Netflix recently released Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser, a docu-series chronicling the infamous weight loss show, The Biggest Loser, bringing back the conversation of why Alison Sweeney chose to leave the series. Sweeney appeared in the documentary as well and addressed that she did not leave the show due to the controversies surrounding it.
Alison Sweeney on why she had to leave The Biggest Loser
Alison Sweeney took over the role of the host from Caroline Rhea after the first three seasons. Sweeney worked in the show for around eight years before she left in 2015. At the time, she had explained her decision to People, saying, “Times change and situations change.” She continued, “It’s a tough time in TV and producers have a lot of tough choices to make in the landscape. We talked and it wasn’t an easy decision. It was just the right time for me to do something different.”
She did not disclose the exact reason she left, but it did coincide with the time the perception of the show started shifting.
In The Biggest Loser, contestants were pitted against each other in a 30-week competition to lose the most weight for a huge cash prize. The rush to shed weight often saw contestants adopt dangerous methods. Over the years, the perception of the show changed completely, and many started pointing out how the show was counterproductive in more than one way.
Things started to change dramatically after Rachel Frederickson won The Biggest Loser Season 15, where she lost 155 pounds, leading to concerns amongst viewers. A couple of years before this, The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels was also found to be giving contestants caffeine supplements to quicken the process of losing weight.
By the time Alison Sweeney departed, things had taken a turn for the worse on the show and its perception amongst viewers.
In the Netflix documentary series, Sweeney indicated that she did not leave because of the controversy. She said, “When people talk about the show negatively or have critics of the show, I totally understand. I’m not naive or have rose-colored glasses. I see.” She added, “But for me, I think my goal was to have that conversation about health and wellness and giving people that idea that it’s possible.” (via Dexterto)
She did admit that there were some things on the show, like the temptation round, that she did have a problem with. Since then, Sweeney has pivoted and now works very often with Hallmark.
Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser is now streaming on Netflix.
