MrBeast has responded to the allegations against his Amazon game show Beast Games, which has been dogged with numerous claims against it, including a lawsuit.
The YouTuber, who is the most followed person on the platform, made his major transition to the world of television with his Amazon game show, which has a grand prize of $5m (£3.98m), the biggest-ever giveaway in television or streaming history.
MrBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, has never publically responded to the allegations against the show, which include failure to pay minimum wages and overtime; failed to prevent sexual harassment; subjected contestants to “infliction of emotional distress”; did not provide meal breaks, rest breaks or access to basic hygiene and that contestants were exposed to “dangerous circumstances and conditions as a condition of their employment”.
Now, new behind-the-scenes footage has seen one of the 1000 contestants ask Donaldson about the serious claims that have been filed against the show, which largely revolve around a section film in Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium.
In the footage, shared by Colin and Samir, Donaldson is asked: “It might be controversial but are you okay with all the articles and stuff coming out?”
Donaldson answers the question, saying: “Obviously, there was a lot of things not true like there’s saying there’s broken bones, they’re saying we’re paying people hush money.”
The contestant then adds that she didn’t see any of the things that have been alledged, saying that she thought the articles were “really ridiculous”.
Other contestants echo these claims, saying that people who had a good time on the show were not interviewed.
In a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter in August, a spokesperson for the YouTuber said: “The MrBeast promotional video shoot, which included over 2,000 participants, was unfortunately complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, extreme weather, and other unexpected logistical and communications issues, which we are currently reviewing, but we are grateful that virtually all of those invited to Toronto for our next production have enthusiastically accepted our invitation.”
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
“We have communicated directly with 97 per cent of the 2,000 people who attended to ask for feedback, have launched a formal review of the process, and have taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience and we are excited to welcome hundreds of men and women to the world’s largest game show in history.”
Donaldson has not formally commented on the allegations but, on 25 November, he responded to a post on X/Twitter writing: “We have tons of behind-the-scenes [clips] dropping when the show does, to show how blown out of proportion these claims were. Just can’t release it now because it would spoil the games.”
The Independent has contacted MrBeast and Amazon for comment.
The show, which debuted on Amazon on Thursday, has been met with largely negative reviews with The Guardian calling it “one of the most undignified spectacles ever shown on TV”.
Elsewhere, IGN called the show “shallow” and “surprisingly dull” while The Telegraph said it was “charmless YouTube nonsense.”