The reputation of reality TV has undoubtedly improved in modern times. What was once the constructed haven for all my guilty pleasures has quickly materialised as a leading source of entertainment in this new decade.
The appeal? Black women within the diaspora are taking centre stage in storylines. From legends such as Meme Queen of Social Media, NeNe Leakes to Young, Famous [and] Africans showing us all how their lavish lives still have time for the mess. But the messy parts continue to manifest misrepresentations.
Within UK television, producers frequently work overtime to regulate Black women to reductive stereotypes, simplifying their Black cast members for their white audience. Like moulding Big Brother 6 alumnus Makosi to the role of The Jezebel, while Misha B was forced to wear the face of The Angry Black Woman, British television has regurgitated problematic tropes that fail to go beyond the surface and impact how Black women are perceived, and therefore how well they do in reality TV contests.