We’ve seen full frontal nudity, footy punches, a few one-season wonders, tears, laughs, slammed doors and one-on-one showdowns. Among the drama, we’ve also had a few incredible fairytales. Here are our top 50 reality stars whose lives changed forever after they hit our screens. The list is based on their Instagram followings and career success.
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50. Gretel Killeen
Show best known for: Big Brother Australia
By the numbers: 7.5Kon Instagram
Big break: Killeen was the host of Big Brother Australia from 2001-2007. She also hosted Celebrity Big Brother in 2002.
Career moves: As a comedian, TV and radio presenter, commentator, artist and author, Killeen’s role on Big Brother made her a household name in the Australian TV industry. She received an Australian Entertainment Mo Award for her role on Big Brother. She has also appeared on Go Back To Where You Came From Live and How Not to Behave on the ABC. She was a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and has also written multiple books. She recently returned to reality TV with a performance on The Masked Singer Australia.
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49. Courtney Roulston
Show best known for: MasterChef and MasterChef Back 2 Win
By the numbers: 19.7K on Instagram
Big break: Roulston competed in the second season of MasterChef Australia, becoming a standout for her clever dishes and down to earth approach to food.
Career moves: Following her stint in the reality kitchen, Roulston became a chef for the Sydney Swans football team and began hosting the Farm to Fork television series. She also returned to television in 2020 to take part in the MasterChef all-star series, Back 2 Win. During the season, the 39-year-old revealed she and her fiance, Sophie, are considering opening a wine bar together.
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48. Ivan Krslovic
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 24K on Instagram
Big break: Krslovic appeared on Ali Oetjen’s season of The Bachelorette, where the then carpet layer and aspiring backup dancer performed a strip tease for Oetjen, and famously blended an entire avocado with its seed and skin still on while trying to make her dessert. When Oetjen let Krslovic go and told him to dance for the world, he responded, “I wanted to dance for you.”
Career moves: Krslovic returned to reality television the following year when he participated in Bachelor in Paradise. He made headlines after showing aggressive behaviour towards Tenille, for which he later issued a public apology. Krslovic now dances full-time and is an ambassador for a number of products, including hair transplants for men.
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47. Shannon Noll
Show best known for: Australian Idol
By the numbers: 61K on Instagram
Big break: The musician was the first runner-up in the initial Australian Idol series where he sang his version of ‘What About Me’, and his appearance on the show changed his life.
Career moves: Noll — affectionately known as Nollsie — went on to tour Australia with multiple albums and had triple-platinum sales, number one hits, five top 10 albums, has 17 platinum and three gold accreditations, and is the only Australian male artist in national chart history to have ever achieved ten consecutive top ten singles. He has won five ARIA Awards, an APRA Award and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice gongs. In 2018, he was forced to apologise for a foul-mouthed stage rant which was filmed and went viral online. he was also on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! where he came second. He is set to tour again in February.
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46. Casey Donovan
Show best known for: Australian Idol and I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
By the numbers: 63.5K on Instagram
Big break: Donovan is perhaps best known for competing in and winning the second season of Australian Idol when she was just 16 years old. Following the win, Donovan’s debut single, ‘Listen With Your Heart’ jumped to number one of the Australian music charts. Following her win, Donovan was the victim of a six-year-long romantic catfishing scam, which she opened up about in her memoir, Big, Beautiful and S
exy.
Career moves: Donovan is also an award-winning actor, performing in The Sapphires, We Will Rock You and Chicago stage musicals, as well as in multiple Shakespeare productions for the Belvoire Street Theatre. In 2017, Donovan took part in the third season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, revealing that in recent years she had been working as an Uber driver. She ultimately won the series and was crowned the first Queen on the Jungle.
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45. Jack Vidgen
Show best known for: Australia’s Got Talent, The Voice, I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
By the numbers: 66K on Instagram
Big break: Vigden appeared on and won the 2011 series of Australia’s Got Talent as a teenager. His performance of Whitney Houston’s iconic ‘I Have Nothing’ has received more than 67 million views on YouTube.
