When it comes to reality television, there is no denying just how entertaining the top shows of today are! Whether you're a fan of the Real Housewives, Catfish, or Dancing With The Stars, there is a show for just about anyone and everyone. Although producers have found just about every way to keep viewers wanting more, it appears as if what transpires on-screen isn't nearly as real as led on.
Despite it being "reality" TV, there is a lot that happens behind the scenes that make things...not so real. From shows such as The Hills, Selling Sunset, all the way to MTV's Siesta Key, here are a few reality series that are secretly scripted!
10 'House Hunters'
House Hunters first debuted on HGTV back in 1999, and viewers have been hooked ever since! While it seems as if home buyers are starting the process right off the bat when joining the show, producers actually scope out couples who have pretty much done all the work and are far along in the process.
The network themselves admitted to this, claiming they do so in order to "maximize production time," which is a practice used on countless home renovation, buying, or makeover shows.
9 'Storage Wars'
When it comes to Storage Wars there is no way it could be staged, considering the premise of the show, selling off storage items, is quite simple. Well, it turns out that production actually buys storage units in bulk, filled them with expensive items, and allows the "wars" to begin.
This was revealed by a former contestant, David Hester, who went on to sue the show for wrongful termination back in 2013 and claimed that items of value were added in following the purchase of the units in order to create as much drama and suspense as possible.
8 'The Apprentice'
"You're fired!" These are the two words uttered by former The Apprentice host, Donald Trump that just about everybody remembers. While the actual challenges were real, it appears as if the firing portion of the show was completely scripted for dramatic effect.
In fact, contestants weren't actually "evicted" from the competition! Despite grabbing their luggage, which was oftentimes empty, and heading back home, contestants would simply remain in a different part of the Trump Tower until the season wrapped.
7 'Catfish'
Nev and former co-host Max, who has since been replaced by co-host, Kamie Crawford, have become fan favs from their time on Catfish. With the show making a return, fans are still curious as to whether the series is fake or not. Well, much like every other reality show, it isn't nearly as real as viewers think.
When it comes to selecting candidates, it appears as if someone steps forward claiming they are being catfished, however, it is often the catfisher who contacts MTV first. Additionally, catfishers are already mic'd prior to being confronted on the show, eliminating any true element of surprise, however, thanks to the magic of producing and editing, anything is possible!
6 'Cake Boss'
Buddy Valastro and his bakery have become household names thanks to his time on TLC's Cake Boss. While his creations and the family drama are totally worth tuning in for, it appears as if the show isn't a true version of the Valastro reality.
While Buddy's clever creations seem delicious, they are reportedly completely inedible. This was revealed by the Chicago Cubs spokesperson, Julian Green, who revealed the cake made for Wrigley Field's 100th birthday was "mostly made up of non-edible material," he said.
5 'The Hills'
The Hills was easily one of the biggest reality TV shows of the 2000s, scoring in higher ratings each and every week than The Sopranos and Sex And The City, combined! While the earlier seasons were far more natural, the series took a turn and become quite the scripted concoction.
According to just about every cast member including Audrina Patridge, and Kristin Cavallari, producers would text castmates during sit-downs to feed them lines or go as far as bribing them with Hermès Birkin bags if they went along with a fake storyline. Luckily for fans, the rumors were put to rest come the series finale of the original show where they eluded to it being totally scripted.
4 'The Bachelor' / 'Bachelorette'
When it comes to the most prominent dating show on television, The Bachelor and its popular spinoff, The Bachelorette, aren't as real as you might think. Many former contestants on the show have revealed just how much producers play a role behind the scenes.
From stirring up drama to coaching contestants on what to say, there is far more happening than meets the eye. Jamie Otis, who appeared on season 16 of The Bachelor, revealed that when it came to her makeout sessions with Ben Flajnik before the rose ceremony, it was heavily suggested by the former host, Chris Harrison.
3 'Real Housewives'
When it comes to the Real Housewives, it seems as there really isn't much that is "real" about them! The show is notorious for its drama, feuds, lavish trips, and of course, a lot of drinking.
Well, turns out that producers also find themselves on the sidelines of every scene, stepping in to edit lines, or control the situation. This was seen during a filming shoot with the ladies of RHONY where the cast and crew went over a single scene multiple times in order to get it just right.
Similarly, Teresa and Joe Giudice revealed during their legal troubles that their appearances on the show are a “little more than a carefully crafted fiction, engineered by Bravo TV through scripted lines and clever editing," pointing at the show not being nearly as real as the network wants its fans to think.
2 'Cribs'
MTV's hit show, Cribs allowed fans to be taken inside the homes of celebrities, however, there were so many behind-the-scenes actions that most of the time, nothing was real. While a few celebs used their real homes, many don't!
Damon Dash reportedly rented Mariah Carey's London home for his episode, while Robbie Williams allegedly did the same exact thing with Jane Seymour's home. 50 Cent was also accused of renting cars, and JoJo actually sued her uncle's home to film! One person who kept it totally real was none there than Redman, who brought cameras into his apartment, despite producers requesting otherwise.
1 'Hell's Kitchen'
When it comes to Gordon Ramsay, the celebrity chef certainly knows how to run a restaurant, however, when it comes to being the face of a reality TV show, he needs a bit more help from production!
The show is entertaining, but far from real. According to a number of former contestants, they are required to agree to "potentially fictionalized and humiliating portrayals of themselves," says The Delite. Contestants of Ramsay's sister series, Masterchef, have also claimed that the show is far from real and is "highly engineered fiction."