When she appeared in Season 8 of The Biggest Loser, Tracey Yukich was one of the most disliked contestants among the viewers. She was accused of being manipulative, who’d do anything to grab attention and get things done her way. But a recent Netflix docuseries, Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser, shows the reality behind it.
According to the docuseries, here’s what happened behind the scenes of The Biggest Loser.
Why nobody liked Tracey Yukich on The Biggest Loser
The Biggest Loser was a reality show where contestants transformed their lives for the better, both physically and mentally. 16 years ago, Tracey Yukich appeared in the eighth season, where she took a major blow to her health during the very first task. The task was to run a mile on the beach to earn a spot on the show. But before she could complete the task, she collapsed to the ground and had to be flown to the hospital for treatment.
While the reality show depicted her as someone who simply couldn’t handle her very first task, the reality was far from it. In the docuseries, Yukich reveals that she had rhabdomyolysis, which she wasn’t aware of before appearing on the show. Rhabdomyolysis is a medical condition where muscle tissues break down and enter the bloodstream, affecting and shutting down organs.
In the docuseries, she says, “I didn’t realize that I had rhabdomyolysis, and rhabdomyolysis is your body’s way of saying, ‘I’m going to shut down on you. It started with my liver, then it was in my kidneys and then it goes to your heart. And that’s where I almost died.” Despite the diagnosis, she returned to the show.
Talking about her portrayal on the show with Entertainment Weekly in 2009, she said, “I was being portrayed like a villain who’s mean and nasty, and I’m not really a mean and nasty person!” But with continued determination, she said, “I thought, ‘I am not going to stop.’ I want to be where I want to be. I’m finally going to live the life that I love. That’s what I had to tell myself every day. I put myself in a cocoon.” Yukich lost a considerable amount of weight by the end of the show.
You can currently stream Fit for TV: The Reality of The Biggest Loser on Netflix.