Career moves: After winning AGT, he signed a deal with Sony Music Australia and moved to Los Angeles before eventually returning to Australia to work as an aged care assistant. In 2019, Vidgen returned to the stage to audition for The Voice Australia, and made it onto Guy Sebastian’s team before being cut in the semi-finals. By this time, Vigden had undergone a series of cosmetic procedures and dramatically changed his look. In 2020, it was revealed Vigden spent six weeks in a rehabilitation facility in Sydney for substance abuse. The 23-year-old is yet to comment on the stay, but began filming the 2021 season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! weeks after.
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44. Rob Mills
Show best known for: Australian Idol
By the numbers: 73.2K on Instagram
Big break: Mills first became known when he competed in the first season of Australian Idol, where he was a finalist, but ultimately lost the crown to Guy Sebastian.
Career moves: Following Idol, Mills went on to compete on Dancing with the Stars and The Celebrity Apprentice. He has also starred in a number of hit musicals, including Wicked, Grease and Legally Blonde. From 2017 to 2020, Mills acted on Neighbours, playing the high school teacher, Finn Kelly. In an episode of ABC’s You Can’t Ask That, Mills opened up about his struggles with depression. In 2020, Mills went public with his relationship with ABC sports reporter Georgie Tunny. He also starred on The Masked Singer Australia as the Wolf.
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43. Ash Pollard
Show best known for: My Kitchen Rules and I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!
By the numbers: 82.1K on Instagram
Big break: Pollard appeared on the 2015 season of My Kitchen Rules. Later that same year, Pollard competed in Dancing With the Stars, where she placed third.
Career moves: In 2017, Pollard returned to reality television to take part in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here!, lasting 40 days in the jungle. During this time, Pollard also began radio hosting, published an e-cook book, Eat Me, and began filming her Foodie Adventures television show for Channel 10. In 2020, Pollard took part in the Fully Monty to raise money for breast cancer, and welcomed her first child, a daughter named Clementine.
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42. Fiona Falkiner
Show best known for: The Biggest Loser Australia
By the numbers: 100K on Instagram
Big break: Falkiner was just 23 when she took part in the first season of The Biggest Loser Australia. During her journey, Falkiner lost almost 30 kilograms and came in fourth.
Career moves: Following her success on TBL, Falkiner began plus size modelling and became an ambassador for a number of Australian brands. In 2015, she announced she would be hosting the show, renamed TBL Families, however the show was eventually axed in 2017. In 2018, Falkiner began dating journalist Hayley Willis, and the couple have since announced they’re engaged and expecting their first child.
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41. Ciarran Stott
Show best known for: The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 111K on Instagram
Big break: Stott was an early fan favourite during Angie Kent’s season of The Bachelorette, where the heavily tattooed model took his kit off for a nude drawing class and was generally considered the endearing larrikin of the mansion. Stott unexpectedly left when his grandmother passed away.
Career moves: Stott’s popularity quickly fell apart when he returned to television to partake in Bachelor in Paradise. Stott was not only caught out telling female participants different stories, but his ex-girlfriend also revealed he had been with her during his stint on The Bachelorette.
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40. Ryan ‘Fitzy’ Fitzgerald
Show best known for: Big Brother, The Project, Fitzy and Wippa
By the numbers: 123K on Instagram
Big break: Fitzy first became known in the early 2000s after playing AFL for the Sydney Swans and Adelaide Crows, but was forced to retire due to injury in 2002. Two years later, he took part in the 2004 season of Big Brother Australia, where he came fourth, and launched his current media and TV career.
Career moves: Following his stint on reality TV, Fitzy began hosting Nova’s breakfast radio show in his home town of Adelaide. In 2010, he moved to Sydney and launched the Fitzy and Wippa show with Michael Wipfli, which is now one of the most popular Australian radio shows. The 44-year-old has also appeared on The Project, Studio 10, Reality Check, All Star Family Feud, The Front Bar, Before the Game, House Husbands and Hughesy, We Have a Problem.
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39. Locky Gilbert
Show best known for: Survivor and The Bachelor
By the numbers: 128K on Instagram
Big break: Gilbert starred in the fourth season of Australian Survivor, where he placed fifth.
Career moves: Gilbert returned to television in 2019 to participate in Australian Survivors All Stars, where he struck up a romantic relationship with fellow contestant Brooke Jowett. Days after the finale aired, Channel 10 announced Gilbert as the 2020 star of The Bachelor. Jowett claimed she was blindsided by the announcement and that Gilbert had not ended their relationship or told her of his plans. As the Bachelor, Gilbert copped criticism for the way he ended his relationship with Bella Varelis to choose Irena Srbinovska.
