By Steve Rogers and Christopher Rocchio, 12/28/2006
With 2006 drawing to a close, it's time to take a look back at the year that was. The following is Reality TV World's 2006 Reality TV Year In Review, a month-by-month listing of some of the past year's reality TV highlights, lowlights, and milestones.
ADVERTISEMENT
January:Dancing with the Star 2premieres and establishes the series as a bona fide hit. Kevin Federline announces hip-hop album and insists his marriage to Britney Spears is fine. Fox announces American IdolRewindsyndication plans. Divorcing Newlyweds couple Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey sell their house. Original Survivor winner Richard Hatch's tax evasion trial begins. The Bachelor: Paris bachelorette Allie Garcia-Serra's eggs go rotten. The WB debutsBeauty and the Geek 2. American Idol 5 premieres and draws even bigger ratings than ever before. Fox premieres Skating with Celebrities. Richard Hatch is found guilty of tax evasion charges
February:Survivor: Panamapremieres and introduces the Exile Island concept. UPN premieres Kristen Cavallari's Get This Party Started. American Idol judge Simon Cowell offends gays and fat people. Original Dancing with the Stars winner Kelly Monaco bashes the show's second season. Survivor: Panama wins its ratings showdown with Dancing with the Stars 2. Britney Spears gets caught driving with her baby on her lap. First season American Idol co-host Brian Dunkleman resurfaces. Simon Cowell says his Idol comments were meant to be private. UPN cancels Kristen Cavallari's Get This Party Started. American Idolreveals its Top 24 fifth season semi-finalists. Fox's Skating With Celebrities hit with Kristy Swanson/Lloyd Eisler skating scandal. Donald Trump tells Martha to "take responsibility" for her The Apprentice flop and skewers her in an open letter. Kevin Federline defends himself to Newsweek. American Idol semi-finalist Becky O'Donohue gets caught in Maxim photo shoot "scandal." Drew Lachey and Cheryl Burke win ABC's Dancing with the Stars 2. NBC premieresThe Apprentice 5. The Bachelor: Paris ends with Travis Stork selecting Sarah Stone. CBS premieresThe Amazing Race 9.
April:American Idol judge Paula Abdul says she was physically assaulted. Steven Spielberg and Mark Burnett announce their plan to search for Dreamworks' next big director. "Jesus Take the Wheel" helps American Idol 4 winner Carrie Underwood win two Country Music Television awards. Former Survivor: the Australian Outback castaway Elisabeth Hasselbeck says she's being stalked and harrased. American Idolmakes a chart hit out of Daniel Powter's "Bad Day." To no one's surprise, VH1 formally announces that Flavor of Love will return for a second season. American Dreamz star Hugh Grant insists he's not Simon Cowell. The Simple Life co-star Paris Hilton "breaks her silence" about why she's no longer talking to former BFF Nicole Richie. NBC premieresCelebrity Cooking Showdown, its "special week-long event." Nick Lachey says he was surprised Jessica Simpson decided to divorce him. After three nights of leaving bad tastes in viewers' mouths, NBC cancelsCelebrity Cooking Showdown. Reports that Britney Spears is carrying another K-Fed spawn being surfacing. American Idol judge Randy Jackson predicts that Elliott Yamin, Chris Daughtry or Taylor Hicks will win the show's fifth season. American Idolsigns Jackson to a three-year contract extension.
May: Anna Nicole Smith wins a Supreme Court victory that could get her millions. E! announces that it's giving Nick Carter and family their own reality show. Idol host Ryan Seacrest dumps Terri Hatcher. Tennessee college student Chris Young winsNashville Star 4. Simon Cowell predicts Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry will Idol's fifth season finalists. Britney Spears confirms she's pregnant again. Chris Daughtry gets sent home in an American Idolrocker shocker. Tarah Smith wins Fox's Unan1mous. NBC announces that The Biggest Loseris losing Red Team trainer Jillian Michaels. Aras Baskauskas winsSurvivor: Panama. Chris Daughtry fans demand a recount. NBC announces that The Apprenticewon't be part of its Fall 2006 schedule. Original Survivor winner Richard Hatch gets 51 months in prison. ABC announces that its next The Bachelor star will be a real prince. Fox premieresSo You Think You Can Dance 2. Hippies BJ Averell and Tyler Macniven winThe Amazing Race 9. Danielle Evans is crownedAmerica's Next Top Model. American Idolsends Elliot Yamin packing. The Amazing Race 9 couple Ray Whitty and Yolanda Brown-Moore get engaged. The daughter of "Dog the Bounty Hunter" is killed the day before his wedding. Idol 4 winner Carrie Underwood wins two American Country Music awards. ABC announces that it will air five new summer reality series. Harold Dieterle cooks-up a Top Chef victory. ESPN puts Bonds on Bondson hiatus. Taylor Hicks becomes American Idol's fifth champion. Adrianne Curry and actor Christopher Knight enjoy a very Brady wedding. NBC announces Olympic medalist Angela Ruggerio will compete on The Apprentice 6. Lauren Conrad moves from Laguna Beach to The Hills.
