Reality TV shows have captured attention worldwide since their inception, with shows like Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Survivor, among others, pioneering the genre. Our experts will reveal the ultimate reality shows that reign supreme, looking at ratings, longevity, and popularity.
While reality TV shows are undeniably popular, their stars often find lasting fame even after their respective shows are taken off the air. We will reveal the reality stars that come out on top, looking at show appearances and online fame.
With online casinos and online slots, fans can experience their own thrills and drama, mirroring the excitement of reality TV in a virtual setting.
The Biggest Reality TV Stars
1. Kylie Jenner | Keeping Up with the Kardashians/ The Kardashians | Reality star score: 9.90/10
Kylie Jenner is one of the most iconic reality TV stars of all time, first appearing on Keeping Up with the Kardashians. In the top spot, Kylie claims her spot as the best reality TV star. The business tycoon has amassed more social media followers than any other reality star on Instagram and TikTok and has the highest potential earnings from sponsored posts. She also ranks second for Google searches, with 55.6 million global searches in 2023.
2. Gordon Ramsay | Hell's Kitchen & Kitchen Nightmares | Reality star score: 9.73/10
With 16 spin-off shows, including The F Word, Ramsay’s Best Restaurant, and Hotel Hell, Gordon Ramsay is a staple on our TV screens. Gordon Ramsay also comes in third place for the most TikTok followers, behind Kylie Jenner and JoJo Siwa, captivating fans with his cooking videos and culinary critiques.
3. Kourtney Kardashian | Keeping Up with the Kardashians/ The Kardashians | Reality star score: 9.72/10
Kourtney Kardashian became a household name with the release of her family’s reality show Keeping Up with the Kardashians. While the reality star has built her brand through other business ventures, including her clean living brand Poosh, her popularity from reality TV appearances is undeniable. Kourtney not only appeared on Keeping Up with the Kardashians and the subsequent show The Kardashians but also starred in three spin-off shows, including Kourtney And Kim Take New York, Kourtney and Khloé in Miami, later renamed Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, and Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons.
The Reality TV Stars with the Most Drama
1. Tom Sandoval | Vanderpump Rules: 9,120 Google searches for drama
Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval made headlines in 2023 when rumors broke that he was cheating on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with co-star Raquel Leviss. ‘Tom Sandoval drama’ was Googled more than any other reality TV personality scandal worldwide in 2023.
2. JoJo Siwa | So You Think You Can Dance: 6,420 Google searches for drama
JoJo Siwa’s relationship drama was highly publicized in recent months. Ex-girlfriend Avery Cyrus took to TikTok to reveal details about the relationship, and ‘JoJo Siwa drama’ racked up 6,420 global Google searches in 2023.
3. Kylie Jenner | Keeping Up with the Kardashians/ The Kardashians: 4,120 Google searches for drama
Kylie Jenner has never been a stranger to making headlines. Still, her recent split from longtime boyfriend Travis Scott and new relationship with Timothée Chalamet have likely led to 4,120 Google searches for ‘Kylie Jenner drama’ in the last 12 months.
The Reality TV Stars with the Most Spin-off Shows
1. Gordon Ramsay | Hell's Kitchen & Kitchen Nightmares: 16 spin-off shows
Gordon Ramsay is no stranger to reality TV. Making his first TV appearance in 1999 on the British show The Boiling Point, Ramsay has gone on to star in 16 series, including Gordon, Gino, and Fred: Road Trip, Hotel Hell, and Future Food Stars.
2. Bam Margera | Jackass: 4 spin-off shows
Jackass star Bam Margera is undeniably one of the best-known reality TV stars. Captivating audiences with his skateboarding skills and funny pranks, Margera has starred in four spin-off shows, including Viva La Bam, Bam's Unholy Union, Bam's World Domination, and Bam's Bad Ass Game Show.
3. Kourtney Kardashian | Keeping Up with the Kardashians/ The Kardashians: 3 spin-off shows
Kourtney Kardashian is a reality TV favorite. Making her first on-screen appearance in Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kourtney has gone on to star in three spin-offs, including Kourtney And Kim Take New York, Kourtney and Khloé in Miami, later renamed Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, and Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons. There are also rumors of a Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker spin-off show hitting screens in 2024.
The Biggest Reality TV Stars on Social Media
The most followed reality TV star on Instagram and TikTok | Kylie Jenner: 399 million Instagram followers | 54.9 TikTok followers
Often dubbed the ‘Queen of Instagram,’ Kylie Jenner has amassed a whopping 399 million Instagram followers. She also has over 54.9 million TikTok followers. Her fans love her video content on the platform, where she shares her makeup routine, lip sync videos, and fashion looks.
The highest-earning reality TV star on Instagram and TikTok | Kylie Jenner: Estimated $4,650,000 (C$6,294,961) per sponsored Instagram post | Estimated $87,863 (C$118,726) per sponsored TikTok post
Kylie Jenner’s influence on social media is not limited to just followers. The Kardashians star can also use her presence increase her earnings. The star could earn up to an estimated $4.65 million (C$6.29 million) for uploading a sponsored post on Instagram and an estimated $87,863 (C$118,726) for uploading a single sponsored video to TikTok.
