Top 10 WTF Reality TV Moments

We start with Bake Off’s showstopper round, and the contestants are making a Baked Alaska. But disaster struck for Iain Watters when, in soaring temperatures, his chances of winning melted away. And, as rival baker Diana Beard was shown removing Iain’s ice cream from the freezer moments earlier, the cries of ‘sabotage’ stacked up, and Beard received a mauling on social media for her actions. Though a statement from the BBC absolved Diana of any wrongdoing, she quit the following week for ‘health reasons’.

Many a celebrity has buckled under the pressure of a Bushtucker trial, but few have made such a chump of themselves as former butler to the royals, Paul Burrell. Throughout his “Hell Holes” challenge, Burrell seems to be forever on the verge of calling for his mummy - and he even resorts to asking the creatures and critters not to bite him. But it’s the noises he makes that are most memorable of all. And the laughable look on his face.

With a phobia of creepy crawlies, Gillian McKeith’s decision to appear on “I’m a Celeb” was a disaster waiting to happen. And, after enduring an early Bushtucker trial, the traumatised nutritionist required treatment from medics. But did the viewers take pity on her? Of course not. They voted for her to tackle trials time and time again until, upon learning about her seventh nomination, she appeared to faint live on air. Later, McKeith allegedly confessed to another contestant that she had faked her collapses, though Gillian herself denies any deception.

In the first series of this groundbreaking reality TV show, “Nasty” Nick Bateman caused a sensational stir by attempting to influence nominations by passing around ‘secret’ notes. Eventually, his devious plan led to a tense confrontation with his fellow housemates, and one of the show’s most famous moments. Facing eviction for breaking house rules, Nick tries to lie his way out of trouble, but to no avail. And while his behaviour might seem tame compared to the antics of later contestants, he faced nationwide scorn for his sneakiness.

Everyone knows the old adage about not judging a book by its cover, and rarely has it been more appropriate than here. When Susan Boyle first takes to the stage, she certainly makes an impression on the judges, but mostly for the wrong reasons. However, as soon as she sings the opening lines of a “Les Mis” classic, those same judges are left picking their jaws off the floor. It’s easily one of the most memorable moments in “Britain’s Got Talent” history, instantly propelling Susan to superstardom.

Loos first came to prominence in 2004 amidst scandal over a rumoured affair with David Beckham. Naturally, she soon became a shoo-in for reality TV, and here she goes to great lengths to remain in the public spotlight. An incredibly awkward tutorial is followed by some hands-on experience, for a seriously strange moment of mid-2000s tele. Yes, this really did happen. In the wake of this episode, the RSPCA complained to Ofcom about the “gratuitous scenes”. The pig was unavailable for comment.

Lord Sugar has sent hundreds of entrepreneurs packing since “The Apprentice” first aired, but here he’s beaten to the punch. In 2007, the now notorious Katie Hopkins had won a place in the show’s final, when this happened. Having endured eleven weeks of ferocious competition, Hopkins finds that she can’t fully commit to the role - leaving the entire boardroom completely bemused - and giving Sugar a taste of his own medicine, as he’s forced to wait on someone else’s verdict. Of course, Katie has touted controversy ever since.

Have you ever wanted to watch a celebrity receive an enema on television? If you answered ‘no’, then look away now. It’s 2003, and Richard Blackwood is centre-stage for a one-off Channel 5 show, encouraging celebs to try various forms of detox. So, he’s laid on his back, letting nature take its course. A particular highlight sees disaster almost strike when an air bubble clogs the pipes, but fortunately help is on hand. That receptionist definitely deserves a pay rise! Cue the inspirational music...

Kinga only entered the Big Brother house midway through the sixth series, but she made an instant impression. Her most memorable moment is infamous even by “Big Brother” standards, with the scene centered on a certain repurposed wine bottle. In her exit interview with Davina, Kinga claimed that she didn’t actually go through with the act, and that it had all been a big joke. But, judging by the reactions of her housemates, they certainly didn’t think she was faking!

Before “Big Brother”, George Galloway was well known for his defiant political performances. Afterwards, his definitive moment was when he impersonated a cat. As Galloway engages in a role-play exercise with actress Rula Lenska, we can can only guess that he’d forgotten the cameras were rolling, because he was always going to land up looking foolish. The incident raised the bar for off the wall weirdness, as Galloway earned the ridicule of millions.