Netflix recently pushed back against claims that players in Squid Game: The Challenge had been severely injured.
Reports on Wednesday from The Sun — a British tabloid newspaper — noted that players in the game show had been “severely injured” during production, which was taking place on a former air force base near Bedford in England. According to the report, injuries were said to have occurred during the filming of the “Red Light, Green Light” game, which was based on one of the most memorable challenges from the original series.
The report mentions that, similarly to the game in the series, players had to remain motionless and make their way to the finish line. However, due to the unusually cold temperatures in the area (The Sun noted that temperatures reached as low as -3 celsius), players began feeling unwell, and some had to be stretchered off, with one noting that the game “was like a warzone. People left in tears.”
In a statement to THR, Netflix and Studio Lambert (which is co-producing the series along with The Garden) refuted certain aspects of The Sun’s story, namely that participants had to be stretchered off set.
“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,” said Netflix in a statement.
In Squid Game: The Challenge, players will be competing for the chance to win $4.56 million, which is the largest lump sum cash prize in reality TV history. It hails from Studio Lambert (The Circle) and The Garden (24 Hours in A&E), part of ITV Studios.
“As they compete through a series of games inspired by the original show — plus surprising new additions — their strategies, alliances, and character will be put to the test while competitors are eliminated around them,” reads the logline. “The stakes are high, but in this game, the worst fate is going home empty-handed.”