Latest news with #FitforTV:TheRealityoftheBiggestLoser
USA Today
30 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- USA Today
How a 'Biggest Loser' contestant collapsed, angry about being in 'great danger'
Do we still have an appetite for 'The Biggest Loser,' or will Netflix's new docuseries about the controversial weight-loss competition remind viewers that we've had our fill? 'Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser' (now streaming) provides a heaping second helping of the triumphs and missteps of NBC's 18-season 2004-16 competition series. Over three episodes, past contestants, co-creator David Broome, former host Alison Sweeney and trainer Bob Harper reflect on the series that awarded a large cash prize to the contestant who'd lost the most weight. Jillian Michaels, another fitness expert on the series, declined to be interviewed. Though many lost weight throughout the series, the tactics at times posed a risk to participants and their esteem. Tracey Yukich suffered a near-death experience during a challenge to kick off Season 8. Joelle Gwynn, a competitor on Season 7, still harbors anger for the way Harper scolded her during a workout. And Michaels supplied some contestants with caffeine pills, though caffeine was banned by the show's physician, Robert Huizenga. Competitors were asked to participate in sometimes humiliating temptation challenges, when they were enticed with high-calorie treats or building towers made of bread using their mouths. "I'd lost all focus about getting healthy, and the focus became winning," the series' first champion, Ryan Benson, says in the docuseries. "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." He says he sustained himself on lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Season 11 winner Olivia Ward lost 129 pounds on the popular series. 'It made hundreds of millions of dollars, and (the) reason was not because of the fat shaming, it was the hope that people saw every week,' Ward tells USA TODAY. 'They tuned in for the hope, and that does not change just because there are some people who didn't feel like they had the best experience.' Here are the eye-opening revelations from 'Fit for TV.' Tracey Yukich collapses during a challenge Tracey Yukich, a mom of four, started Season 8 weighing 250 pounds. 'There was infidelity in my marriage, a lot,' Yukich says in the docuseries. 'I thought it was my fault because I was fat.' With tears welling in her eyes, Yukich elaborates on the changes she wanted to see in her life: 'I don't want to be disrespected. I don't want to be yelled at. I don't want to be harmed.' On the first day of filming "Loser," Yukich and her fellow contestants had to run a mile on a beach. With so much on the line, Yukich darted for the finish line, but her body began shutting down. She went from running to crawling to being pulled to the end by her competitors, and then she collapsed. Yukich had developed rhabdomyolysis, described by the Cleveland Clinic as a condition that causes muscles to disintegrate. "When this happens, toxic components of your muscle fibers enter your circulation system and kidneys.' Yukich tells USA TODAY that she spent more than three weeks in the hospital before resuming the competition, and ultimately shedding 118 pounds. She says she relied on the advice of Huizenga, and not the trainers because she believed he 'had my absolute best interest at heart.' Yukich points to Harper's admission that highlights his inexperience working with larger clients. 'I never worked with obese people,' Harper says in the docuseries. 'I worked with very fit people that were trying to be a size 0 or have a six-pack. It was a huge wakeup call for me." 'I felt so validated when he said that,' Yukich says. "I was angry that I had an accident like that, and I was angry that I was put in such great danger.' Yukich has continued to focus on her fitness and says she has run the Boston Marathon four times. 'I'm thankful that I was a part of (the show) because it did change my life,' she says. 'I really meant what I said at the end (when I) said that I was the one that changed my life. I was the one that did the work.' Joelle Gwynn remembers being 'abused' by Bob Harper In the docuseries, Harper cheekily accuses Huizenga of 'maybe' having a God complex. 'No one was going to tell us what to do when it came to diet and exercise.' Dr. Jennifer Kerns, a Season 3 contestant, describes the show as a "great" experience. She lost more than 100 pounds and began working with Huizenga in a professional capacity. Kerns notes a constant 'bit of tension between Dr. Huizenga and the producers,' in 'Fit for TV. 'The producers needed to make good TV.' Joelle Gwynn, a contestant on Season 7, criticized the show for using trainers as pseudo-therapists. 