Michelle Bridges confronted over The Biggest Loser on The Project

Former Biggest Loser trainer Michelle Bridges was challenged about the reality show’s negative impact in tense scenes on The Project.

Fitness expert and former The Biggest Loser coach Michelle Bridges went head-to-head with several body positivity experts in a segment that aired on Wednesday’s episode of The Project.

And in one tense moment, activist April Helene-Horton told Bridges she’d been unsure whether she should even appear in the same TV segment as her, given the “traumatic” presence The Biggest Loser had had in her life.

Ten’s local spin-off of the popular US show debuted on screens in 2006, running for 11 seasons. Bridges appeared as one of several tough-talking trainers throughout its run, motivating overweight contestants to intensively diet and exercise in a contest to lose the most weight in the fastest time – for a big cash prize.

Michelle Bridges on The Project.

Body positivity activist April Helene-Horton.

Wednesday’s Sarah Harris-helmed segment saw Bridges sit down with several body positivity activists to discuss what it means to be healthy.

Bridges and the former TV show were put in the spotlight when Harris asked Helene-Horton who was to blame “for the idea that larger bodies are bad”.

She listed “mainstream media, fashion, doctors who don‘t want to see fat patients, social media” among the main culprits.

“Would you put the fitness industry in that same category?” Bridges asked.

Michelle Bridges on The Project.

“Yeah I would. And I’ll be really honest and say, I was somewhat nervous coming here today to see you, because I would genuinely say that the show The Biggest Loser was one of the most traumatic things that ever happened to me,” Helene-Horton replied.

“Yeah, I hear you. I absolutely hear you. Going on a show like that back in the day, I really had to dig deep and question my morals about why I’m in the health and fitness industry,” said Bridges.

Helene-Horton said that, having spoken to Bridges, she’d soon realised they had some things in common.

“You, like me, are somebody who struggled against the idea that you need to be perfect. But the edit [on The Biggest Loser] still made me feel like someone who had the same values as you … would make me feel shame.”

Bridges said that The Biggest Loser, which was cancelled after a 2017 rebooted season failed to attract viewers, wouldn’t “work” today.

Bridges now says The Biggest Loser ‘wouldn’t work’ today.

With fellow Biggest Loser trainer Shannan Ponton.

“When I look back on it, 17 years ago, it was a totally a different culture back then. I don’t think that show would work today. In fact, I know it wouldn’t,” she said.

Bridges finished up with The Biggest Loser in 2015 – and courted controversy the following year when she defended the show against criticism in an episode of Australian Story.

“[The Biggest Loser] has all sorts of critics who say, ‘You’re putting these people up to be insulted or laughed at or made the butt of a joke,” she told the ABC show.

“I think it might be seen that I have this agenda on people who are overweight or people who are deemed fat. Honestly if you are happy where you are, genuinely, more power to you,” she continued, before uttering the line that saw her hit with a big backlash at the time: “But I can tell you now, I am yet to have met someone who is morbidly obese and happy.”

Originally published as Michelle Bridges confronted over The Biggest Loser on The Project