10 Reality Shows That RUINED Lives
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VOICE OVER: Patrick Mealey
Reality TV may be entertaining, but it can also ruin people's lives. For this list, we'll be looking at the most notable people whose lives suffered severe negative consequences following their appearances on reality shows. Our countdown of stars whose lives were ruined by reality shows includes Teresa Giudice from “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (2009-), Chris Bukowski from “The Bachelor” franchise (2002-), Renee Alway from “America's Next Top Model” (2003-18), and more!
Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at 10 Reality Shows That Ruined People’s Lives. For this list, we’ll be looking at the most notable people whose lives suffered severe negative consequences following their appearances on reality shows. What do you make of these tragic stories? Let us know in the comments below!
The 2000s were full of shows that just kind of…followed celebrities around. Hey, Instagram wasn't around yet, ya know? One of the most popular was MTV’s “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” which chronicled the personal lives of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. The two married on October 26, 2002, and the show premiered less than a year later. While it started innocently enough, it soon became a public record of their diminishing love. The show aired their problems and private discussions for millions to see, and it likely put incredible stress on their relationship. The two filed for divorce on December 16, 2005, just nine months after the final episode had aired.
Teresa Giudice has been a regular on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” since its inception in 2009. And it wreaked havoc on her life. Giudice told Digital Spy that she has been “judged differently” since being on television and that fame “ruin[ed] [her] family.” The incredible wealth that the Giudices have acquired has also landed them in some major legal hot water. In 2014, after being hit with multiple fraud charges, Teresa and her husband Joe pled guilty to 41 criminal counts, including bankruptcy and mail fraud. They were both sent to federal prison and Joe was subsequently deported back to Italy. After being married for 21 years, the couple finalized their divorce in 2020.
The fifth installment in the “Real Housewives” franchise wasn’t nearly as successful as the others, running for just one season and eleven episodes in 2010. One of the main characters is Cat Ommanney, who had a husband named Charles. As a photojournalist, Charles required a certain skill at blending in for his job, but his life on the show ruined that and made him a famous figure. He also lost many friends, as they were worried that their social interactions were going to be filmed. The Ommanneys’ marriage collapsed, and Charles later told The New York Times that starring on the show was the greatest regret of his life.
Amber Portwood of Indiana dropped out of Anderson High School after becoming pregnant and had her first child at 18 with a man named Gary Shirley. Because of their story, the couple ended up on the MTV show “16 and Pregnant,” and its spin-off “Teen Mom.” One episode of the latter showed Portwood being physically violent towards Shirley. The filmmakers did not intervene when this occurred and refused to report it to the authorities. However, viewers complained about Portwood after the episode aired and she was investigated by the police. She was found guilty of felony domestic battery and received probation. Portwood later violated said probation, resulting in a prison sentence of five years.
ABC aired a reality show called “Wife Swap,” which showed two families swapping wives and mothers. These ladies were often completely different in terms of temperament, class, and lifestyle, resulting in both comedy gold and social commentary. One of the most infamous contestants was a man named Stephen Fowler, who was rather unkind to his replacement wife. Among other things, he repeatedly called her demeaning names. Fowler was viciously criticized online and his house was visited by irate fans, forcing the production company to post security guards outside. The family was eventually forced to move, and Fowler was also fired from his job. He later told The Noe Valley Voice that he “wouldn’t recommend [the experience] to anyone.”
Professional model Renee Alway had been working since the age of 13 and found fame after starring in the eighth season of “America's Next Top Model.” She finished in third place behind Natasha Galkina and winner Jaslene Gonzalez. Unfortunately, starring on the show completely ruined her life. Alway told ABC that she “felt like a failure” after the series and that she couldn’t handle “the pressure of the fans.” She also had trouble finding work, saying that “it was just closed door after closed door” following the show. Alway soon struggled with substance use disorder, lost her home, and received twelve years in prison after getting convicted of felony burglary.
This was one of the most notorious shows of the 2010s, following the titular Honey Boo Boo, Alana Thompson, and her family. This includes her older sister, Anna Cardwell, nicknamed Chickadee. Unfortunately, the show has caused Cardwell to become estranged from her family. She sued her mother, June Shannon, claiming that she was owed nearly half a million dollars in royalties. She is also not in contact with her sisters, telling E! News, “I can give two craps about them.” While Cardwell is back on speaking terms with her mother, and she even attended her wedding to Justin Stroud, the relationship between the two is reportedly quite strained.