'I think it's reckless for people to tip into serious areas,' Gwynn adds, 'and they're not qualified to handle this.' In an episode, Gwynn and Harper got into an explosive fight after Gwynn was unable to run on the treadmill for 30 seconds. Harper admits, 'My head blew off my shoulders.' 'I've never seen someone get abused like that,' Gwynn says in the docuseries. 'It was very, very, very, very embarrassing.' Others had a very different experience with Harper. Olivia Ward, who partnered with her sister Hannah Curlee Young in Season 11, named her first child after Harper, whom she calls a close friend. Ward says she and her sister found Harper and 'mother hen' Michaels to be 'extremely helpful.' 'Jillian said, 'You all are so broken, you're not even in a place where you can believe in yourself yet," Ward remembers the trainer saying, "'So here's what's going to happen. I'm going to believe in you for you, and when you're strong enough, I'm going to give that responsibility back to you.'' 'We were completely infertile' before the weight loss, Curlee Young says in an interview with her sister. They're now mothers. 'And I married a personal trainer, which I would have never even talked to this person before this. Olivia's husband also lost almost the same amount that we did while she was on the show. It's just changed our lives.'
Cosmopolitan
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Jillian Michaels from Biggest Loser now: Revealing what she's up to, as she refuses Netflix documentary
Anyone who watched The Biggest Loser during its noughties heyday or who caught the Netflix documentary, Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, will be more than familiar with the name Jillian Michaels. As well as being a high-profile coach on the popular series, she went on to make a global name for herself writing multiple books on health and fitness, and launching her own workout series, including via a popular app. These days though, her life looks pretty different to her reality show peak. For those less familiar, let's take a look at who Jillian Michaels is and what she's been up to since the Biggest Loser wrapped – and what we know so far about her decision not to appear in the Netflix docuseries, which charts the highs and lows of the weight loss show that initially ran for 17 seasons in the US. Always known for being a straight-shooting talker, it seems Michaels is just as opinionated as ever in the year 2025. Let's get into it... From its first episode which aired October 2004, Jillian Michaels appeared (alongside coach, Bob Harper) as a personal trainer on the weight loss reality show, The Biggest Loser. Known for her no-nonsense approach in the gym – which in Fit for TV is framed as either motivational or degrading, depending on who is talking – Michaels pushed contestants to their limit, to sweat it out and encouraged them to make radical lifestyle changes. While she briefly departed the show for one season in 2006, she soon returned for 2007 and remained in place until 2010, after which she again stepped back for a time, before returning for a few more series and then bowing out for good. At the peak of the show's popularity, Michaels and Harper made countless TV appearances, often together, launched workout DVDs and more. Outside of her life in the limelight, Michaels and her former partner, Heidi Rhoades, share two children; a daughter, Lukensia, who was adopted in 2012 from Haiti, and a son, Phoenix, born the same year. Michaels married DeShanna Marie Michaels, a fashion designer, in the summer of 2022. Why did Jillian Michaels not appear in Netflix's Biggest Loser documentary? At the end of the docu-series, a note appears explaining that Michaels was approached to appear on Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser but declined the opportunity. She has not publicly spoken about this decision. What is Jillian Michaels doing now? Nowadays, it seems Michaels is focussed on her podcast Keeping It Real: Conversations with Jillian Michaels and makes occasional appearances on US news channels, such as CNN, to discuss politics. In recent episodes of her podcast, Michaels has discussed the likes of Jeffrey Epstein (with a former CIA operative), vaccine scepticism and has hosted divisive figures such as Piers Morgan and Candace Owens (a political commentator whose views have been described as 'far right' and who has been accused of promoting conspiracy theories). Last year, Michaels openly stated that she voted for Donald Trump, saying she did so despite not supporting all of his policies, describing the choice between him and Democratic nominee, Kamala Harris, as "a question of lesser evils". She later attended Trump's inauguration ball, which sparked criticism from some with fears that the Trump administration could potentially enact harmful policies against the LGBTQ+ community (pointing out that Michaels herself is a member of said community). Michaels previously