Two unnamed contestants of Squid Game: The Challenge allegedly claimed they suffered hypothermia and nerve damage during filming and threatened to take legal action against producers Netflix and Studio Lambert.
Inspired by the hit TV series, the reality game show began filming in January 2023 during which a cold snap descended in Britain. Netflix confirmed three out of the 456 challengers required medical attention at the time.
The United Kingdom-based law firm Express Solicitors, representing the claimants, described how their clients’ health was compromised after standing and crouching motionless for hours during the filming of the first episode. They asserted that the iconic green suits were inadequate in protecting them from the cold.
Entitled ‘Red Light, Green Light,’ the first challenge of the game show required the contestants to race towards the finish line while avoiding being eliminated from the game by a menacing giant motion-detector doll robot. The challengers had to run quickly while the robot was looking away and chanting, then abruptly stop and maintain motionlessness when it turned to face them.
“We care deeply about the health and safety of our cast and crew, and invested in all the appropriate safety procedures. While it was very cold on set – and participants were prepared for that – any claims of serious injury are untrue,” Netflix said in their statement in January.
Express solicitors stated in a press statement that the contestants currently have not filed any lawsuits yet but the law firm has already sent letters to Studio Lambert to claim compensation over the alleged injuries.
“Contestants thought they were taking part in something fun and those injured did not expect to suffer as they did. Now they have been left with injuries after spending time being stuck in painful stress positions in cold temperatures,” Express Solicitors CEO Daniel Slade commented.
The show had independent safety inspections in February after the incidents.
Moreover, although deaths are fake in this reality game show version of the ‘Squid Game,’ the contestants still have to give it their all to win the single cash prize of $4.56 million jackpot—the largest sum in TV history.
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