{"id":2127006,"date":"2025-10-31T14:33:19","date_gmt":"2025-10-31T14:33:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2127006"},"modified":"2025-10-31T14:33:19","modified_gmt":"2025-10-31T14:33:19","slug":"when-reality-tv-stars-do-crossovers-its-a-ratings-splash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/when-reality-tv-stars-do-crossovers-its-a-ratings-splash\/","title":{"rendered":"When Reality TV Stars Do Crossovers, It’s a Ratings Splash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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One of the most shocking moments in \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d history ultimately became one of the most influential in reality television. In March 2009 during the 13th season finale, leading man Jason Mesnick broke off his engagement with winner Melissa Rycroft and asked runner-up Molly Malaney for another chance. The unexpected turn of events led ABC to offer Rycroft a spot on the forthcoming season of \u201cDancing With the Stars.\u201d<\/p>\n

The move ended up bringing a flood of \u201cBachelor\u201d fans to the new season of \u201cDWTS,\u201d kickstarting a trend of talent crossovers that shaped how the industry could leverage their shows and talent to create a universe of reality TV that would expand beyond the individual programs.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt wasn\u2019t obviously something planned, but it was amazing to be able to continue that storyline,\u201d Rob Mills, then the ABC director of alternative series and specials who now runs Disney\u2019s unscripted division, told TheWrap. Mills pinpointed Rycroft\u2019s casting as one of the first moments the team realized it could harness the power of crossovers.<\/p>\n

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Just as Marvel crafted a cinematic universe where characters like Iron Man or Spider-Man would pop up in other superhero movies or even further back, when MTV\u2019s \u201cReal World\u201d and \u201cRoad Rules\u201d would mix and match or \u201cBattle of the Network Stars\u201d pitted \u201870s and \u201880s television actors against each other in various sporting events, reality shows have employed the shared universe tactic as the genre exploded across television and throughout the various streaming services over the last several years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The talent crossover is a surefire way to get fans\u2019 eyes on the newest reality shows. It\u2019s led to big ratings, with all-star shows like \u201cDWTS\u201d Season 34 marking the first time in measurement history that a fall show has grown its audience for five straight weeks following its premiere, and \u201cThe Traitors\u201d Season 2, which boasts talent from \u201cThe Real Housewives,\u201d \u201cThe Bachelor,\u201d \u201cSurvivor\u201d and \u201cBig Brother,\u201d seeing its viewing hours grow by 178% over its debut season, which featured a mix of celebrities and civilians.<\/p>\n

One of the buzziest reality hits in recent years has been Peacock\u2019s \u201cLove Island USA,\u201d which was put on the map thanks to host Ariana Madix, who skyrocketed in popularity in 2023 when her husband, Tom Sandoval, was caught cheating on her on \u201cVanderpump Rules.\u201d Madix joining as host in Season 6 drew Bravo viewers to the reality dating show, and it became an overnight sensation, gaining a massive audience that it managed to sustain as its seventh season ranked as the top unscripted series across all streaming platforms for nine consecutive weeks.<\/p>\n

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As a result, it\u2019s become a standard tactic across the entertainment industry, whether at NBCUniversal, where \u201cReal Housewives of New York City\u201d star Dorinda Medley gears up for her second chance on \u201cThe Traitors\u201d Season 4 after fans mourned her early Season 3 elimination, or at Netflix, where \u201cToo Hot to Handle\u201d star Harry Jowsey gets his own reality dating show, \u201cLet\u2019s Marry Harry.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cThe fandoms that get created from these reality stars are pretty astronomical \u2014 it\u2019s pretty explosive,\u201d Netflix VP of unscripted Jeff Gaspin told TheWrap. \u201cWe do so many reality shows and it\u2019s oftentimes valuable to bring along those cast members that have fan bases already. It just creates a different dynamic in a show that fans really love \u2026 It makes perfect sense to explore using those fandoms in other ways.\u201d<\/p>\n

