REALITY CHEQUE
From Joey Essex to Kerry Katona…the real King & Queens of reality TV, including the star that’s been on 17 shows
Scroll down to find out who ranks the highest on the reality TV earnings chart
MANY reality TV stars come and go with very little fanfare and once their moment in the spotlight is over, they disappear from our screens.
But others go onto enjoy huge successes and the wealth which comes with it thanks to their brief brush with stardom.
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And there's a handful who keep on delivering something extra special to viewers which keeps them tuning in time and time again.
Here, we reveal the King and Queens of reality TV tally - the stars who keep coming back again for more.
MEGAN MCKENNA
Reality TV Appearances: 7
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Megan McKenna, 31, started out with the hopes of being a singer, and first graced our screens on Britain's Got Talent.
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Following this, the country saw her explosive relationship with Jordan Davies play out on Ex on the Beach.
She was then seen as an extra on The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) and years later, appeared as a full-time cast member as a result of her romantic relationship with cast member Pete Wicks.
She had an explosive appearance on Celebrity Big Brother, after she went ballistic at Eastenders' John Partridge, and had a meltdown over some mashed potato, which was arguably when her fame skyrocketed.
Celebrity Big Brother might be over for now but let's never forget these memorable moments from over the years
She was left traumatised when she couldn’t wash her hair extensions on Celebs on the Farm, where she milked cows and bonded with Charlotte Dawson over not being able to properly shower.
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Keen to pursue her music career, she tried her luck once more by auditioning on The X Factor: Celebrity.
Whilst she didn’t win the show, she went onto land her own - There's Something About Megan - where we saw the star head to Nashville, Tennessee to try to make a name for herself as the next country music sensation.
GEORGIA STEEL
Reality TV Appearances: 8
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At just 26, Georgia Steel in't shy when it comes to appearing on our screens.
In 2019, and aged 21, she starred on the iconic show MTV Cribs, giving an exclusive insight into her farm-based childhood.
She then went on the fourth series of Love Island in 2018, her first shot at finding love.
But after Georgia’s failed attempt at love following her first Love Island appearance, we saw her look for Mr Right during her time on Celebs Go Dating.
Following this, in 2019 we saw Georgia on Celebs On The Ranch - a show that does pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. It throws a bunch of celebrities, usually reality stars, who are used to a life of luxury and fine living, into working on a ranch.
2019 was definitely a very busy year for Georgia, as she also appeared on Celebrity Coach Trip.
Georgia starred alongside her Love Island pal Alexandra Cane, but came to blows during a vote-off with 90s pop sisters Cleopatra and Yonah Higgins.
Not only was she on a coach trip and showing off her pad in 2019, but she also starred on Ex On The Beach: Peak of Love. It was during this time, on the US spinoff of Ex On The Beach, where Georgia met Ibiza Weekender star Callum Izzard.
But just two years later, in 2021, Georgia starred on series 11, episode 14, of Dinner Date.
But Georgia didn't meet the man of her dreams, which encouraged her to hit the Love Island villa for the second time in Love Island All Stars, earlier this year.
GEMMA COLLINS
Reality TV Appearances: 9
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Since making her debut in the second series of The Only Way is Essex, Gemma Collins, 43, also known as The GC, has made a string of eyebrow-raising reality TV appearances.
Her 2014 stint on Splash! won her praise for her zero-f***s-given attitude to diving, although her brief spell that same year in the I'm A Celebrity jungle was slightly less celebrated.
Her 2016 Celebrity Big Brother stint led to her becoming the queen of memes (or "memays" as she would say), and following this, a year later, she was seen on Sugar Free Farm, where celebrities attempt a sugar-free diet.
In 2018, Gemma appeared on Celebs Go Dating and All Together Now, where she was a finalist, and even had her own show, Gemma Collins: Diva, from 2018.
You might also remember her headline-grabbing stint in 2019 on Dancing On Ice, which included furious rows with judge Jason Gardiner, over-the-top outfits and a toe-curling fall on the ice.
