MrBeast’s Prime Video competition series draws criticism for on-set safety 

Jimmy Donaldson aka MrBeast

YouTube content creator MrBeast’s first foray into traditional television production is not off to a good start as his Amazon unscripted series Beast Games faces complaints from contestants claiming they were subjected to unsafe conditions.

According to an investigative report from The New York Times (NYT), around a dozen contestants said there was inadequate medical care and access to food during early production, which took place at Allegiant Stadium in Nevada last month. Others were reportedly injured during the production, though none of those reported injuries were serious. Contestants spoke to NYT anonymously as they had signed non-disclosure agreements.

The reality competition series, which sees around 1,000 contestants vying to win US$5m, was greenlit by Amazon’s Prime Video earlier this year. Like the videos on MrBeast’s YouTube channel, the show sees contestants participating in competitions and games for the chance to win big cash prizes.

The filming that took place in Nevada is not part of the main series. Rather, 2,000 contestants took part in this phase, with that number being whittled down to 1,000 ahead of full production beginning in Toronto later this summer.

Reps for MrBeast (real name Jimmy Donaldson) said the Nevada shoot was complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, extreme weather conditions and some “other unexpected logistical and communications issues, which we are currently reviewing.”

The rep also said that MrBeast’s team and the production had communicated directly with 97% of the 2,000 people who attended the Nevada shoot to solicit their feedback.

Produced by MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios, Beast Games claims to carry the “biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming.”

When the show was initially announced in March, MrBeast said his aim was to “make the greatest show possible and prove YouTubers and creators can succeed on other platforms.”

He added: “Amazon gave me the creative control I need to try and make it happen. I hope to make the YouTube community proud.”