Love it or hate it, reality TV is a fixture on our screens these days. With new shows emerging every season, there is now a reality show covering almost every activity, from duck-hunting to dancing. This is a list of the reality shows that have most captured the public imagination. Whether they draw in the most viewers, court the most controversy, or simply get the most people talking, these are the top 10 most watched reality shows ever.
#10 – Survivor
The basic premise was so simple: take a group of attractive people, put them on an island, and give them challenges that allow them to win food and home comforts. The group is divided into “tribes” for part of the show, and as the weeks go by the “castaways” are voted off until we have a winner who receives a cash prize.
Survivor was first broadcast in Sweden in 1997, but it was called Expedition Robinson back then. When it was picked up by CBS in the US, it became Survivor. There are versions of this show all over the world, from Africa to India to Europe and back. The US version is frequently the subject of online discussion with its continued variations on the original premise and new challenges for every season. It continues to thrive in the US, with a new format (commencing in 2014) that involves loved ones who have never played before competing with each other in pairs.