Chris Bukowski was a regular in the “Bachelor” franchise, appearing in “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor Pad,” and “Bachelor in Paradise.” It may seem like he has a good relationship with the franchise, but the reality is anything but. Bukowski wrote an open letter on Rant Now, saying that “Bachelor Pad” “almost completely ruined [him]” and that “[his] obsession with television had completely taken over [his] life.” He became addicted to anxiety medication and his relationship with his parents, who disagreed strongly with his on-camera behavior, became strained. Bukowski proceeded to leave reality TV behind, claiming that it wasn’t good for his career, his relationships, or his mental health.
Honestly, the whole premise behind “Extreme Makeover” is kind of disturbing. It sees “regular-looking” people who are unhappy with their appearance undergoing plastic surgery in order to appear more conventionally beautiful. One of the hardest-hit contestants was Texas woman Deleese Williams. Her appearance on the show was canceled following a scheduling conflict. However, her family had already taped “horrific statements” about Williams’ looks at the behest of the producers, and Williams was forced to hear them all before her makeover was canceled. The most guilt-ridden of all was Williams’s sister Kellie McGee, who eventually took her own life. Williams sued the network for personal damages, claiming that the experience left her “humiliated” and contributed to her sister’s death.
We return to “The Bachelor” for the tragic story of Gia Allemand. Allemand was cast on the fourteenth season of the show, subtitled “On the Wings of Love.” She finished third and later appeared on the spin-off “Bachelor Pad.” Unfortunately, Allemand attempted to take her own life on the night of August 12, 2013. She was found by her boyfriend, with whom she had been arguing, and died two days later in the hospital. The argument was Allemand’s catalyst, but her friends assert that she had been struggling for some time. They attest that she had many personal demons and insecurities that she attempted to cure on “The Bachelor”. Her publicist also claimed that she had grappled with the pressures of fame.
Jessica Simpson & Nick Lachey
“Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica” (2003-05)The 2000s were full of shows that just kind of…followed celebrities around. Hey, Instagram wasn't around yet, ya know? One of the most popular was MTV’s “Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica,” which chronicled the personal lives of Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey. The two married on October 26, 2002, and the show premiered less than a year later. While it started innocently enough, it soon became a public record of their diminishing love. The show aired their problems and private discussions for millions to see, and it likely put incredible stress on their relationship. The two filed for divorce on December 16, 2005, just nine months after the final episode had aired.
Teresa Giudice
“The Real Housewives of New Jersey” (2009-)Teresa Giudice has been a regular on Bravo’s “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” since its inception in 2009. And it wreaked havoc on her life. Giudice told Digital Spy that she has been “judged differently” since being on television and that fame “ruin[ed] [her] family.” The incredible wealth that the Giudices have acquired has also landed them in some major legal hot water. In 2014, after being hit with multiple fraud charges, Teresa and her husband Joe pled guilty to 41 criminal counts, including bankruptcy and mail fraud. They were both sent to federal prison and Joe was subsequently deported back to Italy. After being married for 21 years, the couple finalized their divorce in 2020.
Charles Ommanney
“The Real Housewives of D.C.” (2010)The fifth installment in the “Real Housewives” franchise wasn’t nearly as successful as the others, running for just one season and eleven episodes in 2010. One of the main characters is Cat Ommanney, who had a husband named Charles. As a photojournalist, Charles required a certain skill at blending in for his job, but his life on the show ruined that and made him a famous figure. He also lost many friends, as they were worried that their social interactions were going to be filmed. The Ommanneys’ marriage collapsed, and Charles later told The New York Times that starring on the show was the greatest regret of his life.
Amber Portwood
“Teen Mom” (2009-21)Amber Portwood of Indiana dropped out of Anderson High School after becoming pregnant and had her first child at 18 with a man named Gary Shirley. Because of their story, the couple ended up on the MTV show “16 and Pregnant,” and its spin-off “Teen Mom.” One episode of the latter showed Portwood being physically violent towards Shirley. The filmmakers did not intervene when this occurred and refused to report it to the authorities. However, viewers complained about Portwood after the episode aired and she was investigated by the police. She was found guilty of felony domestic battery and received probation. Portwood later violated said probation, resulting in a prison sentence of five years.