July: Orphans get the go ahead to sueExtreme Makeover: Home Edition. An Internet glitch reveals CBS' Big Brother 7: All-Stars houseguests. CBS premieresRock Star: Supernova. Britney Spears rules out a reality TV return. Big Brother 7: All-Starspremieres on CBS. Survivor: Thailand winner Brian Heidik gets arrested for shooting a puppy. American Idollands eight Emmy nominations. Former The Surreal Life 3 housemate Brigitte Nielsen weds for the fifth time. Former The Apprentice 4 star Jennifer Murphy marriesExtreme Makeover dentist Dr. Bill Dorfman. Bravo premieresProject Runway 3. Survivor star Stephenie LaGrossa gets married. Idol 5 rocker Chris Daughtry signs a recording contract. My Life on the D-List star Kathy Griffin confirms her divorce. E! renewsThe Simple Life for a fifth season. Skating with Celebrities runner-up Jillian Barberie gets married. The real Supernova suesRock Star: Supernova. The One: Making a Music Starpremieres on ABC. Bravo announces it's renewedThe Real Housewives of Orange County for a second season. USA network announces it's renewedNashville Star for a fifth season. Former Idol 5 finalist Kellie Pickler signs a recording contract. Although they're still breathing, 'Til Death Do Us Part's Dave Navarro and Carmen Electra announce they're divorcing. Fox Reality announces that it's giving Rob and Amber Mariano their own reality show. Daniel Powter continues having a very good day. Fox renewsHell's Kitchen and So You Think You Can Dance for Summer 2007. Lance Bass reveals he's getting N'Sync with former The Amazing Race 4 winner Reichen Lehmkuhl. Katharine McPhee says she's finally going to joinAmerican Idol's summer tour. ABC cancelsThe One after viewers decide that it's not the one for them. Katharine McPhee actually finally joins the Idol tour. American Idol's producers deny that Season 3 winner Fantasia Barrino was pressured to quit the competition.
December: Former 'Dancing With the Stars 3' competitor Willa Ford gets engaged. CBS announcesArmed & Famous. The Amazing Race 4 winner Reichen Lehmkuhl and Lance Bass break up. NBC announces The Apprentice 6will feature a "live like a king or a pauper" twist. Caridee English winsAmerica's Next Top Model 7. Reports that Jennifer Wilson is already dating another guy surface. Tyler Denk and James Branaman winThe Amazing Race 10. The Simple Life star Nicole Richie gets arrested for DUI. Erik Chopin loses 214 pounds, winsThe Biggest Loser 3. ABC announces its teaming with Oprah Winfrey for two new reality series. Former Skating with Celebrities runner-up Jillian Barberie reveals she's pregnant. Original The Apprentice winner Bill Rancic gets engaged to E! News' Giuliana DePandi. Yul Kwon edges Ozzy Lusth to winSurvivor: Cook Islands. CBS gives reality viewers a deja vu feeling by revealing Survivor: Fijiwill feature a "live like a king or a pauper" twist. American Idol's producers announce that they are planning a midseason event "that will blow America away." Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell wage war via the media. Judge orders Anna Nicole Smith to submit her baby to a paternity test. NFL quarterback Tony Romo reveals he's dating Carrie Underwood.
DISCUSS AND COMMENT ON THIS STORY Reality TV World now offers Facebook Comments on our stories. To post a comment, log into Facebook and then 'Add' your comment. To report spam or abuse, click the 'X' in the upper right corner of the comment box. Get more Reality TV World! Follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook or add our RSS feed.