This post is for those who aren’t chronically online or want to impress their reality TV obsessed partner with their knowledge.

The Traitors wins big at the Emmys
The Traitors took home the award for Outstanding Reality Competition Series at the 2025 Emmys, beating out heavy-hitters like Survivor, Amazing Race, RuPaul’s Drag Race, and Top Chef.

Wife Swap x Real Housewives crossover coming
Bravo is launching Wife Swap: The Real Housewives Edition, where current Real Housewives stars swap lives with non-celeb “real wives” from very different backgrounds. Expect emotional culture clashes and eye-opening revelations.

An ambitious new “apocalypse” social experiment
The networks BINGE (Australia) and Foxtel announced Apocalypse, an extreme new reality/social experiment dropping contestants into a post-apocalyptic environment with no supplies or technology. It promises survival, psychological stress, and big drama.

Survivor, Amazing Race, Love Is Blind & Big Brother: Huge fall lineup
Fall 2025 is packed: Survivor Australia vs The World, Big Brother 27, an all-star Amazing Race 38, Love Is Blind, The Great British Bake Off, and more are coming.

Drama in Love Island relationships
Former Love Island USA contestant Iris Kendall appears to have rekindled things with TJ Palma, while other couples from recent seasons are splitting, with fans dissecting exactly when relationships went off the rails.

Cast exits and reality fatigue are real
Paige DeSorbo (of Summer House) revealed she left because she felt she was no longer able to meet the expectations of the show, and that the psychological cost of filming was catching up with her.

Stronger focus on mental health / well-being
More contestants are talking openly about how being on these shows affects them mentally and emotionally. The DeSorbo story (above) is one example. Also, shows are more frequently incorporating or being critiqued for how much support is or isn’t provided behind the scenes. (This is more of a trend than one specific story.)

Reality dating franchises continue to expand/spin off
Shows like The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Love Is Blind, Squid Game: The Challenge, Selling Sunset, etc., are getting new seasons or new variations. Netflix’s reality slate for 2025-26 is especially aggressive.

Love Island Games Season 2 kicks off
The global spin-off Love Island Games returns for Season 2, with cast from multiple countries — UK, USA, France, Malta, Belgium, Netherlands — premiering September 16, 2025 on Peacock.

Reality with “therapy” or structured emotional work is more common
Shows are blending more self-help, therapy, coaching, emotional honesty into their premises. For example, Virgin Island (UK/Channel 4) has contestants exploring intimacy, attachment, improving communication while living together on an island with coaching components.

Rachel Reilly shocks viewers with White Locust twist
Former winner Rachel Reilly was eliminated via a controversial new competition/twist called the White Locust, rather than via normal eviction. It upset a lot of fans and former contestants who felt she was unfairly taken out.

Power shifts in Week 10 – Morgan dominates
On Big Brother 27, Morgan Pope won the Week 10 Power of Veto again (third in a row), used it to take Ava Pearl off the block, and forced HOH Vince Panaro to renom Lauren Domingue. Dramatic fallout in alliances is brewing.

“Cheatmance” controversy: Vince & Morgan drama
Vince Panaro, who has a girlfriend outside, has been getting very close with Morgan Pope in the house (cuddling, affectionate behavior) which is being called a “cheatmance” by fans. There are rumors that Vince’s girlfriend has unfollowed him. Tension inside and outside the house.

Major shifts in formats / location mechanics
Survivor 48 continues its long run, filming in Fiji and retaining large episode lengths. Meanwhile Amazing Race Australia 9 (Celebrity Edition) is bringing new twists (like the “Face Off” challenges).

Physical transformation / personal wellness stories continue to resonate
Stories of personal change are trending—from weight loss after reality TV participation (e.g. a Married At First Sight Australia star revealing a 26 kg loss after her season) to people leaving shows for their mental health.