A Look Back: The 2009 Reality TV Year In Review - March 2009
By Christopher Rocchio, 12/21/2009
With 2009 drawing to a close, it's time to take a look back at the year that was. The following is Reality TV World's 2009 Reality TV Year In Review, a 12-part, month-by-month review of some of the past year's reality TV headlines, highlights, lowlights, and milestones.
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Today we continue our 12-day countdown with the third installment: March 2009.
- Terminally ill former British Big Brother star Jade Goody dies from cancer. She was 27.
- The Real Housewives of New York City star Kelly Bensimon is arrested on misdemeanor assault charges for assaulting Nicholas Stefanov, her 30-year-old boyfriend.
- Dancing with the Stars' eighth season is hit with injuries before it even premieres when singer Jewel and Access Hollywood co-host Nancy O'Dell are both forced to withdraw from the competition due to different ailments. They are replaced by jilted The Bachelor suitor Melissa Rycroft (whose biggest supporter is Jason Mesnick) and The Girls Next Door star Holly Madison -- and the injury bug quickly bites Madison, as she is hobbled by pain in her ribs. In addition, celebrity participants Steve Wozniak and Stephen "Steve-O" Glover are also hit with injuries.
- Former Project Runway finalist Kenley Collins is arrested after allegedly assaulting and throwing a cat at her sleeping fiance and was charged with suspicion of assault, menacing, harassment and criminal possession of a weapon. She subsequently denied the throwing the cat.
- American Idol seventh-season winner David Cook asks "disturbing" fans to back off.
- An alleged stalker of Dancing with the Stars celebrity participant Shawn Johnson is arrested near where the ABC reality competition's set. He subsequently pleads not guilty to stalking charges.
- Original Survivor winner Richard Hatch asks for his immediate release from prison because he claims he is innocent, was represented by ineffective lawyers and had his his prison sentence improperly calculated.
- Fox and The Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss announce they have teamed up to createMore to Love -- a new reality dating series that will feature an overweight bachelor and bachelorettes.
- The Real Housewives of Orange County star Luann de Lesseps is dumped by her husband Count Alexandre de Lesseps and claims she was "blindsided" by the break-up.
Premieres:The Celebrity Apprentice, Season 2 (3/1); Running in Heels (3/1); Ax Men, Season 2 (3/2); Harlem Heights (3/2); Make Me a Supermodel, Season 2 (3/4); Sunday Best, Season 2 (3/8); Dancing with the Stars, Season 8 (3/9); WCG Ultimate Gamer (3/10); The Chopping Block (3/11); Bridget's Sexiest Beaches (3/12); The Osbournes: Reloaded (3/13); Tough Love (3/15); Taking the Stage (3/19); The Locator, Season 2 (3/21); Table for 12 (3/23); College Hill: South Beach (3/24); Pretty Wicked (3/31).
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