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38. Justine Schofield
Show best known for: MasterChef Australia
By the numbers: 137K on Instagram
Big break: Schofield competed in the first season of MasterChef Australia, where she ultimately placed fourth.
Career moves: Following a successful stint on MasterChef, Schofield turned her fame into a fully-fledged television career, launching the Everyday Gourmet series on Channel 10. The show has since had a number of spin-offs and remains a favourite among foodie viewers. Schofield has also published three cookbooks. In 2019, Schofield returned to reality television to compete in I’m A Celebrity … Get me out of Here!
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37. Timm Hanly
Show best known for: The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 141K on Instagram
Big break: Hanly was a fan favourite in Angie Kent’s season of The Bachelorette, where he was the runner up to Carlin Sterritt. In 2020, he took part in Bachelor in Paradise.
Career moves: While franchise fans were initially happy to see Hanly return to screens, things turned sour after he and Ciarran Stott displayed sexist and aggressive behaviour towards fellow participants – at times verbally abusing and coming close to blows with others. After the show, Hanly went on to launch a unisex clothing line.
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36. Alisha Aitken-Radburn
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 143K on Instagram
Big break: Aitken-Radburn first appeared in Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ season of The Bachelor. Along with fellow contestants Cat Henesy and Romy Poulier, she was cast as a ‘mean girl’ and evicted by the Honey Badger over their perceived behaviour towards Tenille Favios.
Career moves: Aitken-Radburn successfully rehabbed her reputation during her two stints on Bachelor in Paradise. While things ended with first pairing Jules Bourne, Aitken-Radburn eventually found love with Glenn Smith. In 2020, the political Adviser moved to WA to be with Smith, and the couple are still together and loved up. Aitken-Radburn now co-hosts Channel 10’s Bachie podcast, The Reality Bite: Cocktails and Roses, with Osher Gunsberg.
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35. Matt Corby
Show best known for: Australian Idol
By the numbers: 148K on Instagram
Big break: Corby was just 16 when he competed in the fifth season of Australian Idol. Despite placing as a runner up, Corby later described entering the competition as “a big f**king mistake.”
Career moves: Corby’s career went from strength to strength and he’s now one of Australia’s most popular musicians. Corby has won the ARIA Song of the Year award twice, and released seven EPs and two studio albums. While he mostly shuns the spotlight, Corby is also a favourite on the Australian festival circuit.
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34. Dami Im
Show best known for: The X Factor
By the numbers: 152K on Instagram
Big break: Im became an overnight success when she competed in the fifth season of The X
Factor and won the competition. Her winner’s single went to number one overnight, and her following album was certified platinum.
Career moves: In 2016, Im represented Australia at the Eurovision
Song Contest in Stockholm. The now 32-year-old not only won the jury vote and placed fourth in the televote for her performance of ‘Sound of Silence’, but she also received Australia’s highest-ever score. Im has released five studio albums.
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33. Osher Gunsberg
Show best known for: Australian Idol, The Bachelor and The Masked Singer
By the numbers: 153K on Instagram
Big break: Back in 1999 when Gunsberg first appeared on television as a Channel V host he went by the name Andrew G. Over the next decade he also co-hosted Australian Idol and appeared on Ready, Steady Cook, Thank God You’re Here, and Neighbours.
Career moves: Gunbserg made headlines when he retired the Andrew G moniker and changed his name to Osher, which means ‘happiness’ in Hebrew. He currently hosts The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise and The Masked Singer. Gunsberg also hosts the Better Than Yesterday and Dad Podgram podcasts. He has been an advocate for mental health. In 2016, Gunsberg married makeup artist Audrey Griffen, who he met on the set of The Bachelor. The couple welcomed a son together, Wolfie, in 2019.
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32. Andy Allen
Show best known for: MasterChef Australia
By the numbers: 156K on Instagram
Big break: Allen was working as an electrician when he entered the fourth season of MasterChef Australia, and ultimately won the title and prize.
Career moves: Following his win, Allen published a cookbook and went on to launch his own series, Andy and Ben Eat, with his friend and fellow MasterChef competitor, Ben Milbourne. The show had two seasons – Andy and Ben Eat Australia, and Andy and Ben Eat the World. In 2019, Channel 10 announced Allen would be returning to MasterChef as a judge. Allen also co-owns the hugely successful Three Blue Ducks restaurant, which has five locations around Australia.
