5 Couples Whose Marriages Were Destroyed By Reality TV
These couples pulled the plug on their relationships soon after their TV shows went off the air.
Everett Collection / Shutterstock A reality show isn't the greatest place to find true love (just ask any of the Flavor of Love/Rock of Love girls, Bachelors and Bachelorettes), and it certainly isn't an ideal environment for an already-in-love couple's relationship to blossom.
We're all painfully aware of the destruction reality TV has caused Jon and Kate Gosselin, but let's take a look at some of the other big-time couples who have been cursed by the small screen.
1. Hulk and Linda Hogan
After only two years of their series Hogan Knows Best, Linda decided to end her 24-year marriage to Hulk, after discovering that the wrestler had an affair with their daughter Brooke's friend, Christiane Plante.
Hulk has moved from reality TV to a tell-all book, My Life Outside the Ring, which features many dark chapters of his life including the drug use and depression (which almost caused him to commit suicide) centered around his divorce.
2. Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson
Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica premiered on MTV in August 2003, about 10 months after the musical couple got hitched. The marriage only lasted slightly longer than the show. The fourth and final season ended in the spring of 2005 and, that same fall, the couple announced their separation.
Jessica officially filed for divorce in December 2005, and it was finalized in June 2006, by which time Nick had already started dating Vanessa Minnillo, with whom he's now married with kids. Although Jessica was hurt by how quickly Nick had moved on, she soon did the same with John Mayer. Though that romance was short-lived and toxic, as spelled out in her memoir Open Book, she's now married to Eric Johnson and they have three kids.
3. Kevin Federline and Britney Spears
After marrying in late 2004, Brit and K-Fed decided to give everyone what they never asked for and greatly feared: a grainy, behind-the-scenes look at their life together. The UPN series Britney & Kevin: Chaotic only ran for one month, which is about what most oddsmakers gave the marriage.
They surprised everyone by lasting much longer, but two years and two babies later, Britney filed for divorce.
4. Peter Andre and Katie Price
These two British tabloid stars originally met on the UK version of I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2004.
The couple married in September 2005 and starred in the Katie & Peter series from 2007-2009 (shown on E! in the States). Katie announced in May of this year that she and Peter had separated — a month before their show's final episodes had even aired—and their "quickie divorce" was finalized in September.
5. Travis Barker and Shanna Moakler
The Blink 182 drummer and former Miss USA were married in late 2004, and put their (and their children's) private lives on display a year later with the debut of their MTV program Meet the Barkers. Six months after the series ended in early 2006, Travis filed for divorce from Shanna and had a headline-grabbing fling with Paris Hilton, which was short-lived.
Becky Broderick is a freelance writer whose childhood dream was to grow up to be Olivia Newton-John. In addition to her work for YourTango, Becky writes TV recaps and features for Starpulse.com and authors The Pop Eye, a blog which serves as a repository for much of her useless knowledge.