Australian trainer Shannan Ponton defends The Biggest Loser amid Netflix documentary criticism

The Biggest Loser has been the focus of new attention following the release of a Netflix documentary that examines the weight loss competition’s long-term impact. 

In a conversation with KIIS FM’s Rob & Kip with Corey Oates on Wednesday, August 27, Australian trainer Shannan Ponton responded to claims made in the documentary Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser.

Ponton, who coached the blue team on the Australian edition of the series, said he was not surprised by the way the documentary portrayed the show. 

He explained that while he agreed with some points made by past contestants, he believed many were avoiding responsibility for their current health. 

“It was everything that I thought it was going to be. It was exactly what I thought,” Ponton said.

The Netflix program featured former contestants sharing stories of health challenges, rapid weight loss, and difficulties maintaining results after the show ended.

Some questioned whether the training methods and televised environment caused harm. 

Ponton acknowledged those concerns but emphasized that his role was to guide participants in the best way he could in The Biggest Loser. He also explained that the methods he used on the series are ones he still stands by today.

Former contestants of The Biggest Loser and personal responsibility

During his interview, Ponton said he believed many of the former contestants in the documentary were trying to place blame on the show, The Biggest Loser instead of acknowledging their own choices. 

“I think the ex-contestants were looking for, I guess, a way out rather than to take responsibility for where they’re at,” he said.

At the same time, he noted that some of the concerns raised were valid. He said the approach to weight loss has changed in the past two decades and that more structured support could have been useful. 

“There is probably merit in some of the points that the ex-contestants had as far as they probably could have benefited a lot from post-show psychology or post-show help in that area,” Ponton explained.

The trainer made it clear that he was disappointed but not surprised that many participants had regained weight after the series. 

However, he insisted that was not the fault of the format or methods. He said that it was not a flaw in the system and that he still believed in the methods provided to contestants to this day

Ponton also addressed criticism of the intense training style used on the show. He said moments of shouting or harsh direction were not designed for television but were part of the way trainers push athletes. 

“I was nobody’s puppet, and everything I did was done with the pure heart… That’s how trainers and coaches are in their primal state,” he said.

How the Australian version of The Biggest Loser differed from the U.S. version

Ponton also spoke about how the Australian version of The Biggest Loser differed from the original American series. 

He pointed out that production staff, not trainers, managed issues such as supplements.

This included the use of caffeine tablets, which had been a source of controversy in the U.S version of The Biggest Loser. 

“We never had any input into the supplements or anything that the contestants took, and that was all monitored by production and the medical team that we had in place,” Ponton said.

He contrasted his own methods with those of U.S. trainers like Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels, who worked on the Australian debut season before Ponton and Michelle Bridges became lead trainers. 

“My methods are my methods. Bob has his, and Jillian obviously has hers,” he explained.

Despite the criticism, Ponton said he continues to believe in the training approach used on the series and stressed that his actions were always his own. 

He explained that he had never been told what to do or acted as anyone’s puppet, and said that everything he did on the show was with the intention of achieving the best possible results for the contestants.

Ponton acknowledged the changing conversation around health and weight loss but maintained that the show, The Biggest Loser provided opportunities for people to change their lives. 

He said the methods used were consistent with his professional standards as a trainer, even as public views on rapid weight loss have shifted.

Stay tuned for more updates.