Jillian Michaels is tackling the controversy head-on in real-time fashion. The former star of "The Biggest Loser" has broken her silence regarding the Netflix documentary, "Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser," categorically denying the accusations leveled against her.
Michaels, who coached contestants on the NBC reality show to shed pounds through diet and exercise in a bid for cash prizes, was accused by fellow trainer Bob Harper of giving him the silent treatment after he suffered a life-threatening heart attack in 2017. Harper revealed to the Netflix filmmakers that her lack of reach-out "spoke volumes."
In rebuttal, Michaels posted a screenshot of an alleged text message she had sent him in 2014, captioning it, "This is my second-to-last text ever to Bob Harper. Make of it what you will." The screenshot, shared on Instagram on August 19, revealed her telling Harper, "I really think it's shitty of you to not even respond to my texts. It's this kind of thing that always disappoints me about our relationship."
Despite this, Harper expressed hurt that she hadn't inquired about his health issues eight years ago. "We weren't besties," the 60-year-old told The Guardian in an interview on August 14, "but we were partners on a television show for a very long time."
Beyond the allegations of their feud, Michaels faced additional accusations in the documentary regarding her fitness methodologies. She refuted claims that she had surreptitiously given contestants caffeine pills, stating in an interview with TMZ published on August 19 that caffeine pills, along with Ambien and smokeless tobacco, were approved for use.
The 51-year-old also took to Instagram on August 19 to address the accusation that she "restricted contestants from eating enough calories," sharing a screenshot of a 2010 email exchange between her and a contestant regarding calorie intake. "I have an example of a direct written correspondence with a contestant, while she was home for the holidays during filming," Michaels captioned the post, "in which I explicitly instructed her to consume 1,600 calories per day."
Michaels further shared two more alleged screenshots with "The Biggest Loser" staff, highlighting her "ongoing priority of ensuring contestants were adequately nourished and the need to provide a steady supply of fresh food in the BL house to guarantee ready access to calories."
She also faced backlash for allegedly telling a contestant that their dramatic weight loss would make her a millionaire, prompting Michaels to respond on her Instagram, "I want to state unequivocally that this is false." She added, "The full moment was captured on camera, and both the contestant and I were wearing microphones. If such a comment had been made, it would exist on the audio record."
