The curse of the reality show! Celebrity couples who broke up after getting their own TV series in the wake of Chloe Madeley and James Haskell’s marriage split

Chloe Madeley and James Haskell announced over the weekend they had decided to go their separate ways after five years of marriage.

The personal trainer, 36, and the former rugby player, 38, revealed the news the same month that their reality series aired on ITV2. 

Chloe Madeley: A Family Affair follows the couple as they adjust to parenthood with the arrival of their daughter Bodhi, 14 months.

However, rather than depicting a glimpse into their happy family life, the show saw the couple continuously butting heads and put the cracks in the relationship on full display.

It therefore did not come as a surprise to viewers when Chloe and James finally announced their split.

They have joined the long list of couples to break up following getting their own reality series, with the trend seemingly becoming cursed.

MailOnline have taken a look at the stars whose relationships failed to survive getting their own shows. 

Split: Chloe Madeley and James Haskell announced over the weekend they had decided to go their separate ways after five years of marriage

Cracks: The personal trainer, 36, and the former rugby player, 38, revealed the news the same month that their reality series aired on ITV2, which followed the couple as they adjust to parenthood with the arrival of their daughter Bodhi, 14 months

Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes 

Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes met on Love Island in 2017 and made it all the way to third place after winning viewers over with their turbulent but passionate romance.

Despite a number of rocky patches, with one stemming from photos of Olivia kissing her ex Bradley Dack’s neck emerging, the pair always assured fans they were stronger than ever, and proceeded to move in together over Christmas. 

The couple soon inked a deal to create their own television programme together, called Crackin’ On.

However, the show merely exacerbated their problems and showed fans the ins and outs of their dysfunctional relationship.

Chris and Olivia soon split during the airing of the show and the series was even halved from six episodes to three, due to the pair’s incessant ‘bickering’ – both in front of the camera, and behind the scenes.

The first installment of the series saw the cracks in their relationship begin to form – with Chris and Olivia endlessly bickering over the decor for their new house. 

The blonde was then seen lashing out at Chris for attending a house party, and accusing him of flirting with other girls.

The final episode showed the pair both left in floods of tears as they made the decision to go their separate ways, after a fiery, no-holds barred row say Olivia brand Chris ‘abusive’ before storming out of the room. 

Olivia said: ‘I never would have walked away from us,’ prompting Chris to retort: ‘I’m not walking away from us I’m saying its the only thing that we can do. We’ve tried everything, Liv, and we’re not f**king happy.’

The pair then sit and wallow in their tears, before Olivia breaks the sobbing silence by telling him: ‘I just feel f**king exhausted and drained and just run down.’ 

As they both sobbed, they agreed their relationship had ended, with Liv going home.      

She said: ‘I felt angry and hurt and truly let down. I don’t think I’ll ever get over what he’s done and how he’s handled everything.’

Olivia confirmed on Loose Women that Chris had pulled the plug on their relationship on the phone, in the midst of filming their new show.

She explained: ‘I’m not going to be able to watch it. It was horrendous to live it. I wanted to wait until cameras had gone and be with Chris on my own. 

‘We had a conversation later on after but it’s kind of, it went on for ages. It was done then. He said I am serious. I’m going to remember that forever.’ 

First meetings: Olivia Attwood and Chris Hughes met on Love Island in 2017 and made it all the way to third place after winning viewers over with their turbulent but passionate romance

New series: The couple soon inked a deal to create their own television programme together, called Crackin’ On. However, the show merely exacerbated their problems and showed fans the ins and outs of their dysfunctional relationship

Cut short: Chris and Olivia soon split during the airing of the show and the series was even halved from six episodes to three, due to the pair’s incessant ‘bickering’ – both in front of the camera, and behind the scenes

Huge row: The final episode showed the pair both left in floods of tears as they made the decision to go their separate ways, after a fiery, no-holds barred row say Olivia brand Chris ‘abusive’ before storming out of the room

Devastated: The pair then sit and wallow in their tears, before Olivia breaks the sobbing silence by telling him: ‘I just feel f**king exhausted and drained and just run down’

It’s over: As they both sobbed, they agreed their relationship had ended, with Liv going home

Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti 

Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti won the hearts of the British public when were crowned the winners of Love Island in 2022.

