctors warned her that they may need to perform drastic surgery to aid her recovery. She also acknowledges that only the show's medical advisor Dr Robert Huizenga understood how sick she was. Dr Huizenga also tells the documentary that the show did not inform him of the challenge Tracey and the rest of the contestants were undertaking. Despite what happened, and still feeling physically weak afterwards, Tracey remained on the show. She lasted until week eight, when she was voted off.
Cosmopolitan
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
The truth about why Biggest Loser's Bob Harper had a heart attack
Whether you watched the series when it was initially on TV or this is your first time hearing about it, everyone is talking about The Biggest Loser right now. And, that's no coincidence. Netflix's newest documentary – Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser – takes a deep-dive into the programme that captured America's attention from 2004 to 2016, interviewing everyone from former contestants to coaches who appeared on the show. Speaking of which, one coach from The Biggest Loser who has been of particular interest is Bob Harper. More recently, you might recognise him from the third season of The Traitors US, but he first made a name for himself as a celebrity trainer before going on to coach contestants on The Biggest Loser and later present the show, too. All of that is great for Harper's career, but fans also had concerns after he faced a shocking medical scare in 2017. Here, we go into who Bob Harper is and how he – the apparent epitome of health – suffered a heart attack... After initially starting his career as a personal trainer to the stars (as well as appearing as an extra in a string of music videos), Bob Harper made his TV debut as a fitness coach on the first season of The Biggest Loser in 2004. He continued on the show as a trainer across 15 seasons, and also appeared in several of the show's spin-off workout DVDs. By 2015, he'd taken over presenting the hit series and made appearances on the first three seasons of The Biggest Loser Australia. Beyond The Biggest Loser, in 2010 Harper launched his own website through which subscribers could receive weight-loss coaching. The success of this online business led to the release of his own workout DVD series, followed by contributions to Shape magazine as well as high-profile speaking events. Taking all of the above into consideration, Harper sounds like a pretty healthy guy. It came as a shock, then, when at age 51 he suffered a heart attack while working out at the gym. This prompted many fans to query: how could someone so fit have such a major health scare? "I was in full cardiac arrest,'' Harper told TODAY just two months after the heart attack that almost claimed his life. "My heart stopped. Not to be dramatic, but I was dead. I was on that ground dead." The fitness coach went on to explain that he had suffered a 'widow maker' which has a survival rate of just 6%. As for how he survived, Harper credits the fast-thinking of those around him in the gym and the fact that there were two doctors nearby. A sudden cardiac arrest like the one Harper had stops the heart beating and blood is no longer pumped through the body or to the brain – this means death can occur within minutes. Thankfully, the quick-acting doctors performed CPR and used a defibrillator to keep him alive. "The fact that there were doctors in the gym when I had the heart attack saved my life," he said of what happened that day. Like fans, Harper said he was in disbelief at being told he'd had a heart attack when he woke up in hospital two days later. "It was hugely shocking for me,'' he said, going on to explain what caused the near-death event. "I've learned a lot about myself," the fitness expert added. "I've learned a lot about the fact that genetics played a part in this. It is so important to know your health." For context, Harper's mother died of a heart attack at 70 and his grandfather passed away from one as well. What's more, despite his life being very exercise-heavy, his cholesterol levels were revealed to be quite high. While genetics may have been the cause of Harper's heart attack, experts have credited his fitness levels as a reason for his survival – although, this is something he had to tone down in the aftermath. Unable to jump back into his former fitness routine, Harper turned to lower-intensity workouts, including yoga. He also took up cardio rehab three times a week, and swapped his usual "carnivore" diet for one that centred around plant-based ingredients, per NBC. Understandably describing his heart attack as "life-changing", Harper explained that, while terrifying, it gave him a new outlook on life. "I became so much more aware of how precious this life is and that life can turn on a dime and lights can go out before you know it," he told NBC. "I found that I'm much more appreciative and much more passionate. Once you've had a heart attack, and survive it, you're part of the club – the heart attack survivors club – you want to be able to get the message out to help people as much as you can." As Harper's case has shown, even if you live a well-balanced, active lifestyle, you are still at risk of having a heart attack. That's because, while regular exercise and a healthy diet can be generally beneficial for heart health, and reduce the risk of certain conditions, it doesn't eliminate that risk altogether. According to the NHS, coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of heart attacks, and your chance of developing it is increased by: smoking, a high-fat diet, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure (hypertension), and being overweight or obese. Genetics also play a role. "This means that if someone you are related to has or has had a condition [like CHD], you might be at risk of developing it too," explains The British Heart Foundation. That being said, "while you cannot change your family history, or your genetics, there are things you can do to reduce your risk of having a heart attack." These include staying active – like Harper – as well as maintaining a healthy weight and avoiding alcohol and tobacco products. All three episodes of the Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser documentary will be available to stream on Netflix from Friday 15 August. Sign up to watch This article is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice or diagnosis. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
