In Netflix's latest documentary exploring the reality behind The Biggest Loser, former contestant Joelle Gwynn delivers a blunt message to her past trainer: "Forget you, Bob Harper." Gwynn appeared on the American weight-loss competition back in 2008 and is responding to a resurfaced clip where Harper shouts at her during a treadmill workout. “Oh, and your little dog too,” she adds sarcastically.

The Biggest Loser was a massive hit during its run. It aired for 18 seasons in the U.S., drawing over 10 million viewers at its peak and leading to more than 30 international versions, including a UK adaptation hosted by Davina McCall in 2012.

The show significantly elevated Harper’s profile. Once a farmer’s son who had to leave college due to financial constraints, he became a notable figure in American television, later appearing in programs like The Traitors US and RuPaul’s Drag Race. Harper says he’s "really proud" of his time on the show, dismissing much of the criticism from detractors.

“Joelle really doesn't like me, huh?” Harper jokes during a Zoom interview after viewing Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, which features both archival footage and updated commentary. Speaking from his stylish New York home, where his dog Ralph scurries in the background, the former trainer explains he has learned not to take things too personally as he approaches his 60th birthday.

For those unfamiliar, each season of the show spanned about 30 weeks and brought together individuals hoping to lose weight—often with emotional backstories. Removed from their daily lives, they were grouped into teams under the supervision of a dedicated trainer like Harper and subjected to rigorous exercise regimens. They faced team-based challenges, temptations involving unhealthy foods, and weekly weigh-ins. Failure to achieve sufficient progress risked elimination. The contestant who lost the most weight by the end earned a $250,000 prize.

The format focused sharply on appearance, equating success with weight loss rather than holistic health, despite medical professionals being involved. Finale episodes often featured contestants dressed up and dramatically juxtaposed against faded images of their former selves.

“We all care about how we look,” Harper says in the documentary. He elaborates, “That might sound superficial, but in the fitness world, looks matter. Being healthy matters, but I also want to feel confident at the beach.”

Physical image played a key role in Harper’s onscreen persona. Alongside fellow trainer Jillian Michaels, Harper represented the show’s vision of athletic perfection. Initially, producers were unsure how audiences would respond to his tattoos and asked him to cover them. Eventually, after seeing him shirtless off-camera, they encouraged him to show them off more freely.

Concerns also surrounded Harper’s sexuality. Openly gay since 15, he didn't publicly discuss it on the show until 2013, during a heartfelt conversation with another gay contestant. “Some were uneasy about it,” he recalls, “but I wasn’t ashamed and saw no reason not to speak honestly.”

Growing up in rural Tennessee, Harper always felt different from his family. As an adult, he moved south to Nashville to find work, where he was mentored at a local gym. That journey led him to Los Angeles, where he trained celebrities including Julia Roberts and Ellen DeGeneres. This Hollywood clientele helped him land a role on The Biggest Loser, making him the only trainer to appear in every season up to 2016, as well as the 2020 reboot where he took on hosting duties.

“It was the toughest job I’ve ever done,” Harper admits. Filming or not, he spent his days leading workouts—particularly gentler routines on rest days, which he believes were the most effective. The schedule was so demanding that he once developed shingles and recalls being so hungry at times he snuck contestants’ snacks during tapings.

Harper takes issue with the show’s “temptation” segments, where contestants had to resist junk food to win prizes or reconnect with loved ones. He frequently objected to such elements but says trainers had no influence over production decisions.

As commentator Aubrey Gordon notes in the documentary, techniques like shaky camera effects were employed to imply overweight contestants were causing the floor to shake—reinforcing negative stereotypes. When asked whether the show mocked overweight individuals, Harper insists, “That’s not something I’ve ever done or would do.”

He is skeptical about a study suggesting the show fostered anti-fat bias. “That sounds silly to me,” he says. “Some people just look for reasons to criticize anything related to weight loss.” Instead, he chooses to focus on stories of viewers and contestants inspired by the program.

Still, the reality remains that most contestants regained the weight after leaving the show. “That’s just the truth of it,” says Harper. “Success stories are rare across all diets and exercise plans.”

Harper prefers to highlight the achievements of participants like Olivia Ward, season 11's winner, who named her child after him. “That really moved me,” he shares, noting that they've stayed friends over the years. “She’s even flying in for my birthday.”

When Harper says Ward “looks better than ever,” it’s implied he means she remains slim. Though he maintains that health can present in many body types, his beliefs reflect the show’s simple equation: thin equals good, fat equals bad. “Let’s not pretend otherwise,” he says.

Harper has firsthand experience with health issues that defy superficial appearance. In 2017, at age 51, he suffered a life-threatening heart attack from a previously undiagnosed genetic condition. He was clinically dead for nine minutes before being revived by a doctor who happened to be present. “If I’d been alone, I wouldn’t have survived,” he reflects.

The incident profoundly affected him. From being someone who could outpace younger peers, to struggling to complete a walk, the change left him emotionally shaken.

Former contestants and colleagues reached out after his health scare—though Jillian Michaels did not. “We weren’t best friends, but we worked together for years,” he says, admitting her silence spoke volumes. Still, he's not surprised: “Jillian does what she wants.”

Michaels, known for her strong personality, sparked backlash in 2013 after giving her team caffeine pills—a violation of the show’s rules. Harper insists he never gave supplements to anyone. “Absolutely not,” he states firmly.

That same season, criticism escalated when winner Rachel Frederickson lost nearly 60% of her body weight, alarming viewers. Harper says both he and Michaels were shocked by how different she looked. Her athletic background, he thinks, made her especially driven. “Athletes have a different mindset.”

Despite discomfort over such extreme cases, Harper doesn't express much regret about the show's core structure. He points out that he wasn’t Frederickson’s trainer, nor was he responsible for Kai Hibbard from season three, who later reported developing an eating disorder. However, other contestants he did train, like Suzanne Mendonca, also voiced criticism. Mendonca once threatened legal action, alleging mistreatment and severe calorie restrictions during filming.

While Harper claims to avoid dwelling on regrets, he acknowledges two missteps featured in the documentary: yelling at Gwynn and saying it was “good” when Mendonca vomited because it would lead to weight loss. “I shouldn’t have said that,” he admits. “But everyone on the show was an adult.”

Well, except for the child participants featured in later seasons. “I don’t really remember that,” Harper says vaguely.

Does he believe a show like The Biggest Loser could be made today? Harper thinks it’s possible, though it would need to be reimagined. He notes society’s ongoing fixation with weight loss, especially evident in the popularity of diet medications. While he doesn’t specifically advocate for them, he supports anything that helps people reach their goals.

As for his own journey, Harper says he’s entering a “retirement era,” though he still enjoys teaching hot yoga in New York. He’s single, having ended his engagement in 2019, and jokes about being open to a new relationship. He seems satisfied with where life has taken him and unfazed by renewed debate the documentary might stir.

“I know what that show represented to me,” he says. “For me, it was a positive experience filled with great memories.”

Fit for TV is available on Netflix starting Friday.