Reality Television and the LGBTQ Community
From QueerBio.com
Reality television is a genre of television show that presents its characters and story line in an unscripted format, intending the show to represent real life with real people. Over the past twenty five years, it has become one of the largest segments of programming on television networks, specialty channels, and streaming services. The vast majority of reality television shows are competitive in nature with a focus on a specific profession or skill. These include singing, cooking, modelling, dancing, slam poetry, and more. Others set up their characters in programmed elimination bouts, with the final character standing declared the winner. A good number of the shows are focused on documenting the daily lives of the characters in the show.
To appreciate the size of the industry, we have identified a total of 82 global reality television shows that have had prominent LGBTQ representation. In many cases, the original show has been so popular that it has become an international franchise that is replicated in numerous countries.
LGBTQ representation can be by way of producers or directors of the show, hosts, or characters. Many have become household names around the world as a result of their profile on reality television.
The ranking of the top twelve shows in terms of LGBTQ presence is: Big Brother; the RuPaul Drag Race franchise and American Idol (tied); X Factor and Project Runway (tied); Eurovision; the Next Top Model franchise; Top Chef; The Amazing Race; and So You Think You Can Dance, the Got Talent franchise, and the Queer Eye franchise (tied).
Australia
- Jordan Bruno, My Kitchen Rules
- Anthony Callea, Australian Idol
- Tim Campbell, Dancing With the Stars
- Joel Creasey, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here
Austria
- Conchita Wurst, Eurovision
Brazil
- Jean Wyllys, Big Brother Brazil
Bulgaria
- Lucy Diakovska, Music Idol
Cameroon
- BeBe Zahara Benet, RuPaul's Drag Race
Canada
- Gigi Gorgeous, The Avenue
- Sabrina Jalees, Vanderpump Rules
- James Makokis, The Amazing Race Canada
- Rosa Mendes, Total Divas
- Mike Ruiz, America's Next Top Model, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Emanuel Sandhu, So You Think You Can Dance Canada
- Jenna Talackova, Brave New Girl
- Richie Wilcox, Canadian Idol
Denmark
- Tommy Ahlers, Dragon's Den
Finland
- Saara Aalto, The X Factor
- Sauli Koskinen, Big Brother
- Jani Toivola, Idols
Great Britain
- Luke Anderson, Big Brother
- Amanda Barrie, Celebrity Big Brother
- Remy Blumenfeld, Come Dine With Me, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here
- Jeremy Brandrick, Project Runway
- Talulah-Eve Brown, Britain's Next Top Model
- Paul Burrell, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here
- Rylan Clark, Celebrity Big Brother, X Factor
- Julian Clary, Celebrity Big Brother
- Robin Cousins, Dancing on Ice
- Tom Daley, Splash
- Evan Davis, Dragon's Den
- Mark Foster, Strictly Come Dancing, The Weakest Link
- Honey G, The X Factor
- Jess Glynne, The X Factor
- Julie Goodyear, Celebrity Big Brother
- Jordan Gray, The Voice
- Nick Grimshaw, X Factor
- Jaymi Hensley, The X Factor
- Craig Revel Horwood, Strictly Come Dancing
- Colin Jackson, Strictly Come Dancing
- Jessica Kellgren-Fozard, Britain's Missing Top Model
- Edd Kimber, The Great British Bake Off
- Andrew Kinlochan, The Only Gays in the Village, Popstars: The Rivals
- Jamie Lambert, Britain's Got Talent
- Derek Laud, Big Brother
- Ollie Locke, Celebrity Big Brother
- Joe McElderry, X Factor, Popstar to Operastar
- John Partridge, Celebrity Big Brother
- Jonathan Phang, Britain's Next Top Model
- Vangelis Polydorou, The Voice UK