ABC took the crossover craze to the next level by announcing \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives\u201d star Taylor Frankie Paul as the lead of the upcoming 22nd season of \u201cThe Bachelorette,\u201d a stark departure from the tradition of selecting a leading lady from the previous season of \u201cThe Bachelor.\u201d The network is betting on Paul\u2019s established fandom to save one of its most-prized franchises, which has been engrossed in controversy after controversy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While this strategy appears simple \u2014 cast reality star A in reality show B \u2014 there\u2019s actually a lot of thought put into how these crossovers work and how to create a sustainable strategy. Here\u2019s a step-by-step breakdown of how to construct a shared reality universe, according to the experts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Step 1: Lay the groundwork and catch stars<\/h2>\n

Before crossovers are even possible, the foundation of any reality universe begins with identifying the integral talent that will draw audiences in for years to come. Luckily for legacy media companies like NBCUniversal, Disney and Paramount, successful reality stars and franchises are already in their back pocket with hits like linear unscripted programs like \u201cThe Bachelor,\u201d \u201cThe Real Housewives\u201d or \u201cSurvivor.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor us, it\u2019s about \u2026 starting with making great programs that are buzzy and socially engaging and must-see, and then nurturing them and keeping them alive generationally,\u201d Rachel Smith, NBCUniversal\u2019s EVP of unscripted content, lifestyle and documentaries, said, pointing to the \u201cgenerational wealth\u201d in Bravo programming that extends from \u201cThe Real Housewives of Beverly Hills\u201d into spinoffs \u201cVanderpump Rules,\u201d \u201cThe Valley\u201d and even \u201cNext Gen NYC.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"TOOHarry Jowsey and\u00a0Francesca Farago on \u201cToo Hot to Handle\u201d Season 1 (Netflix)<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re acutely aware of what a meaningful bank of talent we have that we can populate across all these different platforms,\u201d she told TheWrap.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But for Netflix, which started building its reality TV universe from scratch just five years ago with \u201cToo Hot to Handle,\u201d \u201cLove Is Blind\u201d and \u201cThe Circle,\u201d the team was keenly tuned into which early contestants of its flagship reality shows could become the face of its unscripted division.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201c\u200bYou just know charisma when you see it \u2026 I mean charisma is just intoxicating,\u201d Gaspin said, pointing to \u201cToo Hot to Handle\u201d Season 1 stars Jowsey and Chloe Veitch. \u201cThey just know how to treat people well, and that garners fandom and affection.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gaspin added that there are few barriers to developing a close relationship with reality stars early on in their career, noting that he and the team would sit with their stars on set and press tours, saying, \u201cThey love the access to network executives, and if you show interest in them, they really become very loyal to the network that helped give them their first chance.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

That\u2019s certainly the case for Jowsey, who went on to appear in Netflix\u2019s \u201cPerfect Match\u201d as well as host a \u201cwho wore it best\u201d social segment<\/a> that served as a promotional vehicle for other Netflix releases.<\/p>\n

Even for legacy media companies with established franchises, the key to staying relevant and expanding the universe lies in crafting new opportunities for audiences to fall in love with fresh reality stars, like the trio of girlfriends lovingly called the PPG (Powerpuff Girls) on Peacock\u2019s \u201cLove Island\u201d Season 6, or the chaotic but lovable ensemble on \u201cThe Secret Lives of Mormon Wives.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

While Disney already has an all-star vehicle to place rising stars on with \u201cDancing With the Stars,\u201d as does Paramount with \u201cThe Challenge,\u201d Netflix and NBCUniversal built their all-stars series in recent years, with Netflix launching \u201cPerfect Match\u201d in 2023 while NBCUniversal transformed \u201cThe Traitors\u201d into its all-star vehicle with its second season.<\/p>\n

