The biggest reality TV drama is behind the scenes

Forget about who kissed who, or which housewife snubbed another at her philanthropy event. In the industry that pushes its stars to produce drama, there’s been no shortage of real-life crises this year.

The Bachelorette: Just three days before its March premiere, ABC parent company Disney made the unprecedented move to indefinitely postpone its much-hyped season starring Taylor Frankie Paul—a cast member on The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives—after TMZ released a video appearing to show her throwing metal bar stools in 2023 at her then-boyfriend, Dakota Mortensen (whom Paul has also accused of domestic violence), one of which seemed to strike her daughter and make the child cry. The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives reportedly halted work on its fifth season amid an investigation into Paul and Mortensen, though filming may resume soon.

Love is Blind: One of the biggest upstarts in reality TV has already faced exploitation allegations and lawsuits dating back to 2022, and its reputation continued to tank this year after its latest season (No. 10) drew manosphere accusations. One male contestant compared himself to alleged human trafficker Andrew Tate, while another is suing a woman (not from the show) who accused him of sexual assault. Some women contestants also said producers cut conversations in which they told men that having voted for President Trump in 2024 was a dealbreaker for them.

Documentary fallout: America’s Next Top Model has long been the poster child for reality TV’s 2000s-era psychological warfare. The show’s controversy is back in the limelight with a recent Netflix documentary featuring the show’s creator and host, Tyra Banks, who’s now being criticized for expressing a lack of accountability for the show’s poor treatment of contestants. Months earlier, a documentary about The Biggest Loser, another popular but controversial reality show from the 2000s, raised fresh allegations of physical and emotional harm by trainers Jillian Michaels and Bob Harper, which they deny.

Meanwhile…a lawsuit by a former star of The Real Housewives of New York City, which accuses Bravo and producer Andy Cohen of creating a hostile work environment, is proceeding in federal court.—ML