There used to be a reality star formula. It was honed over two long decades of 21st-century TV – from the time when just shoving people into a CCTV-laden house in Stratford was enough to stir up scandal, followed by the era of “constructed reality” à la TOWIE, and then the grand cultural ascension of Love Island. Essentially, it went something like this: get on a show, get followers, get a six-figure brand deal with Pretty Little Thing, BoohooMan or the fast fashion company most in need of an ethical rinse, and – if popular – pivot that into a fashion line, a book deal and a BBC Three documentary series. Or, if you’re less popular, hitch a ride onto the talk show circuit, then the club-night circuit, then, eventually, the second-tier reality show circuit. And across all success-stratas, there’s the goal of perpetual paid content. Instagram ads for teeth whitening kits and fake tan. Protein shakes. Gifted items and discount codes. Every moment recorded, ed
Social media influencing is a full time career now. But many times the social media stars cross the line and land up in controversies. Here are 5 such incidents.