Top 10 Most-Watched Reality TV Shows of All Time
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Reality television can be downright addictive, especially when you stumble upon the best reality TV shows that keep you glued to every twist. Some of these programs have exploded into global sensations from survival challenges on remote islands to dramatic singing competitions, these productions have left a colossal mark on pop culture. Below, we’ll delve into ten of the best reality TV shows that also rank among the most watched reality TV shows worldwide.
At a glance
- U.S. streaming reality of the summer: Love Island USA Season 7 — 18.4B minutes viewed; Peacock’s most-watched original season ever (TheWrap).
- U.S. broadcast reality of the summer: America’s Got Talent Season 20 — #1 broadcast summer alternative series, averaging ~5.9M viewers L+7 (TV Insider)
- U.K. live event juggernaut: Strictly Come Dancing — 2024 final drew 8M+ live viewers (The Guardian)
U.S. streaming winners
Love Island USA (Peacock)
Season 7 turned into a phenomenon: 18.4 billion minutes streamed over six weeks, finishing as Peacock’s most-watched original season ever and hitting the #1 streaming reality spot for multiple weeks (TheWrap).
Love Is Blind (Netflix)
A year-round magnet. In 2024 it amassed 16.45B minutes (runner-up among unscripted streaming titles in Nielsen’s annual wrap) and hit 6B minutes in March alone off Season 6 momentum. With Season 8 in 2025, it remains one of streaming’s most reliably watched reality franchises (Nielsen).
The Traitors (Peacock)
Season 2 vaulted to the #1 reality show on streaming during its first full week and ranked top-10 by minutes among all streaming originals—rare air for unscripted (NBC).
U.S. broadcast leaders
America’s Got Talent (NBC)
Twenty seasons in and still the summer champ. AGT is poised—again—to finish as the #1 broadcast summer alternative series; season-to-date episodes average ~5.9M viewers (L+7). Weekly Nielsen rankers routinely place its Tuesday/Wednesday telecasts near the top (TV Insider).
Big Brother (CBS)
Season 27 reached ~26M unique viewers across CBS + Paramount+ (season-to-date) and is averaging ~4.8–4.9M multiplatform viewers in early weeks, up year over year—firmly the #2 summer broadcast show (paramountpress).
The Voice (NBC)
Still one of broadcast’s most watched competition formats. Spring 2025 episodes averaged around 5M+ viewers, keeping the franchise in the top tier of in-season unscripted (tvseriesfinale.com).
Survivor (CBS)
Forty-eight seasons in, the finale still moves the needle: the May 2025 three-hour closer drew ~4.29M and won the night in key demos—proof of persistent appointment viewing (The Futon Critic).
The Bachelor (ABC)
The long-running dating anchor remains a Monday force with season averages in the ~3–4M range across recent cycles (with week-to-week swings) (tvseriesfinale.com).
The Masked Singer (FOX)
A consolidated, family-friendly hit that continues to pull ~3M+ per episode across recent seasons, remaining one of FOX’s strongest unscripted plays (tvseriesfinale.com).
U.K. reality juggernauts
Strictly Come Dancing (BBC One)
Despite headlines and competition, Strictly reasserted dominance in 2024; the final pulled 8M+ live viewers, retaking the family-TV crown (The Guardian).
I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! (ITV)
The 2024 launch averaged ~7M (peaking at 8M), ITV’s biggest non-sport overnight of the year at the time—still a mass-audience tentpole (The Standard).
The Great British Bake Off (Channel 4)
With weekly episodes around ~6.5M last autumn, Bake Off remains one of the UK’s most watched reality competitions and a perennial streaming driver for Channel 4 (TellyMix).
Methodology
We combined Nielsen streaming minutes/rankers and broadcast ratings, official network press/newsroom releases (for reach and season records), and BARB-based UK reporting to identify the most watched reality titles in 2024–2025. Where a show spans platforms (e.g., live on broadcast plus streaming), we prioritise the freshest season-to-date or event-specific figures available and label the metric (minutes, average viewers, or reach).
FAQ
Why does streaming use “minutes viewed” while broadcast uses “average viewers”?
They’re the standard currencies for each medium: minutes consolidate time-spent across episodes/devices on SVOD; average viewers reflect live + time-shifted audiences per telecast on linear TV.
Is Love Island USA really that big this year?
Yes—Peacock and trade coverage confirm Season 7 logged 18.4B minutes and is Peacock’s most-watched original season ever.
What’s the top summer show on U.S. broadcast?
America’s Got Talent—again—finishes as the #1 summer alternative series, with ~5.9M average viewers after seven days.
Which UK shows still draw mass live audiences?
Strictly, I’m a Celebrity, and Bake Off continue to deliver multi-million overnights—with finals and launches crossing the 6–8M range.
Sources
- NBCUniversal / TheWrap on Love Island USA Season 7 minutes and “most-watched original season” status. NBCUNIVERSAL
- Nielsen Streaming “ARTEY Awards” 2024 and March 2024 coverage for Love Is Blind. Nielsen
- TV Insider (citing Nielsen/Deadline) and Nielsen weekly top-10 pages for America’s Got Talent. TV Insider
- CBS/Paramount press + Futon Critic recap for Big Brother Season 27 reach and S2D averages. paramountpressexpress
- UK outlets on Strictly final (2024), I’m a Celebrity 2024 launch, and Bake Off weekly totals. The Guardian
Disclosure: This list is intended as an informational resource and is based on independent research and publicly available information. It does not imply that these businesses are the absolute best in their category. Learn more here.
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