In a bombshell exclusive, former Biggest Loser Australia trainer Steve 'Commando' Willis has broken his decade-long silence, vehemently denying responsibility for the show's controversial training methods and claiming he was deliberately set up as the public scapegoat.
The ex-special forces operative, now 47, has spoken out for the first time since the show's cancellation, alleging that producers were fully aware of—and even encouraged—the extreme regimes that later sparked national outrage.
'Production Knew Everything'
Willis reveals that far from being rogue operations, every aspect of the training was documented and approved. 'Production knew everything that was going on,' he states emphatically. 'There were cameras everywhere. They had producers, they had all the exec producers on set every day.'
His comments come as a direct response to the widespread criticism that emerged after participants came forward with allegations of psychological trauma and unsustainable weight loss methods.
The Human Cost of Reality TV
The fitness professional admits the intense scrutiny took a significant personal toll, describing the period as particularly challenging for his family. He specifically mentions the difficulty of explaining the situation to his children when they encountered negative comments at school.
Despite the controversy, Willis maintains he always operated with participants' best interests at heart, focusing on both physical transformation and mental resilience.
Life After the Spotlight
Since leaving the reality TV world, Willis has redirected his career toward sustainable fitness approaches through his Commando Steve brand. He now emphasises balanced wellness programs that contrast sharply with the extreme methods that characterised his television persona.
The fitness expert's revelations add fuel to ongoing discussions about ethical standards in reality television production and the long-term impact on both participants and trainers involved in high-intensity programming.