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31. Keira Maguire
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 156K on Instagram
Big break: Maguire starred in Richie Strahan’s season of The Bachelor, where she was cast as the villain and became a meme sensation for calling other participants “peasants” during cocktail parties. Following her elimination, Maguire began working as an Instagram influencer and spoke openly about undergoing plastic surgery.
Career moves: Maguire later joined the Bachelor in Paradise cast for two seasons. In the first, Maguire left the show in a relationship with Jarrod Woodgate, however the couple separated. Following the second season, Maguire announced she was dating Love Island alum Matthew Zukowski.
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30. Megan Marx
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 164K on Instagram
Big break: Marx first appeared on Richie Strahan’s season of The Bachelor, where she famously walked out of the mansion in a bid to avoid conflict between participants. Following the show, Marx entered into a relationship with fellow Bachie contestant Tiffany Scanlon.
Career moves: While Marx’s relationship with Scanlon didn’t last, the WA native returned to screens for Bachelor in Paradise. As the first openly queer participant on the Australian arm of the show, she oversaw a change in the show’s rules to allow her to partner with men and women.
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29. Brittany Hockley
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 171K on Instagram
Big break: Hockley was one of two finalists on Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ season of The Bachelor, where she and fellow finalist Sophie Tieman were both famously turned down.
Career moves: The trained nurse returned to television in 2020 for Bachelor in Paradise, where she began dating Timm Hanly. The pair left the show as a couple, but Hockley later revealed on her Life Uncut podcast that as soon as they returned to Australia, Hanly went AWOL and she hasn’t heard from him since.
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28. Brooke Blurton
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise
By the numbers: 197K on Instagram
Big break: Blurton appeared on Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins’ season of The Bachelor, and was the first Indigenous woman to participate in the franchise.
Career moves: Following a successful run on The Bachelor, Blurton, who is openly queer, appeared on Bachelor in Paradise, where she coupled with male and female participants. Eventually, Blurton left the series single, and her fans are now calling on Channel 10 to make the WA native The Bachelorette in 2021 (something Blurton says she’s open to).
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27. Tully Smyth
Show best known for: Big Brother Australia
By the numbers: 208K on Instagram
Big break: Smyth first gained national recognition after appearing on the 10th season of Big Brother. The media graduate entered the house with a long-term girlfriend, but began a relationship with fellow contestant, Drew Anthony.
Career moves: In the years since her Big Brother stint, Smyth has become a successful influencer and partnered with some of Australia’s top brands. She also hosts the podcast, Too Much Tully, and works tirelessly to raise awareness around early onset dementia, an illness she lost her mum to in 2019.
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26. Chrissie Swan
Show best known for: Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!, The Great Australian Spelling Bee
By the numbers: 209K on Instagram
Big Break: Swan made her public debut in 2003 when she appeared on the third season of Big Brother. She was the runner-up to Reggie Bird. Since then, she’s become one of the most loved personalities in Australia.
Career moves: Swan currently co-hosts the Chrissy, Sam & Browny radio show on Nova 100 and is a regular guest on Have You Been Paying Attention?. Over the years, the 47-year-old has also appeared on Can of Worms, All Star Family Feud, The Project, Studio 10 and Hughesy, We Have a Problem. She was also co-host of The Circle for a number of years – a gig which earned her a silver Logie for Most Popular New Female Talent. In 2013, Swan published her memoir, Is It Just Me?.
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25.Em Rusciano
Show best known for: Stand-up comedy and radio shows.
By the numbers: 214K on Instagram
Big break: Rusciano appeared on the second season of Australian Idol, where she placed ninth.
Career moves: Despite her singing abilities, Rusciano is best known for her radio hosting and comedy. Over the past 15 years, Rusciano has written and performed a number of sellout stand up shows and hosted a number of national radio programs. Rusciano has also appeared on The Project, Studio 10, The Circle and All Star Family Feud, and in 2016, released her memoir, Try Hard.
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24. Abbie Chatfield
Show best known for: The Bachelor, Bachelor in Paradise, I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
By the numbers: 216K on Instagram
Big break: Chatfield is best known for appearing on Matt Agnew’s season of The Bachelor, where she made it to the finale.