CALUM BEST
Reality TV Appearances: 9
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Calum Best, 43, is a reality TV veteran who shot to fame a whopping 15 years ago.
He first appeared on our screens when he starred on Fool Around With on E4, and then starred on Celebrity Love Island, where he won the second series in 2006.
In 2008, he had his very own show - MTV's Totally Calum Best, and seven years later he took part in the fifteenth series of Channel 5 reality series Celebrity Big Brother, finishing third.
His attempt to find love continued when, in 2016, he was a cast member in the E! series Famously Single, which followed eight single celebrities in their search for love.
Just two years after his appearance on Celebrity Big Brother he returned to the house for the show's nineteenth run, this time finishing seventh.
He continued his quest for love in 2017 on Celebs Go Dating, and three years on, he looked for ‘The One’ again, on Ex on the Beach.
In 2022, Calum appeared in - and jointly won with Ferne McCann, Maisie Smith and AJ Pritchard - the fourth series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
But despite his multiple searches for love, it appears that the lothario is still single - so we have no doubt that'll he'll appear on our screens again sometime soon.
VICKY PATTISON
Reality TV Appearances: 10
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The Geordie lass, 36, isn’t shy of appearing in reality TV shows - and made her name on Geordie Shore.
But Vicky is one of many that has managed to transition from MTV reality star into a fully-fledged celebrity.
She’s also starred in Ex on the Beach and Judge Geordie, but her crowning achievement came when she won ITV's I'm A Celebrity in 2015.
Her time on the show proved so successful that she later decided to also appear in the Aussie version of the series.
After her sudden break-up with John Noble, Vicky starred in her own show - Vicky Pattison: The Break Up - giving viewers an intimate look into her newly-single life.
She was also on our screens in 2019 alongside former Love Island star Scott Thomas on Celebrity Coach Trip.
Not only this, but we also saw her on the run alongside pal Dom Joly in Celebrity Hunted.
If that wasn’t enough to get her adrenaline pumping and push her out of her comfort zone, she also gave it her best shot on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2021, where she lasted three episodes.
Ahead of her wedding to Ercan Ramadan, Vicky also appeared on Say Yes to the Dress: UK, where she settled on a bridal gown for her big day.
Just two years ago, we saw a softer side to Vicky's persona when she gave viewers an intimate look into her father’s alcohol addiction through the show Vicky Pattison: Alcohol, Dad and Me, which aired on Channel 4.
CALLUM IZZARD
Reality TV Appearances: 11
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Another Callum (with two l’s), but this time, Callum Izzard, 29, first appeared on our screens where he starred as a holiday rep on Ibiza Weekender in 2018.
That same year, he appeared as a cast member looking for love on Celebs Go Dating, and then searched for his future partner just a year later on Ex on the Beach: Peak of Love.
2021 was a busy telly year for Callum, as he starred on Celebrity Ghost Trip, as well as Celeb Ex in the City.
The following year he was on Eating with My Ex and also sang his heart out on Celebrity Karaoke Club.
He came third on The Challenge UK in 2023, and that same year, starred on Celebrity Dinner Date and The Challenge: Battle for a New Champion.
And if he hadn’t been confronted enough by his exes, he enjoyed a stint on Celebrity Ex on the Beach earlier this year.
Highest-paid celebs who appeared on reality TV
CELEBRITIES can earn eye-watering sums by appearing on reality TV shows - here we reveal some of the highest earners.
Politician Nigel Farage bagged a staggering £1.5million sign-on fee for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! last year and lasted 23 days.
Rapper Ray J was reportedly offered £810,000 to appear on Celebrity Big Brother (CBB) in 2017 but left after seven days.
Stormy Daniels was rumoured to have been offered £750k to appear on CBB only to not show up and pull out of the show before going . She claimed to have pulled out due to a custody battle for her daughter making her feel "uncomfortable" about going on TV
Former Emmerdale star Roxanne Pallet was reportedly paid £750,000 to appear on CBB in 2018. She quit the show after falsely claiming fellow housemate Ryan Thomas had punched her.
