Jillian Michaels has broken her silence on โFit for TV,โ the new Netflix docuseries about โThe Biggest Loser.โ
Michaels was a trainer on the weight loss competition series from 2005, when the show premiered on NBC, to 2014, but declined to participate in the documentary.
In a series of Instagram posts, Michaels refuted multiple points from the documentary and, more broadly, spoke to her decision not to be interviewed.
When asked in the comments why Michaels didnโt participate, she replied, โBecause I knew it would be a hit piece.โ
Michaels connected that Brandon Riegg, who oversees unscripted programming at Netflix as the streamerโs Vice President of Unscripted and Documentary Series, was previously the Senior Vice President and co-head of NBCโs alternative programming department, which makes unscripted series like โThe Voiceโ and โThe Biggest Loser.โ
โGiven that I knew exactly what the intentions of this documentary were going to be,โ she said.
TODAY.com has reached out to Netflix for comment. NBC is owned by NBCUniversal, TODAYโs parent company.
Michaels also shed light on how she perceives her relationship with Bob Harper, who competed against Michaels on the show as a personal trainer. Harper was on โThe Biggest Loserโ from 2005 through its last season on USA in 2020.
In the documentary, Harper said that Michaels didnโt contact him when he had a heart attack in 2017. TODAY.com has reached out to Harper for comment.
โHow do I put this? People were always like โYou and Jillian have been so closeโ, and I was like โWell, we were really close on television,โโ he said. โAfter I had my heart attack, sheโs the one person I never heard from. So, I mean, that to me spoke volumes.โ
Michaels has not directly addressed Harperโs statement, but she did share a screenshot of the โsecond to last textโ she ever sent to Harper in her Instagram post.
The message reads, โI really think itโs s—– of you to not even respond to my texts. Itโs this kind of thing that always makes me so disappointed my (sic) our relationship.โ
โTake from it what you will,โ Michaels wrote in the caption.
The messages appear to be sent in 2014, the same year Michaels left the show.
She told People in 2020 she stepped away because โthere were some fundamental differencesโ with producers โthat have existed for a while.โ
In a follow up Instagram post from 2025, Michaels also spoke about Rachel Frederickson, who won the series in 2014. Frederickson dropped from 260 pounds to 105 pounds over seven months, which is 60% of her body weight.
โI raised serious concerns both publicly and to NBC directly about contestant health and the condition of Rachel in particular at BLโs Season 15 finale,โ Michaels said.
Michaels also included an alleged email from Paul Telegdy, then chairman of NBC Entertainment. TODAY.com has reached out to Telegdy and has not heard back by the time of publication. NBC’s unscripted TV division declined to comment.
โIn that email, he made clear that if I did not publicly condone the appearance of contestant Rachel Frederickson at the showโs finale, NBC would pursue legal action against me. I resigned from The Biggest Loser shortly thereafter,โ Michaels wrote.
The comments come days after Michaels made controversial remarks during a CNN News Night with Abby Phillip on Thursday, Aug. 14 about the U.S.โs legacy of slavery.
Michaels asserted that President Donald Trump was not โwhitewashingโ slavery through an initiative to review Smithsonian museums to ensure their programming is โaccurate, patriotic, and enlightening,โ NBC News reported. Michaels was criticized by people like journalist and 1619 Project founder Nikole Hannah-Jones for downplaying the extent of slaveryโs impact in the U.S.
TODAY.com has reached out to Michaels for comment and has not heard back by the time of publication.
