Squid Game: The Challenge is a reality TV series inspired by the Netflix hit Squid Game. Unfortunately, the series has faced controversy, initially because fans thought it went against the anti-capitalist messages from the original show. Now it looks like contestants from Squid Game: The Challenge are prepared to threaten legal action over injuries they received during production.
As shared by THR, this update was announced by the British personal injury firm Express Solicitors on Thanksgiving Day. They’re representing two contestants from the show at this time, though they are in communication with other potential claimants.
Here’s the statement shared by Express Solicitors CEO Daniel Slade:
“We have sent letters of claim on behalf of contestants injured in this show,” Slade begins. “From what we’ve been told, they pushed the boundaries of safety in the name of entertainment. Production companies need to ensure that health and safety standards on their shows don’t leave people at risk of harm.”
According to the firm, contestants have claimed that they “suffered injuries such as hypothermia and nerve damage as a result of poor health and safety standards on set” while the production took place in January. They’re seeking compensation from the show’s production company which happens to be Studio Lambert.
Slade gave more context while speaking with The Sun:
“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. One client describes seeing someone faint, then people shouting for medics. We have a case where someone complains of hypothermia. One had his hands turn purple from the cold. Such injuries can have very serious long-term health implications. One of our clients complains of being given ill-fitting clothing despite the cold conditions.”
Squid Game: The Challenge executive producer John Hay insists in a statement that they “took all the proper measures” for everyone’s safety:
“Welfare and safety are obviously paramount for us. And we’ve taken appropriate measures to look after people. The particular criticism you’re talking about was centered around the filming of ‘Red Light, Green Light.’ That was a big, complicated shoot, and it was a cold day, and it took quite a long time. But everyone was prepared for that and looked after properly. We anticipated and actually strenuously tested everything in advance and made sure we took all the proper measures.”
Fellow executive producer Stephen Lambert adds that “it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park to win $4.56 million” in his statement:
“We’re giving away the largest prize in TV competition history. It wasn’t going to be a walk in the park to win $4.56 million. But equally, although there were moments when it was quite tough, and I wouldn’t necessarily want to eat in that dormitory every night for the rest of my life, [being on the show] was a lot nicer and a lot easier than an awful lot of unscripted shows — compared to some of the survival shows that have been made, or compared to a whole bunch of successful shows in the States and in the rest of the world. This is no harder than those and in lots of shows you have people sometimes treated for mild complaints, which is what happened in that particular game.”
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding these Squid Game: The Challenge contestants and any legal action they may decide to take against the producers of the Netflix series.