If you thrive on scandal and gossip — as long as it's not happening in your own life, of course — then the world of reality TV is for you. With so many shows to choose from, there's sure to be something out there you enjoy, and there's never been a shortage of drama. Between shows such as The Bachelor, Vanderpump Rules, and even Jon & Kate Plus 8, we've clocked quite a lot of headline-making moments over the years that people still can't stop talking about.
At this point, it feels like we've seen it all. Arrests, cheating scandals, racism allegations, trials that got national attention … and that's just scratching the surface.
Read on for the biggest reality TV scandals ever — a walk down memory lane that's sure to be filled with some of the most unforgettable moments from your favorite shows.
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Josh Duggar's Arrest & Conviction
Josh Duggar is no stranger to making headlines for all the wrong reasons. First, his molestation scandal in 2016 caused TLC to cancel the family's popular reality show, 19 Kids and Counting. And even though he didn't appear on the follow-up series, Counting On, that also ended up getting canceled after his biggest scandal to date in 2021.
Josh was arrested after the FBI raided the car dealership he owns, leading to a jury trial and a conviction for possessing and receiving child sexual assault material in December 2021. He is now serving out a more than 10-year sentence in a federal correctional facility in Texas.
Teresa & Joe Giudice Go to Prison
In 2013, Real Housewives of New Jersey stars Teresa and Joe Giudice were indicted on fraud charges and convicted the following year (and reportedly lying to the court along the way). Joe and Teresa both served prison time — for Teresa, that meant spending 14 months behind bars, while Joe's sentence was 41 months.
But the couple's troubles spanned far beyond the fraud case. Ultimately, their marriage couldn't take the heat and they divorced in 2020. After Joe was released from prison, a judge ordered him to be deported back to Italy. Teresa, meanwhile, has since remarried.
Tristan Thompson's Cheating Scandals
Tristan Thompson — the father of Khloé Kardashian's two kids — had the aftermath of his multiple cheating scandals play out on both Keeping Up With the Kardashians and the family's newer Hulu series, The Kardashians. Between the situation involving Kylie Jenner's former BFF, Jordyn Woods, and the more recent incident (when it was revealed that Tristan had secretly fathered a child with another woman while he and Khloé were about to welcome their second child), he hasn't exactly been painted in a positive light.
Jenelle Evans Gets Fired From 'Teen Mom 2'
Jenelle Evans isn't the only cast member to be fired from Teen Mom, but her departure from the series made the biggest splash. MTV let her go in 2019 after it was revealed that husband David Eason shot and killed their dog, claiming that it tried to bite their toddler in the face. At the time, Jenelle left David for a while, but the couple has since gotten back together.
Chris Soules' Hit & Run Incident
Former Bachelor Chris Soules was generally thought of as a low-drama leading man until he ended up behind bars after a tragic incident that took place in his home state of Iowa. Chris was accused of leaving the scene of a deadly crash in 2017 when his pickup truck rear-ended a tractor, killing driver Kenneth Moser.
Though Chris did call 911 and attempt to administer CPR, he left the scene before police arrived and he could give a statement. Ultimately, this led to a sentence of two years of probation.
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The 'Bachelor in Paradise' Sexual Assault Scandal
We can't talk about Bachelor scandals without mentioning the one that shut down production of Bachelor in Paradise in the summer of 2017. As the story goes, someone on set reported that there had been sexual misconduct between contestants DeMario Jackson and Corinne Olympios, who claimed that she had very little memory of that time because of mixing alcohol and pills. Ultimately, ABC's investigation turned up no evidence of wrongdoing, though, and the show resumed production — after instituting new rules around drinking for the contestants.
Chris Harrison's Departure From 'The Bachelor'
Yes, this is another Bachelor scandal — but a series that's been airing for decades is bound to have a few. In 2021, Chris Harrison stepped down from hosting the franchise's shows after he faced backlash for defending contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's racist behavior after photos of her surfaced at a plantation-themed party in college.
The Chrisley Convictions
In November 2022, Chrisley Knows Best stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced to federal prison after they were convicted on fraud and tax-related charges. They were found guilty of conspiracy after defrauding a bank of more than $30 million in loans, which led to Todd being sentenced to 12 years behind bars and Julie receiving a sentence of seven years.
The 'Vanderpump Rules' Cheating Scandal
Fans were shocked in March 2023 when news broke that Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval had been cheating on longtime girlfriend Ariana Madix with costar Raquel Leviss. Reportedly, Ariana discovered a sexual video of Tom and Raquel on his phone, leading to a messy situation. Since then, it appears that Ariana and Tom have gone their separate ways, and it's not yet clear if Tom and Raquel plan to pursue a relationship.
Jen Shah's Money Laundering Scheme
In 2021, Real Housewives of Salt Lake City star Jen Shah was arrested on charges involving wire fraud and money laundering, which she later pleaded guilty to in federal court. Jen was sentenced to more than six years behind bars for her crimes, and she reported to prison in February 2023 to begin serving out her time.
Jon & Kate Gosselin's Divorce
Jon and Kate Gosselin were at the height of their reality TV fame in 2009 when Jon was accused of cheating, though he has since maintained that he never had an affair while they were still married. This led to a very nasty divorce and years-long custody battle that ended with Jon getting custody of Hannah and Collin and their other six children remaining with their mom.
Erika Jayne's Embezzlement Scandal
In early 2023, it was revealed that Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Erika Jayne's much older husband, Tom Girardi, was indicted for allegedly embezzling $15 million from the clients at his law firm, Girardi & Keese. The case is ongoing and could eventually involve Erika, who is now estranged from Tom.
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Abby Lee Miller's Time in Prison
Abby Lee Miller earned a reputation for being a hard-to-please dance coach in the series Dance Moms, but now she's known for something else entirely. In 2015, she was accused of hiding more than $755,000 of her earnings from the series, leading to her being sentenced to 366 days in prison, as well as slapped with nearly $200,000 in fines and judgments.
Mike Sorrentino's Fraud Conviction
On Jersey Shore, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino was known as a lovable guido, but he had a lot going on behind the scenes that no one found out about until years later. Mike and his brother were indicted on tax evasion, and he ended up with an eight-month sentence for his crimes. In 2019, he was released from prison.
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'Mama June' Shannon's Downward Spiral
Fans really came to love "Mama June" Shannon on TLC's Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, so it was really disappointing to watch her fall from grace happen. In 2019, June and then-boyfriend Geno Doak were arrested on drug charges at an Alabama gas station. June was sentenced to 100 hours of community service and avoided prison time, but it's been a rocky road for her ever since. She has became estranged from her daughters, and Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Shannon, moved in with her older sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon.
