On some level, reality TV had been a part of television since the medium’s earliest days, with programmes like Candid Camera, Queen for a Day, Real People and An American Family gaining a following for their unorthodox premise. (Image: MTV’s The Real World first aired in 1992, audiences were grappling with a new kind of unscripted storytelling that turned the cameras towards non-actors in a manufactured environment. How did reality TV emerge and who were its most popular stars? The Kardashians are one of the success stories of reality TV and rank among its most famous stars.
So, who are some of the most famous reality TV stars, and where are they today? We take a look. How else would we be introduced to icons like Lauren Conrad, Kim Kardashian and even America’s former president, Donald Trump? It’s safe to say, there’s no escaping reality TV. At a point when social media was still in its nascent stages and streaming platforms had not established their dominance, cable TV-operated reality shows like The Apprentice, Jersey Shore and The Real Housewives franchise ensured viewers were voyeuristically addicted. Rising to fame at a time when fame itself was undergoing a major shift - especially at the turn of the millennium - guaranteed these stars an undisputed, front-row spot in the media circus. Yet, for the countless celebrities who transformed into household names overnight, reality television is an inextricable part of their origin stories.
While reality television can be blamed for a whole lot: The rise of intolerance, the normalisation of superficiality, even the skyrocketing of expectations. Sure, in the three decades that the genre has been around, stars have come and gone, but there have emerged a handful of the most famous reality TV stars who despite their scathing feuds and explicit language, have conquered pop culture and took home its most coveted prize: our attention. When it comes to reality TV, the only thing real is the countless careers it has kickstarted.
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