The 20 most iconic reality TV villains

Known primarily for his time on MTV’s The Real World and The Challenge, Johnny Bananas is one of reality TV’s greatest villains. From blindsiding his partner out of $275,000 to scheming his way to seven different challenge wins, Johnny has accumulated nearly $1.2 million in winnings since 2008. Throughout his time on the show, Bananas has, without question, rocked the boat with his co-stars. But in the end, his messiness, whether a strategy or not, is why he's a valuable asset in the challenge community. 

When Flavor of Love first aired in 2006, Tiffany “New York” Pollard was the contestant fans couldn’t get enough of. Her cutthroat personality and outspoken demeanor made for many epic TV moments. New York was so loved VH1 gave her several spin-offs, such as I Love New York, New York Goes To Work and New York Goes To Hollywood.

When The Apprentice’s first season aired on NBC in 2004, Omarosa Manigault Newman was labeled the show’s villain from the word go. Known for her fiery boardroom segments, Omarosa would carry that persona with her for years to come. During her appearances on the Celebrity Apprentice, Omarosa became involved in heated feuds with Piers Morgan and LaToya Jackson.

Most known for her time on The Real Housewives of Atlanta, Kenya Moore has a way of activating her cast members. Kenya has stirred the pot on shows like RHOA and Celebrity Apprentice for over 10 years with her sharp tongue, quick wit, and first-class shade.

When Vanderpump Rules premiered on Bravo, fans quickly fell in love with the uniqueness this group of young adult servers in West Hollywood brought to the network. Jax Taylor, undoubtedly the show’s villain, gave viewers eight seasons of unfiltered foolishness featuring arrests, cheating scandals, and stolen sunglasses. Although he’s been off the show for several seasons, his antics will always be part of what made this show a hit in the first place.

From his first appearance on The Hills in 2006, it was clear Spencer Pratt was the show's villain. From planted rumors to dinner blow-ups, Spencer kept viewers tuned in weekly until the show’s conclusion in 2010. 

The contestants on The Challenge will scheme and manipulate like no other to win the grand prize. One of the show’s longest-running contestants, Wes Bergmann, is a pro at it and plays his role masterfully. With 14 seasons under his belt, Wes has won two championship titles, bringing his total earnings to $303,000.

Initially gaining her start on MTV’s The Real World, Tami Roman has always been one to give fans an entertaining show. Whether in a loft in Los Angeles or out to dinner with her co-stars on Basketball Wives, Tami’s best reality TV moments often feature a hilarious one-liner with a dose of subtle shade.

Jersey Shore was an instant success when it premiered on MTV in 2009. Thanks to stars like Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Pauly D, and Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, fans were always in store for chaos. But Mike’s storyline, hot-tempered nature, and inability to hold a secret were the real catalyst behind some of the show's most memorable moments.

After appearing as a guest on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills in season two, Brandi Glanville joined the series as a full-time cast member during its third. Although her run on the show was short, some of her most heated moments, like her fight with Lisa Vanderpump, have been etched into Bravo history forever. Even though she hasn’t been a Housewife since season five, she’s reminded viewers she can still wreak havoc on shows like Celebrity Apprentice, Celebrity Big Brother, and The Traitors on Peacock.

Many reality TV fans are familiar with The Hills, MTV’s hit series, which followed a group of young professionals navigating their personal and professional lives in Los Angeles. But what some don’t know is that The Hills was a spin-off of the network’s 2004 reality series, Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County . On that show, Kristin Cavallari fully embraced her villainous title and gave viewers much to discuss. Her ongoing feud with Lauren Conrad over their mutual love for Stephen Colletti was the biggest scandal of the first season and plagued their relationship for years to come. 

Although Jax Taylor was the main antagonist of Vanderpump Rules for season one, James Kennedy gave him a run for his money in seasons two and beyond. Despite cycling through different partners, struggling to maintain quality relationships with his co-stars, and exploding while vacationing overseas, fans have grown fond of James and his personal story.

Fans of Big Brother always enjoy rooting for a loveable villain. Rachel Reilly quickly became a favorite among the show’s audience for her ability to win competitions and stir the pot. Although she didn't last long in season 12, Reilly returned and was crowned the winner in season 13. Rachel has maintained her villainous label on similar shows, such as The Amazing Race and The Traitors.

Primarily known for her time in the platinum-selling girl group Danity Kane, Aubrey O’Day has played the villain since 2004 when she starred in MTV’s Making The Band. Following her group’s disbandment, Aubrey continued starring in other reality shows like Celebrity Big Brother, Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars, and Ex on the Beach.

After constantly antagonizing his fellow houseguests, “Evel” Dıck Donato was quickly labeled the villain of Big Brother season 8. Despite wanting to dislike him, fans, and the other houseguests, could not resist his entertaining and bad-boy personality, ultimately crowning him the winner during the season's finale. 

As the first winner of the long-running reality series Survivor, Richard Hatch was one of the genre’s earliest villains. Rich’s assertiveness and persuasive prowess made for a highly entertaining show, causing his fellow castaways to lead him straight to $1 million.

Along with her husband, Spencer, Heidi Montag took on the villain role in The Hills by default. She appeared on the show from 2006-10 and returned for the rebooted series, The Hills: New Beginnings, from 2019-21. She clashed with other reality stars like Natalie Nunn and Kim Richards on shows like Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars and The Mother/Daughter Experiment: Celebrity Edition.

Simon Cowell, a judge on American Idol from 2002-10, is unsurprisingly one of reality TV’s most notable villains. From his harsh critiques to his stoic personality, Cowell gave fans many laughs and reasons to tune in. He is the creator of The X Factor and the Got Talent franchise, both of which he has continued to represent his “tough guy” persona.

Lisa Vanderpump was arguably the queen of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills until her departure in 2019. Always able to keep her friends close and her enemies closer, Vanderpump was masterful in generating conflict among her co-stars and hiding her hand. 

The Real Housewives of New Jersey is one of Bravo’s staple reality hits. When you think of the series, you may picture Teresa Giudice’s iconic table flip or her messy fight with Caroline Manzo. But you can’t forget Danielle Staub. Danielle stood her ground as the subject of the rest of her castmates' attacks, producing some of the best moments in Housewives history. She returned to the series 2017-20, where she fought incessantly with Margaret Josephs, Siggy Flicker, and Melissa Gorga.