stated in a Daily Mail interview that she feels un-cancellable, quipping, "I've been cancelled so many times. Now I just wear a T-shirt and every time is like a Boy Scout badge for me." Earlier this year, she appeared on a podcast hosted by Russell Brand, the comedian currently awaiting trial following multiple sexual assault allegations (all of which is strongly denies and said he looks forward to disproving in court). Jennifer Savin is Cosmopolitan UK's multiple award-winning Features Editor, who was crowned Digital Journalist of the Year for her work tackling the issues most important to young women. She regularly covers breaking news, cultural trends, health, the royals and more, using her esteemed connections to access the best experts along the way. She's grilled everyone from high-profile politicians to A-list celebrities, and has sensitively interviewed hundreds of people about their real life stories. In addition to this, Jennifer is widely known for her own undercover investigations and campaign work, which includes successfully petitioning the government for change around topics like abortion rights and image-based sexual abuse. Jennifer is also a published author, documentary consultant (helping to create BBC's Deepfake Porn: Could You Be Next?) and a patron for Y.E.S. (a youth services charity). Alongside Cosmopolitan, Jennifer has written for The Times, Women's Health, ELLE and numerous other publications, appeared on podcasts, and spoken on (and hosted) panels for the Women of the World Festival, the University of Manchester and more. In her spare time, Jennifer is a big fan of lipstick, leopard print and over-ordering at dinner. Follow Jennifer on Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Cosmopolitan
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Cosmopolitan
Fit for TV: Where is The Biggest Loser's Rachel Frederickson now?
Between the likes of Wife Swap and The Simple Life, the noughties provided some of the best reality TV moments in entertainment history. Clips from the era are now being shared on TikTok feeds globally, with meme-worthy moments reaching viewers that weren't even alive when the shows initially aired. But, not all reality shows from the noughties are worth praising in the modern day. The once-popular Brat Camp – which saw 'badly behaved' teenagers sent to strict therapy programs – has been hit with allegations and claims the centres were more like "child-abuse institutions". Now, another memorable reality TV series from the noughties is under the spotlight: The Biggest Loser. In a new three-part documentary titled Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, Netflix takes a deep-dive into The Biggest Loser, interviewing former contestants, coaches, and health experts to uncover "the true story behind the hit weight loss reality show." But one face is noticeably missing from the docuseries. Rachel Frederickson is one of the most well-known contestants to have appeared on The Biggest Loser, but her name is merely mentioned in the three-parter. Here, we explore what happened to The Biggest Loser's Rachel Frederickson and where she is now... The Biggest Loser premiered on US channel NBC in 2004 and, according to Netflix, it was a "reality show unlike anything America had ever seen". The show saw groups of "overweight" people compete in a 30-week program with the goal of losing as much weight as possible in that time. The person who dropped the most weight was crowned "the biggest loser" – hence the show's name – and typically won up to $250,000 (roughly £186,000). The show was an instant success – many put this down to the country's obesity rankings, which have at times topped global charts – with millions tuning in for the season one finale. The Biggest Loser became such a cultural phenomenon that a British version premiered just a year later. The UK edition of the series ran on Living TV from 2005 to 2006, then moved to ITV in 2009 before the last series aired in 2012. While some contestants opted not to step into the spotlight following their time on the show, there have been plenty of famous faces to come out of The Biggest Loser. The show's first female winner, Ali Vincent, went on to write a book and launch her own TV series, while season nine's Michael Ventrella went on to become a motivational speaker. But one contestant fans repeatedly ask the whereabouts of, is Rachel Frederickson – the winner of season 15. Rachel Frederickson appeared on the 15th season of The Biggest Loser at the age of 23. She started the series at 260 pounds (18.5 stone, 117.9 kg) and ended up winning the show, weighing in at just 105 pounds (7.5 stone, 47.6 kg) at the finale. Frederickson's dramatic transformation on The Biggest Loser prompted concern from viewers – one journalist described her as having a "now-emaciated body" – and the show received a lot of criticism