Shannan Ponton, a coach from the Australian model of The Greatest Loser, has weighed in on the controversial Netflix documentary that explores the darkish facet of the load loss present.
Talking to KIIS FM’s “Rob & Kip with Corey Oates” on Wednesday, August 27, the fact TV alum, 52, mentioned after watching Match for TV: The Actuality of The Greatest Loser, he felt that a few of the ex-contestants who participated had been attempting to shirk accountability.
“It was every part that I assumed it was going to be. It was precisely what I assumed,” Ponton mentioned. (Ponton skilled the blue group on the Australian model of the franchise, much like Bob Harper on the U.S. model.)
Ponton defined he thought ex-contestants had been “in search of, I assume, a approach out [rather than] to take duty for the place they’re at.”
Nonetheless, the health guru admitted he agreed with a few of the factors the present’s former contestants introduced up within the documentary.
“With that mentioned, I believe weight reduction on this planet has modified loads within the final 20 years,” he mentioned. “And I believe, you already know, there’s in all probability advantage in a few of the factors that the ex-contestants had so far as they in all probability might have benefited loads from post-show psychology or post-show assist in that space.”
Whereas The Greatest Loser has come below fireplace because of the potential well being dangers of fast weight reduction in a competition-based actuality present, Ponton insisted that he stood by the load loss strategies used within the collection.
He advised the radio present he was “disenchanted, however not shocked” that former contestants who appeared within the documentary had regained their weight however insisted that “it’s not a flaw within the system” that that occurred.
“The system and the strategies that we supplied to the contestants, nonetheless to at the present time, I nonetheless imagine in,” he mentioned, “I used to be by no means advised to do something, I used to be by no means anyone’s puppet. All the things that I did on the present, I did with the perfect intent and to attempt to get the very best outcomes for the contestants.”
Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels. (Picture by Getty)
Ponton additionally defended The Greatest Loser trainers yelling on the contestants throughout their exercises, an motion which critics imagine was designed to humiliate the contestants on TV.
“I used to be no one’s puppet, and every part I did was accomplished with the pure coronary heart and naturally there are occasions the place you turn into annoyed,” Ponton mentioned.
He added, “A few of the issues that got here out within the documentary… I discovered what’s fascinating the place individuals had been saying, ‘Oh, you’re simply belittling these individuals as a result of they’re fats. You’re making a present on them as a result of they’re fats,’ and it’s not true. That’s how trainers and coaches are of their primal state.”
Ponton additionally shared his ideas on how the Australian model differed from the unique American collection. (Because of the success of the U.S. model, the idea was franchised globally. Harper and Jillian Michaels had been trainers for the Australian model in season 1 when it debuted in 2006 earlier than Ponton and pink group coach Michelle Bridges took over in season 2 the next yr.)
“I believe nicely, we’re clearly completely different individuals and every to our personal. So far as caffeine tablets and stuff like that, we by no means had any enter into the dietary supplements or something that the contestants took, and that was all monitored by manufacturing and the medical group that we had in place,” the private coach mirrored, referencing the caffeine tablet controversy within the U.S. present that was referred to as out within the documentary.
He continued, “So I’m glad that we will take a step again away from that. Apart from that, you already know, my strategies are my strategies. Bob has his, and Jillian clearly has hers.”