TV presenter Noel Edmonds was paid £600,000 to appear on I’m A Celebrity in 2018, which was then the highest fee offered, but was voted out by the public first.
David Gest lasted 13 days in the CBB house despite reportedly being paid £600,000. He pulled out due to ‘medical reasons’ on the 2016 show
KERRY KATONA
Reality TV Appearances: 13
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Kerry Katona, 43, is another blonde who has racked up double figures with her TV appearances.
We first saw her on reality TV on I'm A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here!, back in 2004.
She then went on Celebrity Big Brother in 2011 and tried her luck at Dancing On Ice that very same year.
We also saw Kerry, alongside her Atomic Kitten bandmates, on The Big Reunion, and she also had a string of fly-on-the-wall shows in her name, including, Kerry Katona: Crazy In Love, Kerry Katona: Whole Again, Kerry Katona: What's The Problem?, Kerry Katona: Coming Clean, and Kerry Katona: The Next Chapter.
In 2019, she returned to reality TV as a contestant on Celebs Go Dating, although she was ultimately unable to find a match.
We saw Kerry rough it on the farm in 2021 on Celebs on the Farm and that same year, pushed herself to the max on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Her most recent TV appearance, where she was left in tears, was last year, on Channel 4’s The Big Celebrity Detox, where she made an emotional confession about her children and admitted she had ‘messed’ up her body.
JOEY ESSEX
Reality TV Appearances: 15
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If you were surprised to see Joey Essex, 33, walk into this year’s Love Island as a celebrity bombshell contestant, we hear you - so were we.
He’s a TOWIE icon and like his good friend James Argent recently said on Good Morning Britain: “Just when you think there’s no more reality shows left for Joey Essex - he goes into the Love Island villa, you can’t make it up.”
Whilst Joey is currently looking for love on the current series, the 11th run of the show, he's an old pro at reality TV - and the number of appearances under his belt is very impressive.
The 33-year-old Essex lad has been a household name for years - after he shot to fame on his reality show The Only Way Is Essex in 2011.
In 2013 he appeared in the first series of Splash! which saw a bunch of celebrities learning to dive. It was the same year he made his jungle debut as a contestant on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!
The ‘Reem’ lad even had his own reality show - Educating Joey Essex - and also appeared on The Jump in 2015.
If that wasn’t enough, Joey also attempted to look for love on Celebs Go Dating in 2016 and was then a contestant on Five Star Hotel in 2018.
Joey Essex's famous exes
Sam Faiers - Joey dated Towie co-star Sam Faiers from 2011.
The pair were one of the original Essex duos, and were together on and off for three years before ending the relationship for good in September, 2014.
Amy Willerton - Joey was rumoured to be dating his I'm A Celeb co-star Amy Willerton in 2013, when they both appeared on the show together.
The romance soon fizzled out afterwards and Willerton, who won the title of Miss Universe Great Britain said she found it difficult.
Speaking to the newspaper, she said: "The attention after we left the show was really hard for me. While Joey had a strong management team behind him, I didn't really have anybody in my corner."
Stephanie Pratt - Made In Chelsea star and US born socialite, Stephanie Pratt, dated Joey for three months.
They fell for each other while appearing in Celebs Go Dating and shared a steamy kiss in Joey's swimming pool.
But he dumped her in October 2016 for making him "spend too much time in Chelsea".
Lorena Medina - Joey met model Lorena Medina on MTV reality show Ex On The Beach in 2019.
Their relationship seemed to be going well after Joey showed her around his hometown of Chigwell in Essex. But the pair split in February 2020.
Lorena had moved into his home in Chigwell, Essex, in September 2019, but they had a furious bust-up after he was snapped entering singer Rita Ora’s home in the early hours of the morning.
Rita Ora - Joey's ex Lorena revealed to The Sun that she dumped Joey after he spent a wild night out with Rita Ora early in 2020.
He was holed up for 13 hours in Rita's mansion after the pair had tried to avoid being seen together by taking separate cars between venues.