Career moves: Chatfield was on the receiving end of trolling and abuse following her stint on The Bachelor and later, Bachelor in Paradise. She has since called for better protections for social media users and is an outspoken advocate for body and sex positivity. The Brisbane native hosts the It’s A Lot podcast and writes an Agony Aunt column. She has also proven to be a viewer favourite on this year’s I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!.
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23. Adam Liaw
Show best known for: MasterChef Australia
By the numbers: 230K on Instagram
Big break: Liaw was working as a lawyer when he tried out for the second season of MasterChef Australia. He was ultimately crowned the winner after beating out fellow competitor Callum Hann. Ten years on, their finale remains one of the most-watched television episodes in Australian history.
Career moves: Following his win, Liaw went on to release five cook books, write as a columnist for some of Australia’s leading food publications, present multiple seasons of his own travel and food discovery show, Destination Flavour, and become a beloved social media star.
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22. Roxy Jacenko
Show best known for: PR work and reality TV cameos
By the numbers: 262K on Instagram
Big break: Jacenko launched her now iconic PR firm, Sweaty Betty, in 2004 when she was just 24 years old. Over the years, the firm has represented some of the biggest brands in the world. But reality TV took her into the mainstream.
Career moves: In early 2010, Roxy signed a deal with Seven Network to star in a semi-scripted reality television show called The Sweat Box. Later that year, however, Channel 7 cancelled production. In 2013, Jacenko competed in the Australian version of The Celebrity Apprentice. In 2016, months after her husband Oliver Curtis was jailed for insider trading, Jacenko announced she had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and allowed her surgery to be filmed for television. After making a full recovery, Jacenko returned to reality television in 2019 to star in her own TV pilot called I Am … Roxy! on Ten. In 2020, she joined the cast of SAS Australia. She left the show after refusing to engage in a boxing match with Candice Warner.
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21.Matty Johnson
Show best known for: The Bachelorette and The Bachelor
By the numbers: 263K on Instagram
Big break: Matty J first appeared on Georgia Love’s season of The Bachelorette, where he made it to the finale. Shortly after the ending aired in 2016, Johnson was announced as the next Bachelor.
Career moves: During his 2017 spin on The Bachelor, Johnson met and fell in love with Laura Byrne. The pair are still together, and in 2019 became engaged and welcomed their first child together, a daughter, Marlie-Mae. The pair are expecting their second child in 2021. Following The Bachelor, Johnson has worked in radio and podcasting, and has been an ambassador for a number of Australian brands. In 2019, Johnson returned to TV to take part in the charity special, The Full Monty.
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20. Stan Walker
Show best known for: Australian Idol
By the numbers: 264K on Instagram
Big break: Walker won the final season of Australian Idol in 2009, releasing his chart-topping debut album, Introducing Stan Walker, shortly after.
Career moves: Following his win, Walker returned to reality TV in 2013 to star as a judge on The X Factor NZ. In 2016, he starred in the Taika Waititi film Hunt for the Wilderpeople, and began taking on more acting roles in indie films. In 2018, after fans began speculating over his health and questioning his gaunt appearance, Walker revealed that he had undergone major stomach surgery for cancer. In 2020, he released an autobiography discussing his battle with the rare genetic disease and an accompanying album.
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19. Angie Kent
Show best known for: Gogglebox and The Bachelorette
By the numbers: 272K on Instagram
Big break: Kent first came on the scene when she and her then housemate Yvie Jones took part in Gogglebox (surrounded by their rescue dogs). The duo then starred in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! in the African jungle together.
Career moves: In 2019, Kent announced she was set to be the star of The Bachelorette. For the season premiere, Kent sent one of her brothers into the house to see how the men behaved when she was not around. While Kent ultimately found love with Carlin Sterritt, the couple announced their split after less than a year together. Kent started 2020 by competing on Dancing With the Stars, but later made headlines when, during Bachelor in Paradise, she called out the sexist behaviour of Timm Hanly and Ciarran Stott, who appeared on her season of the show.
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18. Ricki-Lee Coulter
Show best known for: Australian Idol, Australia’s Got Talent
By the numbers: 275k on Instagram
Big break: Having previously tried out for Popstars, Ricki-Lee Coulter made a name for herself in 2004 while competing on Australian Idol. Her unexpected elimination made front page news around the country.
