While the strength of a given reality show season hinges on the entertainment value of its contestants, the charisma of a dynamic host is what provides staying power to a franchise throughout its various cast turnovers.
Several of the genre's most notable hosts have achieved a level of influence that extends beyond the narrow confines of their job descriptions, due to such charm and presentational ability. The reality TV fans of Reddit have been quick to identify which specific ones they find the most effective at their roles -- and the most entertaining.
Jeff Probst (Survivor)
In addition to being one of the longest-running reality competition series, the coolest facts about Probst.
Reddit RusevReigns identifies Probst as his favorite reality host for these reasons, saying, "I feel he really contributes in the tribal councils due to understanding the game strategically."
Gordon Ramsay (Hell's Kitchen)
Gordon Ramsay's infamously-aggressive personality, paired with his adept hosting ability, has secured him an extended career in television that has included a string of wildly successful cooking programs.
Ramsay's signature show, Hell's Kitchen, has been well-received enough to draw the attention of rival shows' fans, particularly when their preferred shows suffer dips in quality. In the r/survivor subreddit, Knickstape08 mentioned that "There was a point in 2012-2014 when Survivor wasn't that good that I would look forward to Hell's Kitchen." Ramsay himself is perhaps more responsible for the successes of his respective shows than the premises themselves are.
Mark L. Walberg (Temptation Island)
When the USA network revived the reality show Temptation Island in 2019, it also returned host Mark L. Walberg to relative prominence. While Walberg doesn't have the broad name recognition of personalities such as Probst and Ramsay, he is profoundly popular amongst of his show's fan base.
ElementalMyth13, a member of Temptation Island's subreddit, identified Walberg's strongest attributes as his gentle demeanor and his competence, saying, "He manages to be genuinely kind and hit the marks." With Walberg, it's evident that the effectiveness of a given host is not necessarily synonymous with the level of their profile.
Nikki Glaser (FBoy Island)
While some hosts earn their audience's respect and iration through their sober demeanors, others employ looser and more entertaining approaches in order to maintain their respective franchises' viewerships.
FBoy Island host Nikki Glaser decidedly falls into the latter category, and her provocative humor and relaxed hosting style have been thoroughly appreciated by the show's fan base. Redditor Arydanika is evidently one of Glaser's most ardent ers, saying in a comment on FBoy Island's subreddit, "Nikki is a dope, talented person. I'm so excited when I hear about her projects."
RuPaul (RuPaul's Drag Race)
Reality television, like most media, was historically the domain of largely-white and almost entirely-straight hosts and contestants, generally reflecting only the most privileged demographics of American society. RuPaul's Drag Race defied the cisgender heteronormativity of the genre and quickly became one of the most dominant reality shows of the 2010s, largely due to the overwhelming star power of the show's host and namesake.
While acknowledging RuPaul's eccentric personality, thema94 emphasized her importance as a cultural figure, saying, "RuPaul might be controversial sometimes but we cannot take away the achievements as a black queer drag Queen. We should not take things for granted."
Guy Fieri (Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives)
Guy Fieri, who is essentially the face of Food Network, has extensively participated in philanthropic activities outside of his hosting duties -- one of the things you may never have known about Fieri -- and has earned enormous respect from reality television viewers as a result.
Commenting on a Reddit post revealing that Fieri invites families served by the Make-A-Wish foundation to each taping of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives, Bubbles2255 mentioned that the host "came down and cooked for displaced families and firefighters" in the wake of a California wildfire. Fieri's generosity certainly certifies him as one of the most endearing personalities in reality TV.
Terry Crews (America's Got Talent)
NFL player, movie star, and sitcom actor Terry Crews has ventured into reality television as the host of NBC's phenomenally-popular competition series one of AGT's best seasons. His success as a host largely rests on his inordinate charm and likability, but his offscreen behavior has significantly contributed to his stature as well.
Redditor WeatherGeek96 posted a tweet of Crews' in which he described wearing an eagle, globe, and anchor on his lapel in honor of a Marine whom he had provided hope to during a difficult period, saying he would "wear it in his honor." Such courteousness has distinguished Crews from the scores of reality hosts with whom he is competing for the public's attention.
Phil Keoghan (The Amazing Race)
Phil Keoghan is one of reality television's most prominent personalities, doubling as host of both the long-running The Amazing Race and the relatively new Tough As Nails. The respect that Keoghan has received over the years for the former show stems not only from his performance as host, but also from that as executive producer.
CadeBW expressed his iration for Keoghan's consistency in overseeing the program, saying, "He gets it. Like it's almost surreal how starkly different Phil Keoghan's approach to producing is to his CBS reality partner in crime, Jeff Probst."
Ryan Devlin (Are You The One?)
The original host of MTV's experimental dating show, Are You The One?, Ryan Devlin is beloved by much of the series' core audience and has been direly missed since leaving his position following the fifth season. Many fans appreciated Devlin's investment in each respective season and his concern for the well-being of 's cast , popular or otherwise.
Reddit turtle-11 highlighted his unusual level of involvement in the show, remarking that "I always laughed when he would rip into contestants for staying together when they were confirmed no matches, it felt like he cared and wanted the cast to win."
Anthony Bourdain (Parts Unknown)
The late Anthony Bourdain has been cemented as a cultural icon, with his show's 12 seasons proving to hold far more evergreen value than those of most reality series. While technically a culinary program, Parts Unknown touched on cultural traditions and the defining aspects of the human condition to an even greater extent, with Bourdain serving as a guide for viewers interested in expanding their tastes and challenging their preconceptions.
rdjnel59 commented that they "truly miss being able too (sic) watch his genius in exploring the world and addressing its most controversial topics."
