Since reality TV began 76 years ago , there has been an endless supply of concepts to keep us entertained. Amongst them, we’ve had many success stories such as the longest-running reality show Survivor and Big Brother , which has spread to 63 countries around the world. With a new addition to the genre always emerging, not everyone has been a hit.
While some just haven’t been able to capture their intended audience, others have pushed the boundaries so far, whether they should have existed in the first place has been called into question. Let’s take a look back at some TV shows that likely wouldn’t be made again today..
. The British Tribe Next Door (2019) Scarlett Moffatt ’s TV show feels a little like a fever dream due to its insane premise. The Channel 4 show The British Tribe Next Door involved building a replica of the Gogglebox star’s Country Durham home in Namibia and moving her family into the temporary fixture for one month.
Joining Scarlett was her mum Betty, dad Mark, sister Ava-Grace and grandma Christine, who all packed up their 20,000 belongings for the trip to Africa. At the time, the docu-reality series was labelled controversial at best, and problematic or offensive at worst. There were plenty of awkward moments such as a welcome dance where the family seemed uncomfortable, and Scarlett talking about her penchant for fake tanning to a group of Black women.
Fat Families (2010) Families struggling with their weight were sent help in the form of Steve.