The couple soon moved in together and got their own ITV2 travel reality show called  Homecomings, which aired in November of that year.

The series saw the pair visiting Davide’s home country of Italy and the birth country of Ekin-Su’s parents, Turkey. 

However, in between the romantic scenes, the couple were also shown having rough patches.

Ekin-Su was rattled after finding pictures of girls on Davide’s phone after he left his phone unlocked, with the reality personality angrily confronting him.

The couple then went on to announce their split in June 2023 after 11 months together.

Davide took to Instagram to write: ‘Ekin-Su and I are no longer together. I am grateful for the memories and opportunities we shared together and I wish her nothing but the best. 

‘I would like for everybody to respect this decision during this difficult time. I will continue to support Ekin in anyway possible.’

However, unlike any of the other couples on the list, Ekin-Su and Davide managed to find their way back to each other and recently rekindled their romance.

The couple sent tongues wagging when, not long after their break-up, they were spotted leaving the ITV summer party together in July.

The pair were spotted getting into the same cab, however, they decided to keep their rekindled romance under wraps during the time.

Opening up about their brief split, Davide told The Sun: ‘It’s a lovely feeling being with Ekin, we probably broke up more publicly but never privately because we have always been in touch and the love between me and Ekin has always been there.

‘Breaking up may happen to people but it never actually happened to us, we never properly privately broke up, it was more to do with the public pressure and we were having some tough months.’

Davide explained why the couple wanted to keep their relationship on the down-low and claimed there were some things they needed to work on before going public again.

He added: ‘Of course there were some things that both of us wanted to work on. Nor me nor Ekin were perfect in the relationship and probably needed to have a bit more communication and now I don’t regret nothing that happened because I feel stronger and I feel we understand each other.’

Davide said he feels since reuniting they have become stronger and that everything ‘happens for a reason’.

Nation’s faves: Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti won the hearts of the British public when were crowned the winners of Love Island in 2022

Own show: The couple soon moved in together and got their own ITV2 travel reality show called Homecomings, which aired in November of that year

Unimpressed: However, in between the romantic scenes, the couple were also shown having rough patches. Ekin-Su was rattled after finding pictures of girls on Davide’s phone after he left his phone unlocked, with the reality personality angrily confronting him

Parted ways: The couple then went on to announce their split in June 2023 after 11 months together

Back together: However, unlike any of the other couples on the list, Ekin-Su and Davide managed to find their way back to each other and recently rekindled their romance

Khloé Kardashian and Lamar Odom

Khloé Kardashian is no stranger to reality TV, having made her name on her family show Keeping Up With The Kardashians.

While she has starred in several spin-offs, her first one as a couple came after she tied the knot with basketball player Lamar Odom in 2009, only one month after meeting.

The couple got their own show, Khloé & Lamar on E! in 2011 to follow them in married life, which lasted two seasons.

Their first season covered early struggles: she had trouble conceiving a baby and he had drama with his father Joe. 

In 2012, Khloe & Lamar also took an indefinite hiatus, but Khloe still made it seem as if there was no trouble in paradise, telling ET: ‘Our show is not canceled.’

‘Lamar and I have just chosen to take a break this summer. I feel like we’ve been on a whirlwind and doing back-to-back shows. 

‘We just want to take a little time off for Lamar to be with family time, kids, basketball, Olympics, you never know. We have a lot on our plate right now.’ 

Khloe defended their marriage tirelessly and said they were fine but by the spring of 2013 rumours started to fly that Lamar was cheating. 

Later that summer it was reported he had cheated with several women, including lawyer Polina Polonsky.

In August the she kicked him out of their house and he started living with friends and reports of drug use surfaced, with Lamar accused of smoking the Class A drug crack cocaine.

After a videotape surfaced on November of Lamar slurring through a rap song where he admitted to stepping out on his wife ‘on the DL,’ Khloe soon after stopped wearing her wedding rings. 

Throughout the fall she posted cryptic messages about the meaning of love, such as: ‘I am wise because I’ve been foolish.’