Career moves: Following Idol, Coulter took part in the reality show Celebrity Circus before competing in another singing show, It Takes Two. In the early 2000s, she joined the band Young Divas with her Idol alumni bandmates. In 2008, Coulter returned to Idol as a co-host alongside Osher Gunsberg and James Mathison, a gig that earned her a Logie nomination. She then became a mentor on The Voice Australia, and in 2014 entered Dancing with the Stars, where she placed third. She was recently the host of Seven’s Australia’s Got Talent reboot. Coulter has lived in LA, and had huge music success with multiple chart topping albums and singles. She has toured with Jason Derulo and the Backstreet Boys and also enjoyed stints on commercial radio.
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17. Poh Ling Yeow
Show best known for: MasterChef Australia
By the numbers: 280K on Instagram
Big break: Poh Ling Yeow made her television debut in 2005 when she appeared on the ABC series Beat the Chef. In 2009, she competed in the first season of MasterChef Australia, where she finished second to Julie Goodwin. The now 47-year-old returned to the show as a mentor to competitors, and again to the kitchen in 2020 for the first season of MasterChef Back 2 Win.
Career moves: Following her success on MasterChef, Yeow launched cooking shows with the ABC and SBS and opened a cafe in her hometown of Adelaide. Outside of cooking, Yeow is also an established artist and has starred in a number of independent films.
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16. Michelle Bridges
Show best known for: The Biggest Loser
By the numbers: 283K on Instagram
Big break: She was the first personal trainer on the original series of The Biggest Loser to hit our screens from 2007-2015.
Career moves: After being on the show, she started her own weight loss movement known as the 12 Week Body Transformation (12WBT) and has a clothing, footwear and workout equipment range with BIG W stores. She has written 16 books on healthy eating, exercise, and motivation. She also went on to feature in a series of Celebrity MasterChef Australia in 2009. Then in 2019, she returned to reality TV with a stint on Dancing With The Stars.
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15. Laura Byrne
Show best known for: The Bachelor
By the numbers: 284K on Instagram
Big break: Byrne appeared on Matty J’s season of The Bachelor, and after being a crowd favourite and clear frontrunner, eventually took home his final rose.
Career moves: Following her reality TV stint, Byrne continues to work as the Creative Director for her jewellery line, ToniMay. She is also an ambassador for a number of Australian companies and does influencing work. The mum-of-one also hosts the Life Uncut podcast with Bachie alum Brittany Hockley and is expecting her second baby with Matty J in early 2021.
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14. Snezana Wood (nee) Markoski
Show best known for: The Bachelor
By the numbers: 311K on Instagram
Big break: Markowski appeared on Sam Wood’s season of The Bachelor. At the time, the Perth native was a single mother and studying science at university.
Career moves: After ending up with Wood, Markowski relocated to Melbourne with her daughter. The couple have since married and welcomed two daughters together, Willow and Charlie. In addition to raising a young family, Markowski also contributes to her husband’s 28 by Sam Wood fitness program and is an influencer.
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13. Martha Kalifatidis
Show best known for: Married At First Sight
By the numbers: 363K on Instagram
Big break: Kalifatidis participated in the sixth season of Married At First Sight, where she ‘married’ then-primary school teacher, Michael Brunelli. While their relationship was relatively straight forward, the makeup artist was regularly embroiled in the drama of other couples, and was nearly physically assaulted by another participant.
Career moves: Kalifatidis is now a successful influencer, specialising in beauty and lifestyle products. She and Brunelli, who now works as a personal trainer and offers a series of online workouts and meal plans, are one of the only couples to have remained together from the show.
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12. Jessica Mauboy
Show best known for: Australian Idol
By the numbers: 363K on Instagram
Big break: Mauboy was 17 when she competed in the fourth season of Australian Idol, and was named runner-up. Following the competition, Mauboy signed a record deal with Sony and achieved 14 Top 30 hit singles from her three studio albums and four ARIA accredited platinum selling albums. She joined the band Young Divas with Idol alumni Paulini, Emily Williams, Kate DeAraugo, and Ricki-Lee Coulter.
