Half of reality TV fans are so dedicated to the series they watch they consider some cast members to be part of their own families, according to research via OnePoll,.
A poll of 2,000 adults, who watch the genre, found 27 percent have debated with their real-life partners about how much reality TV they consume.
Nearly half (45 percent) have followed the journeys of their beloved personalities for five or more years, with 47 percent admitting they feel like one of the family as a result.
And, more than one in 10 (11 percent) think they know more facts relating to their favorite reality TV personality than they do their own partner.
Among the top 10 best-loved shows are “The Great British Bake Off,” “Below Deck” and “Made in Chelsea,” with 40 percent of reality watchers enjoying the genre because it’s easy.
Others like reality TV as they can turn their mind off and relax (33 percent) and it makes them laugh (30 percent), while 27 percent simply love the drama of it all.
The top genres of shows are those of cookery (31 percent), such as “Top Chef,” true crime (26 percent) and dating (26 percent), including “Love Island.”
This research was commissioned by Hayu, the all-reality streaming service from NBCUniversal (NBCU).
“Reality TV is a genre that evokes huge passion that, at its very core, is about relationships – what makes them and what breaks them, be it ‘The Real Housewives,’ ‘Below Deck’ or ‘Top Chef’ franchises, ‘Vanderpump Rules’ or ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians,’” said Hendrik McDermott, MD EMEA Networks, Hayu and Direct-to-Consumer, NBCU. “It keeps audiences coming back for more.”
Other reasons people love the genre include escape from everyday life (26 percent) and the personalities being so different from the people they know in real life (17 percent).
While 13 percent enjoy that the personalities say and do things they never would.
But 15 percent of 25- to 34-year-olds are finding career inspiration from reality TV, as some shows offer a look into other forms of employment from those they currently have.
It also emerged that 31 percent feel their lives aren’t as interesting as those in their favorite reality TV programs.
However, a sassy 43 percent believe other people would be interested in a show about their life.
Of those surveyed, 14 percent of respondents admitted that nearly half of their weekly TV intake is reality TV – and 37 percent said it would be very unlikely for them to stop watching altogether.
“Hayu is the home of reality TV with hundreds of shows and thousands of episodes available the same day as the USA,” said McDermott about the reality show. “There are no spoilers and there is no waiting, which we know is key for subscribers who want to see their favorite content first.”
BRITS’ TOP 20 FAVORITE REALITY TV SHOWS:
- Britain’s Got Talent
- The Great British Bake Off
- Master Chef
- The Apprentice
- Love Island
- Married at First Sight (including Australia, UK, USA etc)
- Below Deck (inc. Below Deck Med, Below Deck Sailing Yacht, Below Deck Down Under)
- Top Chef
- Made in Chelsea
- The Real Housewives Franchise (including Beverly Hills, New York, Atlanta, Salt Lake City, etc.)
- Interior Design Masters with Alan Carr
- Catfish
- Keeping Up With The Kardashians
- The Bachelor
- The Only Way is Essex
- RuPaul’s Drag Race
- Teen Mom
- Glow Up
- Project Runway
- The Real World
Produced in association with SWNS Talker
Edited by Alberto Arellano and Jessi Rexroad Shull
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