The Most Googled Reality TV Star
The most-Googled reality TV star | Kim Kardashian: 59.5 million annual Google searches
Kim Kardashian is one of the most iconic reality stars, building her brand using her fame from Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians. Kim is also the most-Googled reality TV star on our list, with 59.5 million Google searches globally in 2023.
The Best Reality TV Shows
1. Survivor - Reality show score: 8.90/10
Survivor is one of the most instantly recognizable reality TV shows, pioneering the genre by introducing competitive gameplay in 2000. Hosted by Jeff Probst, the show sees celebrities and regular contestants battling to win $1 million. Survivor is the best reality show overall, with 45 seasons, more than any other show on our list, and 13.6 million annual global Google searches.
2. Hell's Kitchen - Reality show score: 7.58/10
Hell’s Kitchen is one of chef Gordon Ramsay’s most-watched reality shows, lasting 22 seasons. The show follows chef contestants going head to head each episode, cooking unique dishes to impress the show’s host. Hell’s Kitchen ranks in the top five shows on our list for Google searches, with 6.7 million global searches during 2023.
2. Impractical Jokers - Reality show score: 7.57/10
In joint second place, Impractical Jokers is one of the best reality television shows to air. With the show debuting in 2011, the jokers are best known for their goofy and hilarious pranks on the public. The show has the highest average IMDb rating out of all the reality shows on our list and comes in second place for the number of user ratings with 45,000.
4. RuPaul's Drag Race - Reality show score: 7.50/10
RuPaul's Drag Race spotlights drag artists, celebrates drag culture, and crowns the ultimate drag queen in the US. Hosted by the world-famous drag artist RuPaul, the show follows contestants battling each episode in performance and creativity challenges. The show has the second-highest IMDb rating out of all the shows on our list, at 8.5 out of 10, and has 16 seasons and 2.5 million global Google searches in the last 12 months.
The Highest-rated Reality TV Show | Impractical Jokers: 8.6/10
Impractical Jokers, a show that follows four best friends playing jokes on each other and the public, is the highest-rated North American reality show on IMDb, with an average user rating of 8.6 out of 10.
The Most-rated Reality TV Show | MythBusters: 55,000 Ratings
The educational reality show MythBusters has more user ratings on IMDb than any other show we looked at. The series that follows hosts testing myths, creating explosions, and crashing cars, among other stunts, has 55,000 user ratings.
The Longest-lasting Reality TV Show | Survivor: 45 Seasons
Survivor has been on air since 2000, so it’s no surprise that it has produced more seasons than any other show on our list. There are 45 seasons of Survivor, with a 46th season scheduled to release in 2024.
The Most Popular Reality TV Show | Survivor: 13.6 Million Searches
It’s no secret that the show Survivor has captured the world’s attention, renewing for 24 years since its first season aired in 2000. The show’s popularity hasn’t dwindled over the years, with 13.6 million Google searches worldwide for Survivor in 2023.
Methodology
Reality stars
We compiled a list of reality TV show stars, looking at the top stars and prominent cast members from each reality show on our list. For each star, we sourced the number of Instagram followers using Instagram on February 2, 2024; the maximum estimated earnings per sponsored Instagram post using InBeat on February 6, 2024; the number of TikTok followers using TikTok on February 4, 2024; the maximum estimated earnings per sponsored TikTok post using TikCalculator on February 5, 2024; the number of global Google searches using Google Ads Keyword Planner between January and December 2023; and the number of spin-off shows using Wikipedia on February 6, 2024.
All figures were rounded to the nearest whole number. All currency conversions were completed using Google Finance. Currency conversions for the estimated earnings per sponsored Instagram post were completed on February 6, 2024. Currency conversions for the estimated earnings per sponsored TikTok post were completed on February 5, 2024.
We gave each reality star a normalized score out of 10 for each factor before calculating the average score for each star across all factors. This reality star score out of 10 formed the basis for our ranking.
For talent shows, we included judges and hosts. We only included stars who are best known for their reality TV appearances. For spin-off shows, we only included shows that starred each reality TV personality on our list. We removed all stars for which the relevant factors were unavailable, including Simon Cowell, Lisa Vanderpump, and Khloe Kardashian.
Reality shows
Using IMDb, we compiled a list of the top reality TV shows from the US and Canada. We ordered the list of reality shows by the number of ratings and sourced the average user rating/ 10, the number of ratings, and the number of seasons using IMDb on February 3, 2024. Using Google Ads Keyword Planner, we sourced the number of global Google searches for each reality show from January to December 2023.
We gave each reality show a normalized score out of 10 for each factor before calculating the average score for each show across all factors. This reality show score out of 10 formed the basis for our ranking.
For the shows Keeping Up with the Kardashians and The Kardashians, we totaled the number of seasons, Google searches, and IMDb user ratings for each show. We also calculated the average IMDb rating out of 10.
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