Career moves: Following the break-up of Young Divas, Mauboy returned to solo work, recording tracks with some of the biggest artists in the world, including Snoop Dogg, Pitbull, Flo Rida and Ludacris, touring with Beyonce, and representing Australia at the 2018 Eurovision
Song Contest. Her 2019 album, Hilda, debuted at number one on the Australian music charts. Mauboy is also a talented actor, starring in The Sapphires, Bran Nue Day, and The Secret Daughter. She received the AACTA Award and AFCA Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Julie in The Sapphires, which screened at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. She has won an ARIA, several Deadly gongs, MTV awards and was also the Northern Territory’s Australian of the Year.
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11. Jules Robinson
Show best known for: Married At First Sight
By the numbers: 377K on Instagram
Big break: Robinson won Australia over when she appeared on the sixth season of Married At First Sight.
Career moves: Following her televised ‘marriage’ to Cameron Merchant, the couple remained together and in 2019 said “I do” for real, making them the only couple in the history of the show to go on to marry. She is a brand ambassador for Figur shapewear, Weight Watchers Australia/New Zealand and Always Discreet bladder incontinence products. In 2020, the Sydney-based couple welcomed their first child together, son Ollie.
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10. Anna Heinrich
Show best known for: The Bachelor Australia
By the numbers: 382K on Instagram
Big break: Heinrich, a successful Sydney-based criminal lawyer, starred in the first ever season of The Bachelor, and ultimately received the final rose from Tim Robards.
Career moves: The now 33-year-old Heinrich has continued to work as a lawyer since fame hit, but returned to screens to take part in shock jock Kyle Sandilands’s reality TV show, Trial By Kyle. A spin-off of Judge Judy, the show lasted just one season before being axed. She has also done endorsements and influencer work for brands including Olay, Napoleon Perdis, Cadbury and Piper Heidsick. In 2018, Robards and Heinrich married in a lavish Italian wedding, and in 2020 welcomed their first child together, daughter Elle.
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9. Guy Sebastian
Show best known for: Australian Idol, The X Factor, and The Voice
By the numbers: 477K on Instagram
Big break: Sebastian was the winner of the first season of Australian Idol in 2003. As part of his win, he released his first commercially successful single, ‘Angels Brought Me Here’, which went on to become the highest selling song in Australia of the decade.
Career moves: Thanks to his start on Idol, Sebastian has been one of Australia’s most-loved pop stars for almost two decades. In 2015, Sebastian represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest, and from 2010 to 2016 he was a judge on the reality TV singing show, X Factor. In 2019, Sebastian joined The Voice as a coach, and received the Medal of the Order of Australia in recognition of his services to music. To date, Sebastian has won six ARIA Awards for his music. He also runs his own charity with his wife, Jules.
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8. Sam Frost
Show best known for: The Bachelor and Bachelorette
By the numbers: 567K on Instagram
Big break: Frost appeared on the second season of The Bachelor. During the series finale in Africa, Blake Garvey proposed to Frost, which she accepted. However, following the episode going to air Frost revealed Garvey had broken up with her in favour of another Bachelor contestant weeks after.
Career moves: After her stint on The Bachelor, Frost went on to become the first star of The Bachelorette Australia. Following the highly successful season, Frost teamed up with comedian Rove McManus for their eponymous ‘Rove and Sam’ radio show, and starred on the 2017 season of Hell’s Kitchen Australia. Since 2017, the 31-year-old has starred in Home And Away, and is also an influencer.
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7. Sophie Monk
Show best known for: Monk is one of Australia’s best known television personalities and singers.
By the numbers: 601K on Instagram
Big break: Monk was just 20 when she appeared on Popstars and went on to form the girl band, Bardot. While they enjoyed commercial success, Bardot parted ways after less than three years together in 2002.
Career moves: Following Bardot’s break up, Monk launched a solo singing career and moved to Hollywood to begin acting. She has starred in a number of hit films, notably Date Movie and Click, before returning to Australia and reality television. In 2015, Monk took part in The Celebrity Apprentice Australia. The following year she was a judge on Australia’s Got Talent, and in 2017 she was The Bachelorette in Channel 10’s reality dating show. Despite finding love with Sydney pub owner Stu Laundy, the couple split. Monk now hosts Love Island Australia, and in 2020 took part in The Masked Singer.
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6. Dr Chris Brown
Show best known for: Bondi Vet, I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!
By the numbers: 637K on Instagram
Big break: While he had a few early TV roles, the veterinarian landed his own show on Ten called Bondi Vet in 2009. From there his TV career exploded.
