US fitness influencer Brian Johnson, aka 'The Liver King' is the subject of a new Netflix documentary, which follows his rise to stardom and eventual steroid controversy.
Scheduled to drop on the streaming platform tomorrow (13 May), the documentary looks at how a fitness influencer was able to build an empire by sharing videos of himself chowing down on bits of raw meat and claiming this so-called 'ancestral diet' was the reason behind his incredibly jacked physique.
However, the Liver King's empire would face major backlash after he was forced to admit that steroid usage had contributed to his muscular body, leading to backlash from his dedicated raw meat followers.
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Watch the trailer for the documentary below:
But who is 'The Liver King' and how was a man able to find fame by telling people to eat testicles instead of vegetables?
The rise of Liver King and his online persona
The Liver King's real name is Brian Johnson and the 47-year-old Texas-based fitness influencer built his empire by promoting an 'ancestral living' lifestyle, which focused around eating large amounts of unprocessed meat.
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As his following of 'primals' grew, Johnson created his own website which included the following 'ancestral tenets': sleep, eat, move, shield, connect, cold, sun, fight, bond. In a nutshell, the tenets revolved around spending time outside, upping your physical activity and avoiding the dangers of 'seed oils, excessive wifi, EMF's, and man-made poisons.'
His unique lifestyle and distinctive look - Johnson sports a large beard and is often topless - attracted an audience of millions.
Questions over steroid use
As Johnson's platform grew, people became suspicious that his extremely muscular body was down to the use of anabolic steroids rather than his lifestyle.
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Johnson would go on the record and deny any steroid use multiple times, with the bodybuilder saying in one interview (via ABC): "The question has always been, 'Do you take steroids? Do you take [performance enhancing drugs]?' The answer to that is no.
"I've always told the truth, I still tell the truth."
However, a leak of Johnson's emails in 2022 would see him exposed for spending over $11,000 (£8,335) a month on anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. Which doesn't exactly fit with his tenet of avoiding 'man-made poisons.'
Full admission and apology after email leak
Following the leak, Johnson addressed his steroid use in a six-minute apology video to his followers, saying that he 'f**ked up.'
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"I’m embarrassed and ashamed. Because I lied and I misled a lot of people," he said in the video.
“Yes, I’ve done steroids and yes, I am on steroids monitored and managed by trained hormone clinicians.”
He continued: "I’ve been on several podcasts and when asked if I’ve ever taken steroids I’ve always said no, I don’t touch the stuff… never gonna touch the stuff.
"That was a lie... I’m as sorry as a man can be and all I can do is take extreme ownership right now, be better and lead myself to a better life as a better human."
Going clean for 55 days
In February 2023, Johnson would share an update with his followers which showcased his physique at 55 days without steroids.
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Alongside a photo of his steroid-free physique, Johnson gave an insight into his new diet and claimed to be already feeling the health benefits.
"What I've gained in health, mobility and light heartedness far eclipses the weight that I've lost, plus I think I'm more ripped," he said in one Instagram update.
Return to steroids
However, Johnson wouldn't remain steroid free for long - or 'natty AF' as he liked to call it - with the fitness fanatic later revealing he was back on steroids in the September 2023, following a total of 220 days without.
Confirming his decision to hit the juice once again in a YouTube update, Johnson explained that he'd struggled with losing so much weight after quitting.
"I don’t like the idea of losing over 20 pounds of muscle," he said in the update. "I don’t like the idea that became the reality of losing a lot of strength."
Johnson would go on to defend his decision to begin using steroids again, saying that already 'proven' his commitment of never lying. "I'm living my life by my terms not somebody else's," he added.
Where is 'The Liver King' now?
Over two years on from the initial controversy and Johnson is seemingly still following his ancestral lifestyle, alongside posting semi-regularly to his millions of followers on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. The majority of his most recent posts consist of workouts, with the few clips which involve food show Johnson eating a more balanced diet.
He hasn't recently addressed whether or not he's currently using steroids, however, his physique remains as ripped as ever.
Topics: Entertainment, Netflix, Social Media, Health, Celebrity, Documentaries, Drugs
Brenna Cooper