Celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges defends The Biggest Loser and hints the controversial weight loss show may return to TV: ‘I think it’s necessary’
Celebrity trainer Michelle Bridges defends The Biggest Loser and hints that the controversial weight-loss show may return to TV: ‘I think it’s necessary’
Michelle Bridges has hinted that it might be time for The Biggest Loser to return to television screens.
The 52-year-old celebrity trainer talks in this week’s issue of Stellar magazine that she supports the infamous weight loss reality show, despite criticism from body positivity activists.
‘It was of its time. It was a completely different era. It’s easy to look back and shit something,” she said.
“Rather than accepting the negativity, I think what makes me quite excited about it is the possibility of what doors it opens.”
Michelle went on to say that a new series could address and improve on some of the issues from the previous show.
Michelle Bridges (pictured) has hinted that it might be time for The Biggest Loser to return to television screens
“These conversations open the doors to a whole new conversation, to a whole new potential television show, which I would love to be a part of, by the way. I think it’s necessary,” she said.
Bridges became a household name after starring on The Biggest Loser for nine seasons.
The personal trainer now admits that the slimming show could not be made today.
Bridges took on a number of fat activists during a roundtable discussion The project earlier this year, saying: “When I look back, 17 years ago, it was a completely different culture for them.
Shannan Ponton, Tiffiny Hall, Michelle Bridges and Steve Willis from The Biggest Loser are pictured in the show
“I don’t think that show would work today. In fact, I know this wouldn’t be the case.’
Body positivity activist April Hélène-Horton admitted she was nervous about meeting Bridges in person, claiming The Biggest Loser was “one of the most traumatic things that’s ever happened to me,” despite not appearing on the show.
“I hear you, I absolutely hear you,” a sympathetic Bridges responded.
“And when I used to go on a show like that, it really made me dig deep and question my morals about why I’m in the health industry and why I’m in the fitness industry.”
The famous trainer first appeared on The Biggest Loser during the show’s second season in 2007.
The 52-year-old celebrity trainer tells this week’s issue of Stellar Magazine that she supports the infamous weight-loss reality show, despite criticism from body positivity activists
“These conversations open the doors to a whole new conversation, to a whole new potential television show, which I would love to be a part of, by the way. I think it’s necessary,” she said
She took over from Jillian Michaels and played the role of trainer of the Red Team until 2016, when she quit the series for good.
It was canceled the following year in 2017 after ratings fell so low that it was moved to a daytime timeslot.
Bridges used her time on the show to become a force in the Australian fitness industry, publishing more than a dozen books and launching her own line of goods and clothing at Big W.
She also appeared in video games on the Xbox and Nintendo and launched a body transformation course online.
Read more in this week’s Stellar Magazine