\"the-traitors-cast-peacock-euan-cherry\"\u201cThe Traitors\u201d Season 2 cast sits at the roundtable. (Euan Cherry\/Peacock)<\/p>\n

While \u201cPerfect Match\u201d was a way for Netflix to bring together its talent from across its existing series, \u201cThe Traitors\u201d served as a way to bring together fandoms across NBCUniversal\u2019s offerings, from \u201cReal Housewives\u201d to \u201cLove Island,\u201d as well as fandoms beyond the NBCUniversal. \u201cI like to think of \u2018Traitors\u2019 like the Super Bowl of fandoms,\u201d NBC unscripted head Sharon Vuong said.<\/p>\n

Another foolproof way to construct a reality series is by tapping into beloved IP, as Netflix has done with buzzy series \u201cSquid Game: The Challenge,\u201d or Warner Bros. Discovery has done with \u201cHarry Potter: Wizards of Baking.\u201d WBD Chief Creative Officer of U.S. networks Howard Lee applauded the latter program \u2014 which reached 16.4 million viewers across linear, HBO Max and Discovery+ \u2014 for marrying \u201cthe best of both worlds\u201d with \u201cHarry Potter\u201d fans by bringing on the Weasley twins James and Oliver Phelps as hosts.<\/p>\n

WBD will also soon be tapping into its \u201cBachelor\u201d IP from Warner Bros. TV Studios for HGTV\u2019s \u201cBachelor Mansion Takeover,\u201d which features Bachelor Nation alum in a renovation series.<\/p>\n

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Step 2: Position your players strategically<\/h2>\n

While it might be tempting to utilize the talent bank without discrimination, Mills noted that any crossover must feel purposeful and \u201cthe right fit.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t think we just want to do it just to do it just because of name value,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce you have the stars and the hit, everything else starts to become much more clear \u2014 that\u2019s when it\u2019s really fun.\u201d<\/p>\n

When you have promising talent you\u2019d like to use further, there\u2019s several options you can choose: adding rising stars to a roster full of celebrities in all-star-esque series like \u201cDancing With the Stars,\u201d \u201cPerfect Match\u201d or \u201cThe Traitors,\u201d or put the established stars upfront as the center of their own reality series (take \u201cLet\u2019s Marry Harry\u201d) or as the host of a new or established reality series, like with \u201cToo Hot to Handle\u201d stars hosting new Netflix series \u201cDated and Related\u201d and \u201cSneaky Links: Dating After Dark\u201d or Madix hosting \u201cLove Island USA.\u201d<\/p>\n

The fandoms that get created from these reality stars are pretty astronomical \u2014 it\u2019s pretty explosive.\u201d
\u2013 Jeff Gaspin, Netflix\u2019s VP of unscripted<\/h3>\n

\u201cOnce you know the concept and the ethos of a show, you try to see if you can match the reality stars that you have \u2026 who might be a good host versus who\u2019s still a good contestant \u2014 there\u2019s different skill sets,\u201d Gaspin said. He revealed that after years of being a contestant on dating shows, discussions with Jowsey led to the creation of \u201cLet\u2019s Marry Harry,\u201d which will ideally center on other reality stars in future seasons.<\/p>\n

While reality star-hosted series like Netflix\u2019s \u201cDated and Related\u201d or Hulu\u2019s \u201cAre You My First,\u201d hosted by \u201cBachelor\u201d alum Colton Underwood and Kaitlyn Bristowe, didn\u2019t make too big of a viewership splash despite the talent linked to their titles, no one could\u2019ve predicted the massive audience brought in by \u201cLove Island USA\u201d Season 6, which boosted the series to rank as the No. 1 reality title on streaming.<\/p>\n

\"love-island-usa-ariana-maddix-peacock\"Ariana Madix hosts \u201cLove Island USA.\u201d (Ben Symons\/Peacock)<\/p>\n