However, the pair have denied that there was anything romantic between them.
Joey said: "We have known each other for years. She’s a nice girl but we’re just friends."
Vanessa Bauer - Joey was rumoured to have had a brief romance with Dancing on Ice pro skater Vanessa Bauer during his stint on the hit ITV show in 2023.
Rumours of the pair’s relationship circled for months in the lead up to the show airing, with Vanessa exclusively denying the whispers to the Sun in November 2022.
The pair came runners-up during the final in March - and while it seemed like they were close on the show, it appeared to have fizzled out shortly after.
By May 2023, Joey confirmed he was single and said he could not see a future for them after the final.
And the list goes on for Joey, it seems there's no stopping him.
In 2019, he gave fans a look inside his home on reality show MTV Cribs UK and a year later, he looked for love again, on Celebrity Ex on the Beach.
And if you thought that was it, think again, as we’ve also seen Joey on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, as well as Celebs Go Dating: The Mansion.
The reality star even gave viewers an intimate look at his life on Joey Essex: Grief and Me, but before long, was back in the jungle in 2022 on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Australia.
While he finished fourth at the end of his Australian jungle stint, it certainly didn't stand in his way.
He got his skates on and paired up with ice dancing pro Vanessa Bauer on Dancing on Ice in 2023 - and came away with the second place spot.
KATIE PRICE
Reality TV Appearances: 17
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Katie Price, 46, is a household name - and it turns out, she’s done more reality TV shows than you might think.
Not only has she done I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! twice, for the first time in 2004 and then again in 2009, but she’s also had a string of her very own shows too.
Particularly thanks to her relationship with Peter Andre, Katie starred in a huge range of reality shows, including Katie & Peter, When Jordan Met Peter, Jordan and Peter: Laid Bare, Katie and Peter: Unleashed and Katie and Peter: The Next Chapter.
She also had her own shows, What Katie Did Next in 2009 and Signed by Katie Price, in 2011.
Katie Price's missing millions
At the peak of her career Katie had an estimated fortune of £45m, thanks to her lucrative modelling career, book deals, and TV appearances.
The cash-strapped mum-of-five was first declared bankrupt in 2019 over unpaid debts of £3.2 million.
In a podcast interview earlier this year she blamed her exes who include Peter Andre, Alex Reid and Kieran Hayler and lawyers for her money woes.
She insisted that funding her exes' lavish lifestyles with cars, watches, luxury holidays and homes left her finances in tatters.
She added: "I went through a breakdown, this is how mine started - lawyers and exes, that is my bankruptcy thing.
"And obviously a bit of HMRC.
"When I had my breakdown, if anyone has been depressed …. I don't know if you've ever had depression...
"It starts with depression and you just want to sleep all day and not talk to anyone, the phone would ring and you wouldn't answer it.'
Katie was declared bankrupt for a second time in March over an unpaid tax bill of £761,994.05.
The demand for payment was made by HMRC last October.
Katie was due to give evidence about her finances at the High Court but failed to turn up - holidaying in Cyprus with her new man JJ Slater instead.
Her Mucky Mansion was a bomb site for years after it was burgled, flooded and swamped by an overflowing septic tank.
She finally moved out at the end of May and is currently renting a four-bed mansion in Sussex.
We then saw her strut her stuff on Bailando Por Un Sueño, Argentina’s version of Strictly Come Dancing, back in 2012.
As well as this, she won Celebrity Big Brother in 2015, with Katie Hopkins as the runner up.
A year later, Katie had her own show, Katie Price's Pony Club, whereby she presented an equestrian competition.
In 2017, viewers got to see four seasons of Katie Price: My Crazy Life and in 2022, the former glamour model gave viewers a look inside her home on Katie Price’s Mucky Mansion - which she has finally moved out of after 10 years, after admitting she "hates" the Sussex home.
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In 2019, Katie only lasted 48 hours in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, but since then, she’s shown her more vulnerable side in shows Katie Price: Harvey and Me, and Katie Price: Trauma and Me.
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