Why did Alison Sweeney leave The Biggest Loser? Update on Netflix doc

Alison Sweeney appears on Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser to share what it was like as host of the long-running competition series, but you may be wondering why she left before The Biggest Loser wrapped up for good – here’s what we know. 

The new Netflix documentary series chronicles the rise and fall of the TV show, which saw contestants compete to lose the most weight in 30 weeks, all in the aim of winning a huge cash prize. 

With producers gunning for Jeremy Springer style drama, trainers ignoring doctors’ precautions, and $250,000 up for grabs, contestants often felt pressured to adopt extreme – and, in some cases, downright dangerous – weight loss tactics. 

Caroline Rhea served as host for the first three seasons before inexplicably leaving. She was replaced by Sweeney, who stuck with the gig up until 2015. Rhea’s departure remains a mystery, but what about her successor?

Why did Alison Sweeney leave The Biggest Loser?

Netflix

At the time, Sweeney told People that it was a group decision. “Times change and situations change,” she said. 

“It’s a tough time in TV and producers have a lot of tough choices to make in the landscape. We talked and it wasn’t an easy decision. It was just the right time for me to do something different.”

While we can’t know for sure exactly what went down, she certainly left at a time when the wheels were falling off. In 2013, The Biggest Loser trainer Jillian Michaels was found to have been giving her teams caffeine supplements, which broke the show’s rules. 

Sweeney was made to announce the situation in the show. Watching the clip back, she says, “That was terrifying to watch. When I came into work that night and they brought me this situation, I was like, ‘Wait, what, me?’” 

Netflix

Perception of the show really started to shift in 2014, when Rachel Frederickson won The Biggest Loser Season 15. She had lost a staggering 155 pounds, dropping from 260 pounds to just 105, meaning she’d shed nearly 60% of her body weight over the course of the competition.

Many felt she looked dangerously thin, sparking headlines, social media debates, and accusations that the show’s extreme methods encouraged unhealthy weight loss and even eating disorders. 

There were other behind the scenes issues, such as studies suggesting that the dramatic weight loss was not only unsustainable, but it was also ruining their metabolism. 

Despite these claims, it appears Sweeney didn’t leave due to any controversy. Speaking in the Netflix documentary, she says, “When people talk about the show negatively or have critics of the show, I totally understand. I’m not naive or have rose-colored glasses. I see. 

“But for me, I think my goal was to have that conversation about health and wellness and giving people that idea that it’s possible.”

Sweeney does, however, admit one part of the show that she hated doing: the temptation challenges. 

Essentially, contestants were put in a room full of junk food. The person who ate the most calories would get a prize, whether that be an opportunity to see their family or an extra training session before weigh-in. 

The challenge was the fact that they wanted to avoid junk food during the competition. This came under scrutiny due to how it portrayed people with weight struggles and undermined the show’s supposed message of healthy eating habits. 

“The temptation challenges were the hardest part of the show for me. It was horrible,” says Sweeney. 

What does she do now?

Hallmark

Since leaving The Biggest Loser, Sweeney has become a staple on Hallmark, starring in and producing popular titles like the Hannah Swensen Mysteries and various seasonal romance movies, while also taking on behind-the-camera roles that give her more creative control. 

Outside of work, the former Days of Our Lives star has prioritized a slower pace of life, moving from Los Angeles to Arizona with her family. 

A year after leaving The Biggest Loser, she told CBS, “Change is always hard, but it can be wonderful too. When you make a change, there’s all these things that open up. 

“It’s been such a blessing to be with the kids more and have more time to develop and produce movies with Hallmark Movies and Mysteries. It’s been incredible. I feel very lucky.”

Fit for TV: The Reality of the Biggest Loser is streaming on Netflix now. You can check out more new documentaries coming to streaming this month and the TV shows dropping on Netflix.