While \u201cLove Island USA\u201d EPs have credited the massive viewership to the perfect storm of great casting and a number of other factors, Smith noted that Madix being at the forefront of the series fresh off of the #Scandoval controversy migrated the \u201cVanderpump Rules\u201d fandom over to \u201cLove Island.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all, for the last decade, felt like we were getting to know her and her story and following her, but I think the real big firecracker for us is when she expressed how much of a fan of \u2018Love Island\u2019 she was,\u201d Vuong said. \u201cThat was the perfect combination between the two worlds, and the show\u2019s been great for both universes.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Step 3: Stars head in and out of their orbit<\/h2>\n

With the growing amount of all-stars series across the industry, it\u2019s inevitable that talent might go outside of the entertainment giant that gave them their start, a trend that kicked off with \u201cThe Traitors\u201d Season 2, which featured just as much talent from CBS\u2019 reality slate as from within the NBCUniversal family, and only continued with ensemble series like Peacock\u2019s \u201cHouse of Villains\u201d and Hulu\u2019s \u201cGot to Get Out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we\u2019re looking to cast \u2018Traitors\u2019 or \u2018House of Villains,\u2019 or one of these multi-ensemble shows, we\u2019re looking to specifically bring in different fan bases so we can have the broadest possible audience,\u201d Smith said, adding that they\u2019re often approached by agents and managers after a star\u2019s exclusivity to a host network has expired. \u201cThese people are so entertaining and people are just clamoring for more of them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Traitors\u201d has constantly courted leads from \u201cThe Bachelor,\u201d including Peter Weber, who extended his time at NBCUniversal by appearing in NBC\u2019s \u201cDestination X,\u201d as well as Gabby Windey, who returned to Disney after \u201cThe Traitors\u201d Season 3 to host Alex Cooper\u2019s new dating show \u201cLove Overboard.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"The-Traitors\"Alan Cumming hosts \u201cThe Traitors.\u201d (Euan Cherry\/Peacock)<\/p>\n

\u201cYou want to give them opportunities here, first and foremost, but certainly not deprive them of a great opportunity,\u201d Mills said, noting that Windey and Cooper\u2019s brands felt so similar that they could\u2019ve placed her as the host even without her splash from \u201cThe Traitors.\u201d \u201cWe really care about these people, and we want to make sure that they have every opportunity they have \u2014 hopefully it\u2019s with us, but certainly it\u2019s great to see them thrive on other reality shows.\u201d<\/p>\n

Likewise, Disney lured Lisa Vanderpump herself, for Hulu\u2019s \u201cVanderpump Villa,\u201d which featured \u201cVanderpump Rules\u201d star Stassi Schroeder Clark for Season 2. Even Netflix\u2019s \u201cPerfect Match,\u201d which was limited to Netflix-only talent for its first two seasons, opened the door to talent from outside of the streamer for Season 3, with talent from \u201cThe Bachelor\u201d and MTV\u2019s \u201cSiesta Key\u201d coming on board.<\/p>\n

With an increasingly competitive unscripted arena, one way Smith and Vuong have kept talent within NBCUniversal is by reaching across the conglomerate\u2019s wings to extend a talent\u2019s lifespan on its platforms, whether that means pulling Bravo stars on \u201cThe Traitors,\u201d moving \u201cThe Traitors\u201d star Kate Chastain over to Peacock\u2019s \u201cHouse of Villains\u201d or even exploring scripted roles for talent, with Madix appearing on NBC\u2019s \u201cSt. Denis Medical\u201d while \u201cHousewife\u201d Porsha Williams guest stars on \u201cBrilliant Minds\u201d Season 2 this fall.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt behooves us to become a place where there is this opportunity for talent and that you are at home here and you can stretch yourself creatively, whether that\u2019s in unscripted or scripted or syndication or hosting live from a red carpet event,\u201d Smith said. \u201cOur reality stars are multi-hyphenates and have talents that they\u2019re really excited to explore, and the company is uniquely positioned to offer them different opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n

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