'The Biggest Loser' Cancelled After 17 Seasons Amid Dr. Huizenga's Drug Scandal
July 12 2017, Published 4:28 p.m. ET
Dr. Robert Huizenga ended up being The Biggest Loser. After the doctor was fired from the NBC show because of drug claims against him, RadarOnline.com can reveal exclusive details on his claims that the series has been cancelled.
In court documents obtained from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Dr. Huizenga claims the series, which has ran for 17 seasons, has not been picked up for season 18 because of the allegations made against him by former contestant Joelle Gwynn.
Dr. Huizenga filed a lawsuit against the contestant, who appeared on the series in 2008, on March 23, 2017, accusing her of libel.
In a 2016 interview with the New York Post, Gwynn claims show trainer Bob Harper gave her a yellow and black diet pill.
"He goes away and his assistant comes in," she said. "He's got this brown paper bag that's bundled up. He says, 'Take this drug, it'll really help you.' It was yellow and black. I was like, 'What the f-**k is this?'"
She said she felt "jittery and hyper" when she took the pill.
"The next day, Dr. H gave us some lame explanation of why they got added to our regimen and that it was up to us to take them," she said. "People chastise Bill Cosby for allegedly offering meds to women, but it's acceptable to do to fat people to make them lose weight. I feel like we got raped, too."
Harper denied the claims against him at the time in a statement to People, "These allegations are absolutely false and are in direct conflict with my lifelong devotion to health and fitness. Safety is paramount in my training regimen and, while demanding, my approach has always focused on the overall well-being of contestants as they lose significant weight and educate themselves, for the first time, on living a healthy lifestyle."
Dr. Huizenga also denied the claims, as he accused her of libel and malice in the complaint.
"The defamatory posts contain numerous false, fabricated, fictitious and outright libelous statements about Dr. H and his treatment of past contestants on the show, including false statements by former contestant, defendant Joelle Gwynn," the court docs read. "The Defamatory posts falsely state that the show employs 'secret and brutal tactics,' which include providing illicit drugs to contestants."
Dr. Huizenga continued that her claims resulted in the termination of his role on The Biggest Loser. He is asking for $75,000 in damages.
She then filed a motion for the court to dismiss the claims on June 2, saying that she failed to prove actual malice against him. She also said her allegations did not interfere with his business relationships.
He fired back by asking the court to dismiss her motion to throw the case out in documents filed on June 16.
"Ms. Gwynn's outrageous accusations, which resulted in the cancellation of The Biggest Loser and Dr. Huizenga losing two other opportunities on television, are particularly egregious given Dr. Huizenga's strict life-long anti-drug beliefs and strict anti-drug policy on The Biggest Loser, where he did not even permit contestants to take legal, over-the-counter caffeine pills or drink more than one cup of coffee, much less illegal drugs."
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
NBC has yet to announce the possible cancellation of the series.
Gwynn denied RadarOnline.com's request for comment because of "legal reasons."
Daily Mail was the first to report on the show's cancellation.
Do you think the claims are true? Tell us in the comments!
We pay for juicy info! Do you have a story for RadarOnline.com? Email us at tips@radaronline.com, or call us at (866) ON-RADAR (667-2327) any time, day or night.