Khloe finally took the final step and filed for divorce – citing irreconcilable differences – in December that year.

Lamar dragged out their divorce by refusing to sign the papers, until they finally were granted a divorce in 2016.

Despite this, Khloe stayed by his side when he fell into a 72-hour coma following a near-fatal drug overdose at a Las Vegas brothel Love Ranch in October 2015. 

Wedding: While Khloe Kardashian has starred in several spin-offs, her first one as a couple came after she tied the knot with basketball player Lamar Odom in 2009, only one month after meeting (pictured)

Love story: The couple got their own show, Khloé & Lamar on E! in 2011 to follow them in married life, which lasted two seasons, covering their early struggles: she had trouble conceiving a baby and he had drama with his father Joe (pictured in 2011)

Split: Khloe defended their marriage tirelessly but by the spring of 2013 rumours started to fly that Lamar was cheating and Khloe finally took the final step and filed for divorce – citing irreconcilable differences – in December that year (pictured in 2016)

Cheated death: Despite this, Khloe stayed by his side when he fell into a 72-hour coma following a near-fatal drug overdose at a Las Vegas brothel Love Ranch in October 2015

Blac Chyna and Rob Kardashian 

Following in his sisters’ footsteps Rob Kardashian also got his own spin-off reality show with fiancee Blac Chyna.

Rob & Chyna premiered in September 2016 and followed the couple’s relationship as they prepared to welcome their first child together.

Their relationship was filled with drama from the start, as Blac Chyna already shared a son with her ex Tyga, who was dating Rob’s younger half-sister Kylie Jenner at the time.

The couple’s romance became volatile, culminating a huge fight in December 2016, when Chyna pointed a gun at Rob.

Chyna denied claims that she was trying to kill Rob and testified that she pointed the gun upwards and didn’t put her finger where the trigger was.

She also dismissed the incident that night where she’s been accused of trying to strangle Rob with a phone cord as a ‘joke’. 

While a second season was greenlit, by July 2017, E! confirmed the series was put on hold. 

After their explosive breakup, Chyna sued the Kardashian-Jenners, alleging they hurt her career and got her successful show cancelled.

During the court case, Rob’s mother Kris Jenner admitted to sending texts to Rob and Chyna’s producers after the big fight, saying that Rob needed to ‘ditch the b**ch.’

‘It was not my proudest moment – but it was how I felt at the time,’ she told the jury.

She also conceded that she sent another text to the producers saying, ‘Let’s take her [Chyna] off the show and make it the Rob show and baby.’  

Kris defended that text saying, ‘It was 24 hours after she tried to kill him and I was really upset and trying to figure out what to do.

‘This is my son who was being traumatized…..it was a very, very broken down relationship.’

Robert Jenkins, the TV producer who first brought Rob and Chyna to E!, told the court how the couple’s relationship quickly went downhill as filming began.

When they were pitching the show to him, which was originally to be called ‘Rob and Chyna In Love,’  he said, ‘They seemed very happy together, laughing together, joyful together. But that was the first and last time I saw them happy together.

‘It was close to the start of shooting and they were quarreling, they weren’t living in the same house, they were very unhappy with each other.

‘It was very difficult to shoot a show where they didn’t want to be with each other.’

Robert said he went to Chyna – and Rob – to suggest they try counselling or couples therapy to get back on track.

‘I told her if you want this (the show) to continue you have to work on your relationship because if you and Rob won’t interact, it’s done,’ he told the jury.

But he added, Chyna’s reaction was: ‘F*** you, f*** that, f*** Rob. I’m not doing that.’

In May last year, the Los Angeles jury found that the family did not unjustly harm the career of Chyna, resulting in no monetary damages awarded. 

Keeping it in the family: Following in his sisters’ footsteps Rob Kardashian also got his own spin-off reality show with fiancee Blac Chyna 

Relationship: Rob & Chyna premiered in September 2016 and followed the couple’s relationship as they prepared to welcome their first child together

 Tumultuous: The couple’s romance became volatile, culminating a huge fight in December 2016, when Chyna pointed a gun at Rob

Court case: After their explosive breakup, Chyna sued the Kardashian-Jenners, alleging they hurt her career and got her successful show cancelled

Accusations: During the court case, Rob’s mother Kris Jenner admitted to sending texts to Rob and Chyna’s producers after the big fight, saying that Rob needed to ‘ditch the b**ch’

Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson 

Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey tied the knot in October 2002 and went on to star in their own reality series the following year.

Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica aired on MTV and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon.

One of the most famous scenes was the ‘chicken by the sea’ moment, when Jessica questioned if a tin of tuna was fish or chicken, as it was called ‘Chicken of the Sea’, which is a popular brand of tuna in America. 

But by the third season, Jessica and Nick were no longer speaking to each other except for the cameras. 

The show’s third season aired in March 2005 and by December of the same year they had filed for divorce.

She explained: ‘You could feel there was tension between [Nick and Jessica]. They were very different people.

‘He was a blue collar guy; he was frugal, and she had excessive taste. In the end they weren’t suited for each other. The only thing they really had in common was their music. 

‘She was really young; I think he’s seven years older than her. He wanted a family, and her father thought maybe she was too young. Her father was very involved in her life.’

In 2022, Jessica was asked if looking back, she thought doing the series had been a mistake, but responded: ‘Oh no. It’s been the most empowering thing I could possibly do. I do believe that doing Newlyweds is what made people… it’s what launched my brand.’

She added: ‘Absolutely, I would go back and do it all over again. It’s never something I wouldn’t do again…just maybe wouldn’t have done a third season.’

Cameras: Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey tied the knot in October 2002 and went on to star in their own reality series the following year

Too real: Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica aired on MTV and quickly became a pop culture phenomenon, but by the third season, they were no longer speaking to each other except for the cameras

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline 

Britney Spears and Kevin Federline announced their engagement in July 2004, after just three months of dating, and they held a wedding ceremony two months later.

Their relationship was chronicled in the reality program Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, which aired for a single season in 2005.

In a statement about the series, Britney stated: ‘From the day that Kevin and I met, there have been constant rumors and inaccurate speculation about our lives together. 

‘I feel that last year, the tabloids ran my life, and I am really excited about showing my fans what really happened, rather than all the stories, which have been misconstrued by journalists in the past. 

‘As I mentioned before, I am now going to be expressing my personal life through art.’

The show lived up to its name and was widely criticised, showing the couple discussing the sex life frequently, drinking, smoking and talking about farts.

The couple went on to welcome two sons, Sean Preston, 18, and Jayden, 17, in quick succession.

But in November 2006, a month after Jayden’s birth and year after their reality show Britney filed for divorce from Kevin. 

Amid their contentious split and custody battle, Britney revealed in her new book that she was struggling with postpartum depression.

During a 2013 interview, she described the series as ‘probably the worst thing I’ve done in my career’, and said: ‘I would never do something like that again.’

Speedy romance: Britney Spears and Kevin Federline announced their engagement in July 2004, after just three months of dating, and they held a wedding ceremony two months later (pictured in 2005)

Reality show: Their relationship was chronicled in the reality program Britney and Kevin: Chaotic, which aired for a single season in 2005 (pictured)

Split: The couple went on to welcome two sons, Sean Preston, 18, and Jayden, 17, but in November 2006, a month after Jayden’s birth and year after their reality show Britney filed for divorce from Kevin (Britney, Kevin and Jamie Lynn Spears pictured in 2005)

Katie Price and Peter Andre

Katie Price and Peter Andre fell in love on reality TV, so it came as no surprise that they ended up starring in several shows together.

The couple met on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004 and fell for each other and it was quickly followed by six-part documentary series When Jordan Met Peter that year.

This was followed by Jordan & Peter: Laid Bare in 2005 and then Jordan & Peter: Marriage and Mayhem the same year, which charted the birth of their first child Junior and the pair’s wedding.

Katie & Peter: The Next Chapter came in 2007, focussing on the impending arrival of the couple’s second child, Princess.

The same year had Katie & Peter: The Baby Diaries and the pair’s late night chat show Katie & Peter: Unleashed.

In 2008, they starred in Katie & Peter: Down Under where they travelled to Australia, and Katie & Peter: African Adventures, where they explored Africa.