Career moves: Since then he has hosted I’m A Celebrity with comedian Julia Morris each year in South Africa and now in Australia. He joined the cast of The Living Room with Amanda Keller, Barry Du Bois and Miguel Maestre. He hosts The Open Road with Doctor Chris on CBS. Brown is also on Vet Gone Wild, a series that began airing on Animal Planet (US) in 2018. He is also a regular panellist on The Project and hosted Chris and Julia’s Sunday Night Takeaway. He also has his own website, Drool.pet.
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5. Reynold Poernomo
Show best known for: MasterChef Australia
By the numbers: 676K on Instagram
Big break: Poernomo rose to fame in 2015 when, as a 20-year-old university student, he appeared on the seventh season of MasterChef Australia to deliver jaw-dropping desserts. Despite coming in fourth place, Poernomo quickly became a huge social media success. In 2020, he returned to TV to participate in the first season of MasterChef Back 2 Win.
Career moves: Following his success on MasterChef, Poernomo opened KOI Dessert Bar and Monkey’s Corner with his brothers. He also made headlines in 2020 when, during the airing of Back 2 Win a series of homophobic comments made my Poernomo on a message board in 2014 were made public. The 27-year-old publicly apologised for the comments and was publicly supported by a number of Masterchef’s LGBTQI contestants.
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4. Lara Worthington
Show best known for: Tourism Australia campaign
By the numbers: 746K on Instagram
Big break: Worthington became an international star overnight when she appeared in Tourism Australia’s 2006 commercial, asking tourists, “where the bloody hell are you?”
Career moves: After coming to fame at just 19, Worthington went on to take part in Dancing on Ice, Dancing With the Stars, The Celebrity Apprentice, Australia’s Next Top Model and Home And Away. In 2011, the now mum-of-three starred in her own reality TV series, Being Lara Bingle. The show documented her life as an up-and-coming celebrity living in Sydney, but was cancelled after just one season. After marrying actor Sam Worthington, the 33-year-old relocated to the US, where she lives away from the spotlight, but still appears on the covers of fashion bibles including Cleo, Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, Elle and Grazia.
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3. Elyse Knowles
Show best known for: Being the face of Myer
By the numbers: 875K on Instagram
Big break: Knowles had been a successful model, working for Australian brands including Seafolly, before she and her partner Josh Barker competed in the 2017 season of The Block, which they ultimately won after Dave ‘Hughesy’ Hughes purchased their renovated property. The couple took home a cool $547,000 in winnings.
Career moves: Following their stint on The Block, Knowles and Barker launched their own company, J&E Projects, which specialises in building and design. The couple also moved from Melbourne to Byron Bay, where Knowles regularly commutes from to shoot for the likes of Myer, Tag Heuer, Calvin Klein, Aveda, Land Rover, and more. In 2020, the couple announced they are expecting their first child together in 2021.
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2. Courtney Act
Show best known for: Australian Idol and RuPaul’s Drag Race
By the numbers: 1.2m on Instagram
Big break: Despite being well known within the Sydney night-life, Act (AKA Shane Jenek) made it into the Australian mainstream in 2003 for competing in Australian Idol. Act was the first openly LGBTQI person and drag star to compete in the history of the franchise.
Career moves: Following Idol and a number of commercially successful hits, Act moved to Los Angeles and returned to reality television to take part in the sixth season of RuPaul’s Drag Race, tying in second place. In 2018, Act joined the UK’s Celebrity Big Brother and regularly appeared both in and out of drag. Act won the season. In 2019, Act returned to Australia for Dancing With the Stars, and made history as the first genderfluid contestant to appear in and out of drag on the show.
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1. Harry Jowsey
Show best known for: Too Hot to Handle
By the numbers: 3.7m on Instagram
Big break: Jowsey came to global fame after taking part in Netflix’s 2020 reality television dating show, Too Hot to Handle, and his high-profile romantic links following the show.
Career moves: Jowsey first took to reality television in 2018, when he appeared on the New Zealand reality show, Heartbreak Island. Two years later he hit global success with Too Hot to Handle, leaving the show with Canadian influencer Francesca Farago and becoming engaged months later. Shortly after, the couple called it quits and Jowsey has since been linked with Kim Kardashian’s long-time pal Larsa Pippen, and influencer Julia Rose. Jowsey also has a clothing line, Naughty Possums.
Disclaimer: Follower counts are based on figures as of 15 January 2020.
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