Beast Games: MisterBeast and Amazon get into a lawsuit over the show

Getty Images Jimmy Donaldson, a.k.a. MisterBeast, is a small mouse with brown hair and a short beard. He wears a white American football kit with the red number one on his left shoulder. He is looking off camera over his left shoulder and photographed in front of a red background — MisterBeast, real name Jimmy Donaldson, signed a deal with Amazon in March to develop Beast Games

YouTuber MisterBeast is named in court documents alleging that contestants in his upcoming series Beast Games were “brazenly exploited”.

Those who took part have sued the production companies involved in the show, including MrB2024 and Amazon.

The series, first announced in March, offers 1,000 participants the chance to win $5m (£3.5m) in cash prizes and promises to be the biggest live game show in the world.

But in a lawsuit filed Monday in a Los Angeles court, participants allege they were not paid, suffered unsafe conditions and were sexually harassed.

The documents say MrB2024 is “believed to be owned in whole or in part, directly or indirectly”, by MrBeast – real name Jimmy Donaldson – who is the world's biggest YouTuber with more than 300 million subscribers.

BBC Newsbeat has contacted MrBeast and Amazon for comment.

MrBeast is well known online for his philanthropic stunts and high-budget videos

Getty Images Jimmy Donaldson, aka Mr. Beast, photographed at the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. MrBeast has short brown hair and a short beard. He wears a white jacket over a black T-shirt and poses in front of a bright blue billboard with Nickelodeon's orange branding. — MrBeast is well known online for his philanthropic stunts and high-budget videos

In the legal papers, parts of which have been redacted, five anonymous contestants brought claims on behalf of everyone who participated.

They claim that the production team kept them under surveillance, controlled when they slept, what they wore and denied them privacy and access to the outside world.

They were “malnourished and over-tired”, it claimed, with food provided “scattered and in small quantities” which “endangered the health and welfare” of the contestants.

The 54-page document details allegations of an unsafe environment, with contestants writing in small areas, dangerous sets and inadequate background checks that allowed convicted felons to participate.

Some, it claims, were physically injured and were not given adequate access to medical care.

'Culture of Corruption'

The set was also said to “foster a culture of hatred and sexism”, creating a “hostile environment” for women that included sexual harassment.

“It was not only noticed but allowed,” the document says. “And apparently it was approved because of marching orders from the top.”

Lawyers for the contestants said they should be compensated for their time in what they say was “necessary labor” for production, arguing they were “not working for free” and should have been classified as employees.

All the claimants are seeking thousands of dollars for everyone involved to cover “unlawful wages”.

The two listed claimants, who are women, are seeking more compensation for hostile workplace allegations.

Earlier this year, MrBeast announced that he had hired private investigators to look into allegations that one of his channel's co-hosts had nurtured a minor..

Ava Chris Tyson was accused by other YouTubers of sending inappropriate messages to a minor when she was 20 years old. He denied grooming charges

Mr Beast removed him from the channel and said he “condoned or condoned inappropriate actions”.

Representatives for MisterBeast and Amazon did not respond to Newsbeat's requests for comment. The papers also name a production company, Off One's Base LLP, which BBC Newsbeat could not contact.