for this. Even the show's trainers, Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, looked visibly shocked at her appearance during the finale. Following Frederickson's win, critics argued the show had "gone too far" in its pursuit of extreme weight loss, and just two series later, The Biggest Loser was cancelled. A year on from her win on The Biggest Loser, Frederickson penned an emotional essay for TODAY in which she recalled her time on the show and its impact. She admitted that the comments over her dramatic weight loss were tough to handle, describing them as "hurtful", and revealed she'd gained 20 pounds (1.4 stone, 9 kg) in the year since filming ended. Regardless, Frederickson said that the most important opinion to her was that of her own. "There will always be other voices in life. The trouble comes when you stop listening to your own," she wrote. "I am committed to trusting my decisions and standing strong behind them. I found strength in this struggle and I am listening to my own voice again!" Describing her time on the show, Frederickson said: "When I stood on stage at the live finale, I had never felt stronger. I had accomplished everything I wanted to do. I was extremely proud of myself." Since then, Frederickson – who is now 35 – has kept a very low profile, remaining out of the public eye. Her Instagram account (on which she has over 3000 followers but is following no one) is private, with a bio that reads: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live life to the fullest!" Elsewhere online, her LinkedIn profile reveals that she works in Minnesota at a farmer-owned food and beverage manufacturing co-operative. 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
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Biggest Loser's Bob Harper uses Netflix doc to reveal a secret about his trainer past before joining TV hit
Years after the end of the NBC reality hit The Biggest Loser, secrets have begun to come out about the weight loss reality show, including the qualifications of the trainers. The NBC show aired from 2004 to 2016 and followed obese people as they attempted to lose weight as quickly as possible using only diet and exercise, with the help of celebrity trainers, including Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper. The person who lost the most weight took home a $250,000 cash prize. The show was a hit and helped inspire many to undertake their own weight-loss journeys. In a new Netflix documentary,Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, the three-episode feature interviews with the reality show's former contestants, trainers and producers discussing what went on behind the scenes and how the show itself came to fruition. The documentary is set to debut Friday. 'I had first heard about the making of The Biggest Loser, a show that you only have diet and exercise to work with, and I thought, 'Oh, well, that's interesting,'' Harper recalled his involvement in the show. Despite the trainer's now-large association with the show and weight loss, he had 'never worked with obese people.' 'I worked with very fit people who were trying to be a size zero or have a six-pack,' he said. 'It was a huge wake-up call for me.' Throughout Harper's time on the reality show, he was seen aggressively yelling at contestants as they worked in the gym while also trying to be their pseudo-therapist, despite his lack of qualifications to handle mental health concerns. 'When it comes to The Biggest Loser, always remember we were trying to make an entertaining show that was on prime time network television,' Harper said. 'What's more important for weight loss? We all know it's diet. But that becomes boring television.' He continued, 'You know what's not boring television? To see us in a gym, yelling, screaming, that's 'good TV.'' In addition to the rigorous workout regime, which meant being in the gym and exercising anywhere from five to eight hours a day, the trainers were also in charge of creating meal plans for the contestant, which sometimes went against medical advice. 'Dr. Robert Huizenga came in and told us, 'You may hear how many calories to eat, but I'm gonna tell you the right thing, the healthy thing to do,'' season eight winner, Danny Cahill, recalled on the documentary. According to Huizenga, despite regularly telling the contestants that they should be eating anywhere from 1,200 to 2,000 calories a day, the contestants relied more strongly on what their trainers told them, which was to eat around 800 calories. 'A lot of people in the medical profession, some might say they have a God complex,' Harper said. 'But no one was going to tell us what to do when it came to diet and exercise. It was our meal plans and it was our exercise program.' Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser will be available to watch on Netflix on August 15.
