Unpacking the legacy of The Biggest Loser

Hi!

On today’s show, Netflix just dropped a three-part documentary about one of the most successful reality TV shows of our time: The Biggest Loser. We’ve known for a while that the methods used on this show were incredibly damaging, both physically and psychologically, but this doco has brought this conversation back into the mainstream at a very interesting time in our culture… 

Your hosts are Zara McDonald (@zamcdonald) and Michelle Andrews (@michelleandrews1).

Big thanks to Elite Eleven’s Omni collection for making this episode of Shameless possible. Ultra-soft, ultra-elevated loungewear – shop it now online, in-store or on the app. 

On today’s show, Gil recommended WWE: UnReal on Netflix. 

Sources:

The Biggest Loser by Maintenance Phase

Supersize Me by Maintenance Phase

The Biggest Loser P1 and P2 by Fad Camp

What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon

‘You Just Need To Lose Weight’ by Aubrey Gordon

Fat Is Not A Bad Word by Hunter Ashleigh Shackelford

Shameless Podcast is produced by Annabelle Lee and Eilish Gilligan, executive-produced by Lucy Hunt and audio-edited by Eilish Gilligan. Our social media team consists of Naima Fatema, Emily Li and Eilish Gilligan, and our partnerships manager is Cindy Luu.

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