Top 10 Reality Show Scandals That Got Stars Fired

While most reality stars’ firings tend to happen off-screen, at least some of “Teen Mom OG” star Farrah Abraham’s strife with the makers of the MTV show happened on camera. During the show’s fifth season rebrand, Abraham had trouble with the producers. Problems reportedly arose when she wanted to move further into the adult entertainment industry in the aftermath of her widely publicized sex tape. However, Viacom, MTV’s parent network, was apparently not on board with her making adult content. On-camera spats between her and producers that at least seemed to hint at trouble preceded her eventual firing from the program in 2017.

When the couple at the center of your reality show about juggling marriage and parenthood decide to split up, it’s sure to come as a shock. That became clear when Kate and Jon Gosselin went through a headline-grabbing divorce in 2009. Speculation and reports surrounding Jon’s alleged behavior made the news, and public opinion remained squarely with his soon-to-be-ex-wife. TLC, for their part, made their stance pretty clear. They announced the show would return, but under a new title: “Kate Plus 8.” Jon tried to put a permanent stop to production, which led to much tension and legal back-and-forth. But ultimately, it went ahead as planned.

Rapper, producer, and music executive Hitmaka was still known by his previous stage name, Yung Berg, when he appeared on the first season of VH1’s “Love & Hip-Hop: Hollywood.” Part of VH1’s larger series about rap and hip-hop artists in various cities, the show featured musicians who were caught up in the drama of each other’s lives. In this instance, the drama got a little too real. Hours after the season one reunion, Yung Berg allegedly assaulted his then-partner, co-star Masika Kalysha at a hotel in New York. He was arrested, and the network fired him a few days later.

Introduced in season three, Phaedra Parks was a successful attorney when she joined the cast of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta.” Serving as a catalyst for many juicy happenings on the series, this southern belle more than earned her peach. But Phaedra went too far in season nine when she started a damaging and deeply disturbing rumor accusing castmate Kandi Burruss and Burruss’ husband, Todd Tucker, of sexual misconduct. The rumor created deep rifts in the cast, but Parks wasn’t revealed as the source until the reunion. As a result, Bravo fired her before the tenth season.

Not one, not two, but four “Vanderpump Rules” cast members were fired for racist behavior in 2020. Max Boyens and Brett Caprioni were relatively new to the show when they were fired for racist tweets. However, it was original cast members Stassi Schroeder and Kristen Doute who came under bigger fire for previously reporting colleague Faith Stowers to the authorities for a crime she had nothing to do with. Their accusation went viral two years later, after Stowers related the incident during an Instagram live. Bravo acted swiftly, firing both Schroeder and Doute.

This dance instructor has had her fair share of controversies over the years. Abby Lee Miller’s strictness and dance numbers for the young dancers in her company, which some felt were exploitative, alienated a lot of viewers early on. Despite her controversial methods, Lifetime stuck with Miller and the show for eight seasons – even staying through a prison sentence for fraud. Miller would actually be the one to leave the series. But the network ended their business relationship with her when accusations of racism from former students’ mothers came her way in June 2020. Lifetime also responded by canceling “Abby’s Virtual Dance-Off,” a competition series set to air that same summer.

When she joined the ladies of Bravo’s “Real Housewives of Salt Lake City,” Jennie Nguyen seemed like a breath of fresh air for the cast. Her personality and marital journey were endearing at first. However, her behavior, particularly toward Black castmate Mary Cosby, became more questionable as the season went on. The final straw came in January 2022, when Nguyen drew considerable backlash due to her past social media activity. This included posting and reposting of racist and violent memes belittling the Black Lives Matter movement. Bravo fired her soon after the posts resurfaced.

June and her daughter Alana achieved Internet virality and national fame with their appearance on “Toddlers & Tiaras.” Seemingly seeing the potential in the family, TLC gave them their own show in 2012. However, “Mama June” Shannon made headlines once again in 2014. This time, it was for her romantic association with a convicted sex offender, Mark McDaniel, who had victimized one of her daughters. The show was already under fire for a number of reasons, with some fearing exploitation was at play, but this was too much for TLC. The network severed ties with June and the family, pulling the plug on “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo”.

Food Network host Paula Deen’s bright personality, southern charm, and love of butter made her an instant hit. However, Deen’s fame came crashing down after a former employee, Lisa Jackson, named her in a lawsuit alleging racial and sexual discrimination. The controversy was exacerbated by the cooking show star’s admission to using racial slurs in the past, and the scandal became a lightning rod for commentary. Deen lost several sponsorships and business opportunities, and was fired by Food Network, who canceled her shows “Paula’s Home Cooking” and “Paula’s Best Dishes.”

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Peter Hunziker, “Below Deck Mediterranean” (2016-)
The Deckhand Was Terminated for a Racist & Misogynistic Social Media Post

Jeremy Clarkson, “Top Gear” (2002-)
The Longtime Host Was Fired After Assaulting a Producer

Angelea Preston, “America’s Next Top Model” (2003-18)
The All Stars Contestant Was Disqualified Due to Her Past as a Sex Worker

The devoutly Christian Duggar Family rose to fame on the TLC program about their large brood. However, their show was canceled when news of eldest son Josh Duggar’s past sexual misconduct involving minors, some of whom were his sisters, went public. The scandal was disturbing for longtime fans and critics alike. TLC parted ways with Josh, but also launched a spin off show still centered around the Duggars, “Counting On.” Despite his lack of direct involvement, this series was also canceled in light of the eldest son’s 2021 arrest and later conviction for possession of illegal materials involving minors.

Which of these scandals shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments.