Most controversial reality TV shows, from the problematic to super strange --[Reported by Umva mag]

Since reality TV began 76 years ago, there has been an endless supply of concepts to keep us entertained.

Amongst them, we’ve had many success stories such as the longest-running reality show Survivor and Big Brother, which has spread to 63 countries around the world.

With a new addition to the genre always emerging, not everyone has been a hit.

While some just haven’t been able to capture their intended audience, others have pushed the boundaries so far, whether they should have existed in the first place has been called into question.

Let’s take a look back at some TV shows that likely wouldn’t be made again today…

The British Tribe Next Door (2019)

Scarlett Moffatt’s TV show feels a little like a fever dream due to its insane premise.

The Channel 4 show The British Tribe Next Door involved building a replica of the Gogglebox star’s Country Durham home in Namibia and moving her family into the temporary fixture for one month.

Joining Scarlett was her mum Betty, dad Mark, sister Ava-Grace and grandma Christine, who all packed up their 20,000 belongings for the trip to Africa.

At the time, the docu-reality series was labelled controversial at best, and problematic or offensive at worst. There were plenty of awkward moments such as a welcome dance where the family seemed uncomfortable, and Scarlett talking about her penchant for fake tanning to a group of Black women. 

Fat Families (2010)

Families struggling with their weight were sent help in the form of Steve Miller, in the Sky One creation. The self-titled ‘no-nonsense fat buster’ had an approach that was harsh, to say the least.

He threw insults at everyone, with remarks such ‘merry munchers’ ‘beach blubber bellies’, and ‘fatties that haven’t seen their feet for years’ used without caution.

Those participating were put under constant surveillance as their lifestyle was overhauled. It would not be unusual for a producer to call a participant if they saw them taking a break from the treadmill.

Supersize vs Superskinny (2008-2014)

In the 2000s and 2010s, there were many series based on weight. As well as the aforementioned Fat Families, there were You Are What You Eat, Secret Eaters, and Biggest Loser, and Channel 4’s Supersize vs Superskinny.

The latter series asked a person who was overweight, and an underweight person to live together for five days and swap diets. This would entail eating a drastically different diet that they did not enjoy. Sometimes a person would only be given hot beverages and snacks throughout the day.

Although it was supervised by Dr Christian Jessen, it is unlikely to have been the healthiest way to address issues.

There’s Something About Miriam (2004)

The 2004 Sky show followed a group of British men competing to win the affection of the late Mexican model Miriam Rivera, then 21, and a £10,000 cash prize.

Rivera, who was a trans woman, was told to keep her gender identity secret throughout the series until the final stage.

As the British Medical Journal explained: ‘The premise was not a celebration of transgender people’s lives. It was designed to elicit horror from the winning contestant, discovering that his dream date had a penis.’

The Swan (2004)

Presented by Irish host Amanda Byram, The Swan – based on the fairytale The Ugly Duckling – chose a cast of women deemed to be unattractive and suffering from low self-esteem and gave them extreme makeovers, not just with a box of hair dye and a make-up artist, but with specially selected plastic surgeons.

The 16 selected women would all compete to make it to the grand pageant final, aired on Fox.

‘A group of ordinary women hand over their lives to a team of cosmetic and plastic surgeons,’ a voiceover would explain at the start of each episode.

‘They will be put through a brutal three-month makeover all for the chance to become beauty queens. Each week, two contestants will be transformed, but only one will be judged beautiful enough to move on to the pageant.’

10 Years Younger (2004-2009, 2020)

The Swan wasn’t the only series that preyed on people’s low self-esteem and offered free plastic surgery. 10 Years Younger overhauled people’s appearance with the aim of their makeover signified in the title.

At the start of the episode, 100 people would guess the age of the participant, and the process would repeated once again after the work had been done.

Once again the use of cosmetic surgery as a way to fix issues, that were often internal, was criticised.

