After Tuesday’s dramatic “Walk Out” episode of The Biggest Loser, viewers were left with quite a few questions as to what will happen to the contestants that chose to walk off the show. (If you have no idea what The Ashley is talking about right now, click here to catch up!)
In an interview with the New York Post, the show’s executive producer Todd Lubin discussed what actually happened with the contestants on that fateful day on the ranch back in February, and what the future will bring for Buddy Shuh and Mark Cornelius, the two contestants that hit the bricks in protest and didn’t come back.
Q: Why did they choose to show the walk out?
Todd Lubin: “We’re not into faking anything, and there’s not a lot we want to hide on this show. When the guys quit, it bummed me out, and I was so hurt . . . I didn’t look calm and cool [on the episode] because I cared so much and worried they were thumbing their noses [at the show].”
Q: Do the producers regret their decision to bring back the eliminated contestants?
Todd Lubin: “I felt they made one good point: We should have been clear from the beginning [about the returning-contestants twist]. We did that last season, on Day One, but this season it was only implied and then happened so late in the game.”
Q: Can Buddy and Mark still compete for the final prize?
Todd Lubin: “They’re off for good. That’s the rule — if you leave, you’re quitting the show.
Q: Will we see them again?
Todd Lubin: “When they were leaving the show, I invited them to the finale. They’re part of the family, and while I don’t agree with what they did, I still want them to be a part of this.”
Q: Why haven’t they spoken to the press to tell their side of the story?
A: Just like most reality shows, ‘The Biggest Loser’ makes its contestants sign confidentiality contracts before beginning to film. They are forbidden from speaking with the press, at least for the time being.
A lot of The Ashley’s readers have asked her opinion on what happened, so she figures she should address it here. Basically, these people signed up for a reality show. When you do that, you are essentially signing over your life to these production people for whatever amount of time you are agreeing to do the show.
It’s kind of like going on Fear Factor. You have the chance to win fame/fortune/prizes, but you’ll probably have to do, and deal with, whatever creepy things the production people come up with. If they want you to eat a mouse, or roll around in snake blood, or let eliminated contestants come back and steal your prize money, you are basically saying OK. If you don’t want to agree to that, don’t sign your name on the dotted line. There are thousands of people that would be happy to take your place.
