Safety Failures Under Scrutiny After Participant's Death on TV4's 'Berget'

Markus Holmer, a 51-year-old father of three, tragically died from a heart attack during the filming of TV4's adventure reality show 'Berget' in Norway. Despite being flagged by doctors for dangerously high blood pressure (210/110) and advised to seek medical attention, Holmer was still allowed to participate in the competition. On the first day, he reportedly suffered chest pains and had difficulty carrying his own gear.

An investigation by SVT revealed serious health and safety deficiencies during the production. Notably, the emergency response was significantly delayed and crucial medical equipment, such as a defibrillator, was missing on site. It took six minutes before CPR was initiated after Holmer collapsed on a suspension bridge. Nine employees reported multiple safety failures that contributed to the delayed assistance. TV4 initially claimed that all participants had passed health screenings, but later admitted to misunderstandings regarding Holmer's health status.

Holmer's widow, Linda, strongly criticized the production's lack of adequate response, emphasizing that no one acted to help when her husband collapsed. Meanwhile, TV4 maintained that their safety team did their best under the circumstances and highlighted shared responsibility for participant safety.

This incident has raised significant questions about the communication, medical screening, and safety protocols on set, prompting further scrutiny of production practices to prevent such tragedies in the future.