In 2009 the final show aired, called Katie & Peter: Stateside after the family moved to Malibu for three months.

However, while the series was airing, the couple announced their split in May 2009 and divorced that September.

The series documented the cracks in their relationship, with one clip showing the singer branding his then-wife, now 40, an ‘arrogant b****’ in a fiery TV clash. 

Peter said: ‘I’m not having her talk to me like that, embarrass name like that. You are an arrogant b****. Stupid arrogant f**king cow. Stuck up diva. How f***ing dare you talk to me like that.’

Their vicious fight escalated quickly after Peter took a dig at Katie when a man didn’t recognise who the iconic glamour model.

He asked: ‘Didn’t he know who you were?’

Katie made a venomous attack on her then-husband as she reduced him to an ‘old f**king singer who no one knows about’. 

She said: ‘As if I’m bothered about that no one knows who you are Pete. You are an old f**king singer who no-one knows about.’

Things got more fiery between the duo as Peter didn’t let the dust settle and he took a swipe at Katie’s ‘attitude problem’.

He said: ‘Oh my god, you’ve got a real attitude problem, do you know that? I’m so glad you filmed this guys so we can show it back.’ 

She responded: ‘I’m so glad, because we have to know what a k**b you are.’

He added: ‘When you show it back you’ll see what kind of a stupid, arrogant, miserable cow she is.’ 

Franchise: Katie Price and Peter Andre fell in love on reality TV, so it came as no surprise that they ended up starring in several shows together (pictured on Unleashed in 2007)

Meetings: The couple met on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2004 and fell for each other and it was quickly followed by six-part documentary series When Jordan Met Peter that year (pictured)

Tied the knot: This was followed by Jordan & Peter: Laid Bare in 2005 and then Jordan & Peter: Marriage and Mayhem the same year, which charted the birth of their first child Junior and the pair’s wedding (pictured)

Fiery: The series documented the cracks in their relationship, with one clip showing the singer branding his then-wife, now 40, an ‘arrogant b****’ in a fiery TV clash

Chloe Madeley and James Haskell

In the wake of their split, Chloe and James’ show has continued to air, with many viewers taking to social media to throw their support behind Chloe. 

The series showed many tense arguments between the couple, with many fans confused at why they were even together.

Tensions flared in one of the episodes as James shut down Chloe during a confrontation over a series of snaps he had shared with bikini-clad girls while working as a DJ in Ibiza as Chloe remained at home with Bodhi.

The racy snaps had already caused an issue between the pair, with the personal trainer claiming it made her husband ‘look like a k**b’.

After spotting the pictures, she said: ‘He’s on Instagram uploading videos and photos of all these girls, and I was like, “I will kill you. I will fly to Ibiza and kill you”.

As Chloe reiterated that she found it ’embarrassing’, James shot back: ‘Well go and speak to a therapist, it’s not my problem.’

Meanwhile in the fourth and final episode of their show James claimed his wife was treating him ‘like a dog’ and warned if she shushed him again it would be ‘the last thing you’ll ever do’.

Referring to footage seen in the show, Chloe’s followers rushed to send their love to the mother-of-one. 

One fan wrote: ‘From one woman to another I watched your TV show for less than half an hour and could clearly see the reasons why you decided to end your marriage, I could feel your vibe just from watching your TV show, so positive, real and humble. 

‘You hold your head up high you definitely deserve so much better’.

Agreeing, another added: ‘I do echo what others are saying – I found after the first episode I couldn’t bear to watch as I had such a reaction to an amazing strong beautiful woman not being treated quite right.

‘I hope that’s ok to say – I don’t say James is awful I just say he could do better – in my experience there are men and there are man-boys. Wishing you all the luck you deserve it ❤️’

On her side: In the wake of their split, Chloe and James’ show has continued to air, with many viewers taking to social media to throw their support behind Chloe 

Fights: The series showed many tense arguments between the couple, with many fans confused at why they were even together 

Fuming: Meanwhile in the fourth and final episode of their show James claimed his wife was treating him ‘like a dog’ and warned if she shushed him again it would be ‘the last thing you’ll ever do’ 

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