The Biggest Loser is back in the spotlight more than 20 years after it first premiered on NBC.
In the new Netflix docuseries Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, former contestants and producers reveal the intense reality behind the success of the weight-loss reality show.
Former trainer Bob Harper and the show’s medical consultant, Dr. Robert Huizenga, are just some of the people who agreed to participate in the docuseries and share their perspective on the show.
One former contestant grabbing the attention of viewers is season 7 participant Joelle Gwynn.
In 2009, the Michigan resident participated in the show at the age of 41 in hopes of getting healthy. Before she was eliminated in week 5, the contestant had an unforgettable onscreen confrontation with Harper, which is revisited in Fit for TV.
As the docuseries continues making headlines, keep reading to learn more about Gwynn:
Who Is Joelle Gwynn?
When appearing on The Biggest Loser, Gwynn was part of a couples-themed season.
While some participants were paired with family members, Gwynn was able to compete alongside her close friend Carla Triplett.
At the start of the show, Gwynn weighed in at 309 pounds and ended the show having lost 80 pounds. She also began her experience with a BMI of 47 and completed the show with a BMI of 34.8.
How Was Joelle Gwynn’s Experience With Trainer Bob Harper?
Bob Harper Trae Patton / NBC /Courtesy Everett Collection
During a gym workout in a 2009 episode, Harper instructed a group of contestants to run on the treadmill.
“Do not be sloppy. Finish this strong, Joelle,” he said in a clip from the show as his teammate struggled to complete the task. “What the f***, Joelle? Every single time at 20 seconds, every time, what is it?”
On Fit for TV, both Harper and Gwynn had the opportunity to look back on the tense gym moment.
“That little country bumpkin of a man berates me in such a way I’ve never seen on the show before,” she said. “I do not care for Bob Harper. F*** you, Bob Harper.”
Harper, however, said it was so much more than just a treadmill exercise.
“It was — the picture was bigger than that. It was, like, her committing to something and finishing it,” he explained. “It wasn’t one of my proudest moments.”
What Was Joelle Gwynn’s Legal Battle With the Show?
Joelle Gwynn Netflix/YouTube
In a 2016 interview with the New York Post, Gwynn alleged she was given illicit pills to lose weight.
“I felt jittery and hyper,” Gwynn reportedly told the publication. “I went and told the sports medicine guy. The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them.”
Dr. Huizenga and Harper immediately vehemently denied her claims. Dr. Huizenga later sued Gwynn and other defendants for defamation.
In 2019, a judge ruled that Huizenga’s claim against Gwynn failed because the physician couldn’t show actual malice on her part.
Despite working together on The Biggest Loser, Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper‘s offscreen friendship was quite different — but where do they stand now? NBC’s The Biggest Loser, which premiered in 2004, followed a group of people deemed overweight who would compete in a 30-week competition. The goal was to lose as many pounds as […]
What Is Joelle Gwynn Doing Now?
Although Gwynn appeared to briefly run a YouTube channel and Instagram page called Menopause Hottie, she appears to have taken a step back from social media.
She did, however, agree to appear on Fit for TV, which is streaming now on Netflix.
