15 times tragedy struck reality TV shows

During Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, viewers and cast members were shocked to learn one of the show's principal characters, Russell Armstrong, had taken his own life. His death cast a shadow over the show, which the ladies spoke openly about during the reunion and in later seasons. 

Vicki Gunvalson from The Real Housewives of Orange County learned her mother had passed away through a phone call the producers set up during an all-cast event. In October 2024, Gunvalson blasted the network for how it handled the situation, calling it "very traumatic." 

"I will never forgive Bravo for that," she said. 

We all mourned the loss of Steve Irwin, known for The Crocodile Hunter, in September 2006, when he suffered a stingray attack while filming his daughter's reality show, Bindi the Jungle Girl.  

Diem Brown was a fan-favorite on MTV's The Challenge and The Real World. Known for her resilience and bravery, the reality star tragically passed away in 2014 after her years-long battle with ovarian cancer. 

Fans celebrated NeNe and Gregg Leakes from 2008 until the latter's unfortunate passing in 2021. During his last season on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Gregg opened up about his cancer diagnosis, which he and his wife described as the hardest thing they've had to endure. 

The first several seasons of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills were challenging for viewers to watch. In addition to Russell Armstrong's passing, audience members also saw Kim Richards, known for her roles in Escape to Witch Mountain and Race to Witch Mountain, struggle openly with addiction, leading to rehab stints and broken family relationships. 

Although some would say Teresa and Joe Giudice's being sent to prison for committing fraud isn't as tragic as some of the other events on this list, the occasion truly fractured their family, leaving their four young daughters to process the trauma on their own. 

Kenya Moore experienced heartbreak during an earlier episode of The Real Housewives of Atlanta when her puppy, Velvet, was unexpectedly attacked by her neighbor's dog. The loss deeply affected the former Miss USA, who shared her grief with fans and her co-stars. 

In the third season of this Emmy-winning documentary series, viewers saw a search-and-rescue team search for a ship's four-man crew. According to People, the search "turned up one survivor, an empty survival suit, and two dead [crewmen] floating in the water." 

Season 3 of Deadliest Catch isn't the only time tragedy struck the reality series. In 2010, Captain Phil Harris suffered a pulmonary embolism, dying two weeks later, which was showcased during the series' sixth season. 

While filming a French reality show called Dropped, 10 people tragically died after two helicopters collided mid-air. Among the dead were high-profile athletes, including champion sailors, boxers, and an Olympic swimmer. The show was eventually canceled.

Teen Mom has had its fair share of heartbreaking moments, from dramatic breakups to shocking arrests. However, nothing could've prepared our hearts for the tragic scenes in which CPS (child protective services) had to show up 

There will never be another person like Pedro on reality TV. The Real World star bravely shared his battle with AIDS during his season in June 1994 before passing away in November of that year. 

Another Real World alum who changed the trajectory of the show is Joey Kovar. The TV personality struggled with addiction on and off screen and opened up about it during his original season, which was filmed in Hollywood. Later, he died tragically of an overdose in 2012 after appearing on a season of Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew. 

Robert Buchel from TLC's My 600 Pound Life passed away during his journey to lose weight. He lost more than 200 pounds after starting at 842; however, the 41-year-old suffered a heart attack in November 2017 while filming the reality series. 

"To carry all this weight is physically draining, mentally, emotionally taxing," said Buchel during his episode. "It's not a pain or life I’d wish on anyone because I can't do anything. I can’t do anything for anyone — especially myself."