Benefits Street (2014)

The TV series, which ran for two seasons, followed the lives of Birmingham residents on ‘one of Britain’s most benefit-dependent streets’ including White Dee (real name Deidre Kelly), Samora Roberts who was known as Black Dee, and James Clarke. It was claimed 95% of householders did not work.

The highly controversial Channel 4 show divided viewers, with many claiming it gave those who claim benefits an undeservedly bad reputation, demonising them in some ways. So while it was watched by 4.3 million, it also led to hundreds of Ofcom complaints.

It also enraged some members of the public by not highlighting the myriad of reasons people may use the government system. According to UK statistics at the time, less than 1% of families had two generations who were on benefits that had never worked. Fraudulent benefit claims were even less, with an approximate 0.8% of benefits being overpaid due to suspected fraud. 

While Dee alleged they got no support after filming, despite the trolling: ‘When you talk about support and aftercare there simply wasn’t any.

‘There was no support while it was being made and there was certainly no aftercare.’

Snog Marry Avoid? (2008-2013)

Billed as giving makeunders instead of makeovers, BBC’s Snog Marry Avoid? invited people into the POD, which stood for personal overhaul device.

Originally presented by Jenny Frost, before Ellie Taylor took over the reboot, ‘OTT girls and boys’ would be transformed into ‘natural beauties’.

The format would see the participants first listen to what members of the public thought of their appearance, which would regularly be wholly negative. Then after removing their makeup, they’d get a more demure, mindful and cutesy look. What would follow is positive comments from the public.

But really, who cares what other people think as long as the person themselves are happy with how they look?

Also, the POD had real Steve Miller energy and ripped participants to shreds, which we’re not here for in 2024.

Born in the Wild (2015)

Born In The Wild saw pregnant women decide to give birth in the Alaskan wilderness, 150 miles away from the nearest hospital.

‘No inductions, no epidural … just expectant mothers facing and giving birth in the arms of Mother Nature,’ the Lifetime show’s description teased.

Midwives joined the families, and there was always an ambulance nearby, but it was not made completely clear what would happen if something went significantly wrong. The jeopardy of the situation is played on within the programme.

Adding further drama to childbirth feels a little tone-deaf when so much can and has gone wrong for women. Shows like One Born Every Minute prove you don’t need to send women to forests to make the arrival of new life interesting.

Who’s your Daddy? (2005)

The Fox series signed up Myers, who was raised by adoptive parents and had never met her biological father.

Myers was introduced to eight men, who could be her estranged father. They all lived together in a mansion as she got to know each of them. If Myers guessed correctly, she would win $100,000, but if duped, they would take the money.

In one scene, an actor tells an emotional Myers: ‘I want you to know that you were conceived in absolute love.’

The series was never finished after it was slammed by adoption charities as ‘destructive, insensitive and offensive’.

Kid Nation (2007)

Forty overachieving kids, aged between 8-15, were left without adults or modern comforts, such as electricity, for 40 days.

During this time, they were told to build a new world out of a real-life ghost town that died in the 19th century, as well as cook and clean for themselves. They also had to sleep on the floor, and were only able to shower every three days.

To take part in the CBS show, the cast were removed from school for six weeks, with no tutoring.

It’s since been claimed by the now grown-up children that producers would try to encourage arguments by telling them what others had said in confessionals. It’s quite bad practice when adults are involved, but is partially expected when filming reality TV. However, where children are concerned, the manipulation feels totally wrong.

I Wanna Marry Harry (2014)

Dating shows are constantly trying to serve us something new in the crowded market and Fox really went for it with I Wanna Marry Harry.

They put a bunch of American women into a house and told them they were dating Prince Harry, but it was instead a lookalike called Matthew Hicks.

Staged paparazzi chases, and regal dates kept the charade going but weren’t enough to enthral viewers – the series was pulled halfway through airing.

Duping women to fall in love with a lie is a questionable basis for a series.

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