what happened to richard simmons

Richard Simmons is a former fitness guru who became a recluse and stopped appearing in public altogether in February 2014. Over the years, rumors have swirled about the reasons why Simmons left the spotlight, with some fans wondering if the star was being held hostage by his longtime housekeeper Teresa Reveles. However, Simmons himself debunked this theory during a March 2016 telephone call to TODAYs Savannah Guthrie, stating that he just wanted to take care of himself and be a little bit of a loner for a while. In 2022, a documentary titled "TMZ Investigates: What Really Happened to Richard Simmons" was released, claiming that problems with the star’s knees were behind his sudden shunning of the spotlight. According to the documentary, Simmons had a right knee replacement that left him in pain, and unwilling to get a left knee replacement, too. He walks with a cane and that explains a lot. He’s just not the same guy anymore. In July 2023, Simmons made a rare public statement on his 75th birthday, stating that he is happy, healthy, and living the life he has chosen.