Part 13/18:
The insiders assert that the showrunners and trainers prioritized entertainment over health and safety. As Suzanne points out, the producers’ objective was to create compelling, shocking television — even if it meant risking contestants’ lives. The biomechanics of extreme dieting, dehydration, and exhausting physical challenges were all designed to produce dramatic moments, not sustainable health outcomes.
Bob Harper’s candid comments in the documentary admit that the extreme measures, including encouraging contestants to puke or push themselves to near collapse, were necessary for "good TV." He dismisses concerns by framing these practices as just part of entertainment, emphasizing that television's goal was to garner ratings — even at great human expense.