- Lee Ryan, Celebrity Big Brother
- George Shelley, The X Factor, I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here
- Ranj Singh, Strictly Come Dancing
- Sanjay Sood-Smith, The Apprentice
- Louie Spence, Dancing On Ice, Celebrity Circus
- Lucy Spraggan, The X Factor
- Chris Steed, Gogglebox
- Ian H. Watkins, Celebrity Big Brother
- Andy West, Big Brother
- John Whaite, Great British Bake Off
- Matthew Williamson, Project Runway
- Will Young, Pop Idol
Iceland
- Paul Oscar, Eurovision
India
- Bobby Darling, Big Boss
- Vikas Gupta, Big Boss, Fear Factor
- Karan Johar, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, India's Got Talent, India's Next Superstars
Ireland
- Brian Dowling, Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother
- Brian Kennedy, Eurovision
- Anna Nolan, Big Brother
Israel
- Assi Azar, Big Brother Israel, Eurovision, The Next Star
- Jason Danino-Holt, Eurovision
- Dana International, Eurovision
- Gili Shem Tov, Dancing With the Stars
Italy
- Bruno Tonioli, Dancing With the Stars
Jamaica
- Michael Gunning, The Bi Life
Mexico
- Miriam Rivera, Big Brother Australia
New Zealand
- Tamati Coffey, Dancing With the Stars, New Zealand's Got Talent
Norway
- Tooji, Eurovision
Pakistan
- Ali Saleem, Big Boss
Philippines
- Rose Fostanes, The X Factor Israel
- Rica Paras, Piony Big Brother
- Charice Pempengco, The X Factor
Romania
- Leonard Miron, Eurovision,
Serbia
- Marija Serifovic, Eurovision
Singapore
- Tila Tequila, A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila
South Korea
- Som Hye In, Idol School
Sweden
- Fredrik Eklund, Million Dollar Listing New York
- Anton Hysen, Let's Dance
- Loreen, Swedish Idol, Eurovision
- Eddie Razaz, Idol
Taiwan
- Li Jing, Super Idol
Thailand
- Piyarat Kaljareuk, Drag Race Thailand
- Pongsak Rattanapong, Academy Fantasia
The Netherlands
- Nikkie de Jager, I Can Make You a Supermodel
- Loiza Lamers, Holland's Next Top Model
- Duncan Laurence, Eurovision
United States
- Jonathan Adler, Top Design
- Clay Aiken, American Idol
- Ted Allen, Chopped, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Jared Allman, Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys
- Austin Armacost, Celebrity Big Brother
- Chip Arndt, Amazing Race
- Fenton Bailey, World of Wonder production company
- Randy Barbato, World of Wonder production company
- Lance Bass, Dancing With the Stars
- Rebecca Black, The Four
- Chaz Bono, Dancing With the Stars
- Karamo Brown, Queer Eye, The Real World
- Nao Bustamante, Work of Art: The Next Great Artist
- Regie Cabico, Def Poetry Jam
- J.P. Calderon, Survivor
- Carmen Carrera, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Aaron Carter, House of Carters, Dancing With the Stars
- Ross Cassidy, Million Dollar Decorators
- Ashley Catharine, Verses and Flow
- Elgin Charles, Good Hair
- Chris Cheng, Top Shot
- Kim Chi, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Margaret Cho, Dancing With the Stars
- Milan Christopher, Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood
- Andy Cohen, Housewives series
- Laverne Cox, Transform Me
- Frenchie Davis, The Voice, American Idol
- Ellen DeGeneres, American Idol
- Nyle DiMarco, Dancing With the Stars
- Kyan Douglas, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Drew Elliott, America's Next Top Model
- Matt Evers, Dancing on Ice
- Tiffani Faison, Top Chef
- Thom Filicia, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
- Josh Flagg, Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
- Clark Frasier, Top Chef
- Mark Gaier, Top Chef
- De’Borah Garner, The Voice
- Jesse Godderz, Big Brother
- Julie Goldman, RuPaul's Drag U
- Frankie Grande, America's Best Dance Crew
