Contestants of Netflix’s upcoming reality competition series “Squid Game: The Challenge” were reportedly faced with harsh conditions, with at least one of them allegedly having to be carried out on a stretcher while filming the show in England.
Hundreds of players were forced to compete in below-freezing temperatures as production of the unscripted show began on Monday, according to reports. Cast and crew members were at Cardington Studios, a hangar in a former Royal Air Force base located north of London.
During the filming of the iconic “Red Light, Green Light” game, which included a giant animatronic doll, many players began feeling unwell, with some of them crawling to the finish line in minus-3-degree Celsius weather (approximately 26 degrees Fahrenheit) during a severe cold snap in the United Kingdom, according to The Sun. Three people were reportedly treated for mild medical conditions.
“Even if hypothermia kicked in then people were willing to stay for as long as possible because a lot of money was on the line,” one contestant told the British tabloid. “There were people arriving thinking they were going to be millionaires, but they left in tears.”
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“It was like a warzone,” they added. “People were getting carried out by medics but we couldn’t say anything. If you talk then you’re out.”
Netflix, along with production partners Studio Lambert and the Garden, has disputed the recent claims.
In a joint statement to CNN on Thursday, they said, “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.”
The competition, which is based on director Hwang Dong-hyuk’s hit survival drama TV series, features 456 players competing for a $4.56-million cash prize in a series of challenging games.
Netflix announced the competition in June 2022, describing it as “the biggest reality competition series ever.”
“Squid Game: The Challenge” is set to premiere on Netflix sometime later this year.
