How many people who were contestants on reality TV programs have killed themselves?

serpa

The Contender, a boxing show, unfortunately became the first American reality show in which a contestant committed suicide after being eliminated from the show. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reality_television On February 14, 2005, one of the 16 contestants, Najai Turpin, despondent over personal matters, committed suicide, shooting himself while sitting with his girlfriend in a parked car outside the West Philadelphia gym where he trained. In his memory, the producers set up a trust fund for his daughter Anyae. The show still aired in its entirety, but with a special tribute to Turpin. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Contender_(TV_series) One of the contestants on late-night Fox Reality Channel show “Paradise Hotel 2″ climbed up a tall phone tower and jumped to his death in an apparent suicide after being eliminated. Nathan Clutter, 26, died in what was described in Broadcasting and Cable magazine as a “climbing accident” on October 12, 2006. Police sources tell the Enquirer that an investigation determined that it was a suicide. http://www.theinsider.com/news/708321_Contestant_on_Fox_reality_show_commits_suicide_after_getting_eliminated Here's one we all heard about. BUENA PARK -- Police say a reality show contestant suspected of killing his ex-wife before committing suicide left a suicide note on his laptop that expressed his love and frustration with the victim. The body of 32-year-old Ryan Jenkins was found in a Canadian motel room in August. Police believe Jenkins murdered his 28-year-old wife Jasmine Fiore, packed her disfigured body in a suitcase and left her in a trash bin in Southern California. http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-missing-swimsuit-model,0,7187587.story Eleven suicides of reality show contestants. http://www.thewrap.com/article/thewrap-investigates-11-reality-show-players-have-committed-suicide_3409 Nov 13 09, 1:03 AM

star_gazer

Thank you for the research serpa. This latest tragedy follows a handful of recent reality-related deaths that will surely have pundits questioning the legitimacy of the reality world. The Wrap has also demonstrated 11 former reality contestants (or reality-related contestants) have committed suicide over the last few years. Clearly, producers want to shy away from this version of reality -- but it's proving to be a difficult task. http://insidetv.aol.com/2009/11/12/wipeout-contestant-tom-sparks-dies/ Nov 13 09, 1:28 AM