Why is MrBeast being sued? YouTube star 'named in 54-page legal document' over Beast Games production

• MrBeast and Amazon have been named in a class action lawsuit over the Beast Games show, the BBC reports.
• The 54-page document includes allegations of “unsafe conditions” on the set of the upcoming reality show. 
• It’s the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the YouTube megastar.

For much of the first half of the 2020s, MrBeast seemed like he had the world at his feet.

His uber popular YouTube channel rocketed to the top of the subscriber charts, his own-brand chocolate bars and burger chain spread across the world and he even hit the top three for most followers on TikTok. 

The internet titan, real name Jimmy Donaldson, had reached a level of fame and popularity that not many online stars have ever achieved - you may not watch YouTube but I’m almost certain you’ve heard of MrBeast. He had become so popular that he even floated the idea on social media of running for president of the United States, if the age requirement to enter the race was lowered. 

But as we edge closer to the halfway mark of the decade, the MrBeast brand has taken the kind of beating that not many would have predicted when the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve. He is facing his first sustained period of backlash, beyond the salacious whispers of YouTube drama channels, and now staring down the barrel of a major lawsuit. 

So why is MrBeast being sued - and what has happened with Beast Games? Let’s find out. 

Who is suing MrBeast? 

Jimmy Donaldson, his production company MrB2024 and Amazon have been named in a 54-page lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles by five female participants in the upcoming Beast Games streaming show, the BBC reports.

It comes after the New York Times published an in-depth report into the controversy that has surrounded the forthcoming reality show. Announced earlier this year by MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios, it boasts the ‘biggest single prize’ in reality show history with a prize pot of $5m (£3.75m approximately) and 1,000 contestants taking part. 

But the report, which included interviews with more than a dozen participants, alleged that there were “several hospitalisations” during filming, while one person told the paper they had gone 20 hours without being fed. 

In a response to the New York Times, a spokesperson for MrBeast blamed the issues on the recent CrowdStrike computer outage. They said the shoot “was unfortunately complicated by the CrowdStrike incident, extreme weather and other unexpected logistical and communications issues” and stated MrBeast had started a formal review and had “taken steps to ensure that we learn from this experience”. 

After the media reports on Beast Games earlier this summer, the Associated Press got hold of the internal memo from MrBeast to his ‘Team Beast’ workers. He ordered a full assessment of the internal culture at his media empire. 

He wrote: “As your leader, I take responsibility, and I am committed to continue to improve and evolve my leadership style. I recognize that I also need to create a culture that makes all our employees feel safe and allows them to do their best work.”

What does the lawsuit allege? 

The New York Times’ bombshell report dropped in August, amid a series of scandals already rocking the MrBeast brand. But just over a month later, the trouble around Beast Games has seen a class action lawsuit filed in Los Angeles. 

The BBC reports that parts of the 54-page legal document have been redacted but it includes claims that the contestants were “underfed and overtired”. The suit also alleges that the set was said to have fostered a culture of misogyny and sexism", creating a "hostile environment" for women which included alleged sexual harassment - CNN reports that specific allegations are redacted in the document. 

The plaintiffs also claim to have not been given “adequate access to hygienic products or medical care”. 

Has MrBeast responded? 

Following the filing of the class action suit earlier in September, MrBeast did not respond to requests for comment from the BBC as well as CNN. Amazon declined to comment when approached by the US broadcaster. 

What is Beast Games? 

The troubled reality show was announced in March 2024 by MrBeast and Amazon MGM Studios. It marks Jimmy Donaldson’s first major jump into the world of streaming TV and there was a bidding war for the rights, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

It is set to feature around 1,000 contestants competing for the chance to win £3.75 million ($5m). Rolling Stone magazine, who spoke to sources involved in the production, describe it as being the “largest reality show in history” and report that it featured filming in Las Vegas as well as in Toronto and Panama. 

In an interview with YouTubers Colin and Samir just after the announcement of the show in March, MrBeast revealed that ‘money’s not a constraint’ when it comes to the show and an expectation that “six hours of content” should be released on Prime Video “later this year”.

You can read our full in-depth breakdown of the troubles surrounding MrBeast and his company here.