8 Controversial Reality TV Moments That Killed Celebrities' Careers

It doesn't matter if you love it or hate it, there's no denying that reality television is incredibly popular. Whether it's raunchy dating shows, celebrities learning new skills, or members of the public being thrown into bizarre situations, people seemingly cannot get enough of the genre. The best reality TV shows draw in millions of viewers, while celebrity versions can prove to be a great way to launch a new career path or revive the fortunes of a waning star.

Yet reality television has the power to end a career just as much as it has the ability to spark a comeback. Some of the most controversial TV moments of recent times have come on reality shows, and these types of moments can seriously damage reputations and harm public images in the right circumstances.

Here we are going to look at a selection of controversial moments that proved too much for the celebrities involved and effectively put an end to their careers.

In the early 2000s, Roxanne Pallett — then known as Roxanne Carrion — seemed on a trajectory to be one of England's next big stars. Having worked briefly in the music industry, she moved into acting following several failed record deals and ultimately landed a recurring role on the long-running British soap "Emmerdale." Her stint as Jo Sugden lasted more than 180 episodes and saw Pallet nominated for numerous awards, cementing her as a well-known and likable figure. The actor's stock continued to rise as she modeled for magazines and established a reputation as a sex symbol.

After leaving "Emmerdale," Pallett worked on other television series, appeared on reality shows like "Dancing on Ice," and made her film and stage debuts. A 2018 appearance on "Celebrity Big Brother" caused controversy when she accused a fellow contestant — actor Ryan Thomas — of assaulting her. Pallett subsequently left the show while Thomas denied the allegations.

Footage showed that the punches from Thomas were not malicious and part of a playful encounter between the two, with Pallett later apologizing for overreacting. Viewers reacted furiously as thousands complained to British regulator Ofcom, while Pallett admitted she had become one of the most hated women in the country due to her actions. Pallett has been largely absent from television as an actor and reality star since, while also quitting her role as a host on a British radio station. Following the scandal, the actor retreated from public life and moved to the United States, where she got married and had a child.

For decades, Christopher Biggins was a familiar face to British and foreign audiences. Having made his screen debut in the 1970s, he has almost 100 screen credits — including a brief part in the film adaptation of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" — to his name and has been a regular on reality shows. The actor also became famous for his pantomime appearances in the United Kingdom.

The British version of "Celebrity Big Brother" again proved its ability to generate controversy when Biggins made ill-judged and inappropriate remarks while on the show. The first scandal involved a conversation with Renee Graziano, where he made discriminatory statements about bisexual individuals. The show's producers later removed him from the Big Brother House, explaining in a statement (via BBC News) that Biggins had made "a number of comments capable of causing great offense." It was subsequently revealed that Biggins had made a joke about the Holocaust to housemates that was considered antisemitic.

Since his "Celebrity Big Brother" controversy, work has dried up for Biggins and he has only had a small number of television roles, mainly in cameo appearances or as himself. He has blamed his advancing age and difficulty in being able to remember lines for his lack of activity on and off screen.

Any fans of Fox teen drama "Beverly Hills, 90210," will no doubt be familiar with Tori Spelling. Between 1990 and 2000, she appeared in some 292 episodes as one of the main members of the cast, landing the part of Donna Martin at the age of 17. Yet this was not her first experience in the industry. Spelling made small guest appearances on a number of television series in the 1980s and 1990s, including the likes of "Saved by the Bell," "Fantasy Island," and "Hotel." After "Beverly Hills, 90210" ended, she had a starring role in the sitcom "So Notorious" and began to appear in a number of reality television series. In 2019, the actor portrayed Donna once again as part of the spin-off "BH90210."

But Spelling has not had much television or film work in the last few years, largely due to her appearances in her own show, "True Tori," alongside her then-husband Dean McDermott. The Lifetime series might not be one of the worst reality shows that ever existed but it lasted just two seasons, shining a spotlight on Spelling's marital problems and issues with drug addiction. The show depicted McDermott admitting to having an affair and laid bare Spelling's financial messes, all of which continued to recur throughout the show's run. In the end, the chaotic portrayal of Spelling's personal and professional life effectively limited her appeal as an actor and reality star.

Shannon Elizabeth had the world at her feet in the late 1990s when her career first began to blossom. Although "American Pie" was not her first screen role — she had previously appeared in the likes of "Step by Step," "USA High," and "Hang Time" — it did solidify her status as a sex symbol. Her breakthrough success in the raunchy comedy led to other major parts, with Elizabeth joining the main cast of films such as "Scary Movie," "Thirteen Ghosts," and "Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back." Yet despite what appeared to be the start of a promising career, the star failed to find sustained success.

