Celebrity fitness trainer Jillian Michaels is slamming Bob Harper, Netflix, and some of the producers behind NBC's reality show, "The Biggest Loser."
After Netflix released an explosive three-part docuseries detailing the behind-the-scenes chaos of "The Biggest Loser," Michaels took to her Instagram account to dispute some of the claims.
Jillian Michaels, 51, however, wasn't met with the supportive response she was looking for.
Jillian Michaels Slams Producers Of 'The Biggest Loser' In Social Media Post After Documentary Exposed Everything
In the Netflix documentary "Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser," previous contestants reunited in front of the cameras for a three-part project to share exclusive details about their experiences filming the controversial competition show.
Former contestants spoke about their relationships with producers and their daily interactions with the fitness trainers, Michaels and Bob Harper. During some of the interviews in the docuseries, contestants claimed that they were provided with caffeine pills by Michaels to help them lose substantial amounts of weight during the program.
However, after posting a carousel of screenshots of alleged emails between Harper and "The Biggest Loser" producers, Michaels fired back at that claim and took a few shots at her former colleagues in the process.
Jillian Michaels Calls Out Harper For Ignoring Previous Text Messages
In addition to the screenshots, which show individuals allegedly involved in the production of "The Biggest Loser" discussing caffeine pills, Michaels criticized the show's doctor, Robert Huizenga, as well as fellow trainer Harper.
“Dr. Huizenga did approve caffeine pills on many seasons of Biggest Loser,” she wrote in the caption. “Bob Harper not only knew about the caffeine pills, the ‘stackers fat burner’ were actually his suggestion. I wanted to use my brand instead because they were cleaner and had no more than 200mg of caffeine (equivalent to a strong cup of coffee).”
As she went on, Michaels called out some of the other claims made in the Netflix documentary, sharing that caffeine was "NEVER banned" on the set.
Later, Michaels expressed disbelief at how people "still lie" despite having receipts.
She also slammed Harper at the end of her post for ignoring her text messages, concluding, "Take from it what you will."
Jillian Michaels Reveals Plans To Sue
In the Netflix documentary, according to Tudum, the show publicly acknowledged that Michaels provided her teams with caffeine pills despite them being prohibited. Michaels, however, is maintaining her innocence.
During an interview with TMZ, she told the publication that she teamed up with attorney Bryan Freedman to explore her legal options regarding the docuseries. If Freedman determines that Michaels does have a case, her lawsuit could target Harper, Dr. Huizenga, Netflix, and the documentary's production company.
Fans React To Michaels' Meeting With Powerhouse Attorney
While the documentary does mention the caffeine pill claims, Michaels wasn't the project's primary focus. Consequently, many users voiced confusion over her scathing Instagram post and potential plans to sue.
"I think they took it extremely easy on her, and they didn't say anything that wasn't true. So good luck suing," one user wrote on Reddit. Another commented that Michaels hadn't come out of the documentary "looking that bad."
"I mean, if you already thought she was a terrible person, nothing in that documentary would make you think any differently," they continued.
A third user posted, "I've never heard a single positive thing about her ever," while a fourth shared, "It's like people don't understand that you can't sue people for telling the truth."
What Is 'The Biggest Loser'?
NBC's "The Biggest Loser" premiered in 2004, showcasing overweight individuals participating in a 30-week competition to see who could lose the most weight in the shortest amount of time. The series ran for 18 seasons before concluding in 2020.
In addition to the drama about caffeine pills on set, former contestants, including Ryan Benson, Danny Cahill, Joelle Gwynn, and Tracey Yukich, opened up about their alleged experiences, which included drastic calorie restriction, being allegedly mistreated by the trainers, and one contestant nearly dying after collapsing during a challenge.
As "The Biggest Loser" continued, the show received increasing backlash over its extreme practices, resulting in major criticism over season 15 winner Rachel Frederickson, who weighed in at a shockingly low 105 pounds during the show's finale.