Born to Be on Camera
From Kim Kardashian to Gordon Ramsay, there's a fair share of household names you've likely learned after bingeing season after season of reality TV. But just how many stars do you know—and are you familiar with all the ones on this list? Here are 20 of the biggest names in reality TV.
Eva Rinaldi from Sydney Australia on Wikimedia
1. Nicole Polizzi
Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi came to fame after starring in six seasons of the original Jersey Shore, where she was known for her pouf hairstyle and snarky, sassy attitude. Since then, she's starred in several TV series and competitions, and has appeared in multiple talk shows.
Jeff Lewis (chicagophotoshop.com) on Wikimedia
2. Kim Kardashian
Keeping Up with the Kardashians, anyone? Unless you live under a rock, you're more than familiar with Kim K, the former spouse of rapper Kanye West and one of the main faces of her family's hit reality TV series, Keeping Up with the Kardashians. Interestingly, while that show launched her to fame, she first gained media traction by being friends with Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie.
3. Kourtney Kardashian
Oldest sister of the Kardashians, Kourtney might not be as well-recognized as Kim, but she's no less of an extremely influential figure, thanks to the reality TV show the family is known for. Along with her sisters, Kim and Khloé, she's involved in the fashion and retail industries and has launched several brands.
4. Gordon Ramsay
Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay might be more known for shouting at people in the kitchen—as seen in Hell's Kitchen and Kitchen Nightmares—than his superb cooking skills. He's memorable nonetheless, and he makes a perfect fit in American reality TV shows with his personality alone.
5. Paris Hilton
Even if Paris Hilton hadn't risen to fame after starring in the hit reality TV series The Simple Life with Nicole Richie, she would've still been in headlines; she is, after all, a great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, the founder of Hilton Hotels. Though you might not hear of her as much nowadays as you likely did back then, her name alone is recognizable enough.
Roger Casas-Alatriste on Wikimedia
6. Simon Cowell
Simon Cowell has been the face of talent shows like The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent, and America's Got Talent for decades now, and he's probably on par with Gordon Ramsay as one of the most well-known British TV personality stars. But being a producer and judge isn't all—Cowell's also a record executive, and has discovered artists and bands like Olly Murs and One Direction.
See Li from London, UK on Wikimedia
7. Kylie Jenner
Younger half-sister of Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Kylie Jenner is best known for being one of the main faces of Keeping Up with the Kardashians and for her lip kits, sold under Kylie Cosmetics. She's also the former spouse of rapper Travis Scott and is currently married to actor Timothée Chalamet.
8. Tyra Banks
America's Next Top Model was everyone's favorite show back in the day, and it was created by none other than supermodel Tyra Banks. It should come as no surprise that the show would gain the traction it did (and for so many seasons), given that Banks had been modeling since she was 15, and was the first Black American woman to take over the covers of GQ and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue—the latter of which she appeared in three times.
9. Bear Grylls
Need survival tips? Edward Michael "Bear" Grylls has your back. In fact, this former Special Air Service trooper has been the face of several survival shows, like Running Wild with Bear Grylls and The Island with Bear Grylls. Whether it's advice on what to pack in your survival backpack or how to overcome your fears, Grylls knows how to adventure.
Kalei Brooks, Alaska National Guard on Wikimedia
10. Ryan Seacrest
One of the most famous TV and radio presenters is Ryan Seacrest, and if you're not catching him hosting the Wheel of Fortune, you're probably hearing his voice somewhere on the radio. He has also anchored other hit shows and events, like American Idol and Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, the latter of which he's now the sole host of.
Jyle Dupuis from Canada on Wikimedia
11. Nicole Richie
Nicole Richie shot into fame after appearing in The Simple Life, which she starred in alongside best friend Paris Hilton. The show concluded after five seasons, and Richie went on to pursue other projects in television, taking on roles in several series as well as becoming a judge in other competition shows. Beyond television, she has also published two novels and is the founder of lifestyle brand House of Harlow.
12. Kelly Clarkson
The first winner of American Idol, Kelly Clarkson is known best for her powerful voice and jaw-dropping performances, earning her the title as one of the greatest singers in history by Rolling Stone and Billboard. Beyond singing, she serenades crowds in all corners of television, such as being a coach on competition series like The Voice and even starting her own talk show, The Kelly Clarkson Show.
vagueonthehow from Tadcaster, York, England on Wikimedia
13. Charli D'Amelio
Though not technically a reality TV star, Charli D'Amelio is a name you've likely heard if you're a frequent social media user, namely TikTok. She was a competitive dancer for a decade before her debut on the platform, though her rapid prominence on the app seemed to have stemmed from her lip-syncing videos.
14. Heidi Klum
German-American model Heidi Klum had an extremely successful modeling career before she hopped into different roles in television, being both a host and a judge in several competition series. So iconic is she, that she has made cameo appearances in hit films and shows, like The Devil Wears Prada and How I Met Your Mother. You likely also recognize her from the panel of America's Got Talent.
15. Howie Mandel
Deal or No Deal, anyone? Sure, you might have first been introduced to Canadian comedian Howie Mandel through the hit American game show, but Mandel's resume is diverse. For one, not only has he been a judge alongside Heidi Klum and Simon Cowell on America's Got Talent, but he has also voiced animated characters, produced shows, and starred in drama series.
Matt Ottosen at https://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewphx/ on Wikimedia
16. Mel B
Melanie Janine Brown, better known as Mel B, first rose to fame as a member of the English pop group Spice Girls, where she was nicknamed Scary Spice. Beyond her artistry, she has also appeared in competition series like Dancing with the Stars, as well as judged shows like The X Factor, America's Got Talent, The Masked Singer Australia, and more.
17. RuPaul
There's a reason why American drag queen RuPaul Andre Charles has been nicknamed the "Queen of Drag"; for one, his hit competition series, RuPaul's Drag Race, has won him numerous awards, including 14 Primetime Emmy Awards, three GLAAD Media Awards, two Billboard Awards, and more. In fact, so successful is his show, that there have been variants produced internationally, such as Canada's Drag Race and RuPaul's Drag Race UK.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dvsross/ on Wikimedia
18. Francesca Farago
Canadian Instagram model, Francesca Farago, became a household name after her appearance on Netflix's Too Hot to Handle in 2020, before hopping on the cast of Perfect Match in 2023—the latter of which allowed her to pair with men and women alike. Though she didn't find a lasting partner on TV, she's now engaged to—and raising twins with—transgender TikTok star Jesse Sullivan.
19. Kevin O'Leary
"Sharks, today I'm offering..." Sound familiar? Canadian businessman Kevin O'Leary, nicknamed Mr. Wonderful, is known best for being one of the main cast members of American reality show Shark Tank. He also stars in the original Canadian variant, Dragon's Den. Fun fact: he once campaigned to be the leader of the Conservative Party in Canada in 2017, but dropped out a month before the election.
20. Key & Peele
Comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele have always been household names ever since their start on Mad TV, and despite admitting that they don't have as many opportunities to see each other in recent years, they've still made milestones on their own paths. Peele, for one, is much more into filmmaking and has directed several hit movies, like Get Out and Nope.