Her last major, regular roles came in the television series "That '70s Show" and "Cuts" between 2003 and 2006. Outside of acting, she has largely concentrated on animal rights activism, professional poker, and stints on reality television shows like "Celebrity Big Brother" and "Dancing With the Stars." However, it was her unwitting appearance on Ashton Kutcher's hidden prank show "Punk'd" that really set her on a different career path. Her former husband Joe Reitman took part in a bizarre on-set prank that tried to trick Elizabeth into believing a sex tape involving her had been leaked.

The show had lasting repercussions for Elizabeth. She later divorced Reitman and the prank was seemingly a major contributor to the breakdown of their marriage. Acting work dried up almost immediately after the divorce and Elizabeth instead focused on her other pursuits.

Tyga is a rapper and musician who has been active in the industry since the late 2000s, when he was signed by Lil Wayne's label Young Money Entertainment. He has had a number of top 10 singles and a commercially successful album in the form of "Careless World: Rise of the Last King." But in recent years, Tyga has found himself embroiled in a number of controversies and legal troubles, including a battle against the IRS over alleged tax debts.

One of the earliest of these issues arose in 2015 when Tyga appeared on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians," thanks to his relationship with Kylie Jenner. His first appearances on the reality series drew criticism due to the age difference between the two, with Jenner being just 17 while Tyga was 24. The public nature of the romance meant that it had a significant effect on his image. "Being in a very public relationship like that, it's hard for other people to see you differently," he told Big Boy TV (via News24). "It overshadowed a lot of my talents and a lot of things I worked hard for."

Jay-Z biographer and noted music authority Zach Greenburg told Forbes, "Tyga is one of those artists who always seems on the cusp of becoming a star, but never quite gets there," and that may well have to do with the backlash he suffered due to his relationship ending with Jenner.

British actor Marc Bannerman shot to fame in the United Kingdom following his introduction on the popular BBC soap opera "EastEnders." Playing Italian Gianni di Marco, he joined the series in 1998 and spent three years in the role until his departure in 2000, as a result of changes brought about by a new producer to help modernize the show. Bannerman later had recurring roles in the sitcom "Time Gentlemen Please" and the drama series "Footballers' Wives: Extra Time." 

His fall from grace coincided with an appearance on British reality series "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!" — a genuine reality TV series where famous figures live in isolation in the Australian "jungle" and have to take part in gruesome and terrifying tasks. Bannerman took part in the 2007 installment and went on to publicly announce his romantic feelings for fellow contestant Cerys Matthews as he continually flirted with her. The only problem was that he was actually in a relationship with Sarah Matravers at the time.

This led to an outcry from viewers, who promptly voted Bannerman off the show. His reputation simply failed to recover, which may have put television execs off the idea of hiring him. For his part, Bannerman admitted his behavior was unacceptable. "I just developed feelings for someone in there and I've got a missus at home," he said on the show (via the Irish Examiner). "I'm a rat. I can't look for a scapegoat — the buck stops here."

Jessica Simpson seemed destined for stardom from a young age. She performed in a church choir as a child and even auditioned for a part on "The Mickey Mouse Club" with other now-famous figures such as Christina Aguilera. While she lost out on that role, Simpson did land a record deal, releasing the album "Sweet Kisses" along with the singles "I Wanna Love You Forever" and "Where You Are" in late 1999 and early 2000. She continued that success with later albums, selling a total of 20 million records and pursuing other career opportunities. Those included a high-profile role in the 2005 film "The Dukes of Hazzard," easily one of the worst movies based on a TV show.

Things started going sour for Simpson when she starred in her own reality series, "Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica," alongside her then-husband Nick Lachey. Running for three seasons until 2005, the show had a negative effect on her public image: the singer had a habit of frequently saying silly things, leading viewers to believe that she genuinely lacked intelligence. One of the most well-known moments — which has followed her throughout her life since — involved her being confused between chicken and tuna.

It hasn't been all bad for Simpson, though. Despite the fact that her music and acting skills have fallen by the wayside, her fashion line, known as The Jessica Simpson Collection, has earned more than $1 billion in revenue.

Actor and singer Adrienne Bailon found fame as a member of the girl band 3LW, later joining the girl group known as the Cheetah Girls and starring in a number of films based on the band for the Disney Channel. Bailon later appeared in the film "Coach Carter" and was a regular in the series "That's So Raven."

Bailon appeared on "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" regularly in 2008 and 2009 due to her relationship with Rob Kardashian. The pair dated for two years before they separated, due to Rob cheating on Bailon. She felt the experience hurt her public image and held her back professionally. "To be stuck with that Kardashian label, that was so hurtful to me and to my career," Bailon told Latina (via the Los Angeles Times). "I probably realized that too late — not that it would've affected my decisions in terms of who I dated, but it would've affected my decision to appear on the show."

Despite it being largely Rob's fault, she faced a huge backlash from fans of the television series and it did have an effect on her popularity, with people still blaming her for the split. In the same interview, Bailon explained: "At the time, I didn't think anyone would even care. To this day, people will still say, 'You ruined Rob's life!'"