Stephen Fowler
“Wife Swap” (2004-10; 2013; 2019-20)ABC aired a reality show called “Wife Swap,” which showed two families swapping wives and mothers. These ladies were often completely different in terms of temperament, class, and lifestyle, resulting in both comedy gold and social commentary. One of the most infamous contestants was a man named Stephen Fowler, who was rather unkind to his replacement wife. Among other things, he repeatedly called her demeaning names. Fowler was viciously criticized online and his house was visited by irate fans, forcing the production company to post security guards outside. The family was eventually forced to move, and Fowler was also fired from his job. He later told The Noe Valley Voice that he “wouldn’t recommend [the experience] to anyone.”
Renee Alway
“America's Next Top Model” (2003-18)Professional model Renee Alway had been working since the age of 13 and found fame after starring in the eighth season of “America's Next Top Model.” She finished in third place behind Natasha Galkina and winner Jaslene Gonzalez. Unfortunately, starring on the show completely ruined her life. Alway told ABC that she “felt like a failure” after the series and that she couldn’t handle “the pressure of the fans.” She also had trouble finding work, saying that “it was just closed door after closed door” following the show. Alway soon struggled with substance use disorder, lost her home, and received twelve years in prison after getting convicted of felony burglary.
Anna “Chickadee” Cardwell
“Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” (2012-17)This was one of the most notorious shows of the 2010s, following the titular Honey Boo Boo, Alana Thompson, and her family. This includes her older sister, Anna Cardwell, nicknamed Chickadee. Unfortunately, the show has caused Cardwell to become estranged from her family. She sued her mother, June Shannon, claiming that she was owed nearly half a million dollars in royalties. She is also not in contact with her sisters, telling E! News, “I can give two craps about them.” While Cardwell is back on speaking terms with her mother, and she even attended her wedding to Justin Stroud, the relationship between the two is reportedly quite strained.
Chris Bukowski
“The Bachelor” franchise (2002-)Chris Bukowski was a regular in the “Bachelor” franchise, appearing in “The Bachelorette,” “Bachelor Pad,” and “Bachelor in Paradise.” It may seem like he has a good relationship with the franchise, but the reality is anything but. Bukowski wrote an open letter on Rant Now, saying that “Bachelor Pad” “almost completely ruined [him]” and that “[his] obsession with television had completely taken over [his] life.” He became addicted to anxiety medication and his relationship with his parents, who disagreed strongly with his on-camera behavior, became strained. Bukowski proceeded to leave reality TV behind, claiming that it wasn’t good for his career, his relationships, or his mental health.
Deleese Williams
“Extreme Makeover” (2002-07)Honestly, the whole premise behind “Extreme Makeover” is kind of disturbing. It sees “regular-looking” people who are unhappy with their appearance undergoing plastic surgery in order to appear more conventionally beautiful. One of the hardest-hit contestants was Texas woman Deleese Williams. Her appearance on the show was canceled following a scheduling conflict. However, her family had already taped “horrific statements” about Williams’ looks at the behest of the producers, and Williams was forced to hear them all before her makeover was canceled. The most guilt-ridden of all was Williams’s sister Kellie McGee, who eventually took her own life. Williams sued the network for personal damages, claiming that the experience left her “humiliated” and contributed to her sister’s death.
Gia Allemand
“The Bachelor” franchise (2002-)We return to “The Bachelor” for the tragic story of Gia Allemand. Allemand was cast on the fourteenth season of the show, subtitled “On the Wings of Love.” She finished third and later appeared on the spin-off “Bachelor Pad.” Unfortunately, Allemand attempted to take her own life on the night of August 12, 2013. She was found by her boyfriend, with whom she had been arguing, and died two days later in the hospital. The argument was Allemand’s catalyst, but her friends assert that she had been struggling for some time. They attest that she had many personal demons and insecurities that she attempted to cure on “The Bachelor”. Her publicist also claimed that she had grappled with the pressures of fame.