- Mitch Grassi, The Sing Off
- Mollee Grey, So You Think You Can Dance
- Kathy Griffin, Kathy Griffen: My Life on the D-List
- Tim Gunn, Project Runway
- Todrick Hall, American Idol
- Bob Harper, The Biggest Loser
- Sam Harris, Star Search
- Richard Hatch, Survivor
- Tyler Henry, E!Hollywood Medium
- David Hernandez, American Idol
- Madison Hildebrand, Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles
- Cory Wade Hindorff, America's Next Top Model
- Chamique Holdsclaw, Fix My Life
- Julianne Hough, America's Got Talent, Dancing With the Stars
- Branden James, America's Got Talent
- Lauren Jauregui, The X Factor
- Caitlyn Jenner, Keeping Up With the Kardashians
- EJ Johnson, Rich Kids of Beverly Hills
- Rafe Judkins, Survivor
- Anthony Steven Kalloniatis, Last Comic Standing
- Josh Kilmer-Purcell, The Fabulous Beekman Boys, The Amazing Race
- Isis King, America's Next Top Model
- Kristen Kish, Top Chef
- Claire Kittrell, Hollywood Hillbillies
- Jonathan Knight, The Amazing Race
- Michael Kors, Project Runway
- Carson Kressley, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, How to Look Good Naked, Dancing With the Stars, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Ronnie Kroell, Make Me a Supermodel
- Adam Lambert, American Idol
- Reichen Lehmkuhl, The Amazing Race
- Lazarus Lynch, Chopped
- Anita Lo, Top Chef
- Kelly Mantle, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Jeffrey Alan Marks, Million Dollar Decorators
- Trixie Mattel, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Michael Mejia, Skin Wars
- Ashley Merriman, Top Chef
- Jillian Michaels, The Biggest Loser
- Tiq Milan, I'm From Rolling Stone
- Preeti Mistry, Top Chef
- Monifah, R&B Divas
- Jonathan Murray, Keeping Up With the Kardashians, The Real World, Project Runway
- Sharon Needles, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Josephine Ochoa, Nuestra Belleza Latina
- George Ortiz, Project Runway
- James Oseland, Top Chef
- Rayvon Owen, American Idol
- Raquel Pennington, The Ultimate Fighter
- Jordan Pious, The Amazing Race
- Monica Pope, Top Chef
- Zachary Posen, Project Runway
- Yigit Pura, Top Chef: Just Desserts
- Traver Rains, America's Next Top Model, Project Runway
- Santino Rice, Project Runway, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Law Roach, America's Next Top Model
- Raja, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Marcellas Reynolds, Big Brother
- Jen Richards, I am Cait
- Brent Ridge, The Fabulous Beekman Boys
- Danny Roberts, The Real World
- Fatima Robinson, The Voice
- RuPaul, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Mia Ryan, Houston Beauty
- Tyra Sanchez, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Benjamin Schwimmer, So You Think You Can Dance
- Amiyah Scott, Real Housewives of Atlanta
- Adam Shankman, So You Think You Can Dance
- Jenny Shimizu, Make Me a Supermodel
- Miles Siir Brock, Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood
- Christian Siriano, Project Runway
- Terrance Stone, American Idol
- Jonathan Van Ness, Queer Eye
- Jaymes Vaughn, The Amazing Race
- Sasha Velour, RuPaul's Drag Race
- Jim Verraros, American Idol
- Nick Verreos, Project Runway
- Daniel Vosovic, Project Runway
- Travis Wall, So You Think You Can Dance
- Dashaun Williams, America's Best Dance Crew
- Nathan Hale Williams, Girls Who Like Boys Who Like Boys
- Jody Williams, Chopped
- Vern Yip, Design Star, Trading Places
- Pedro Zamora, The Real World
See Also
- Boy Band Members Who Are Out As Gay, Bisexual or Queer
- Top Television News Anchors Who Identify as LGBTQ
- Lesbian Film and Television Producers and Directors
- Soap Opera Stars and Producers Who Identify as LGBTQ
