'I watch reality TV shows for work. Here are 8 to watch this summer.'

As someone who regularly covers reality TV news and updates, I love to say that a big part of my job here at Mamamia is watching incredible shows. 

And even in my spare time, nothing brings me more joy than sitting back at home, relaxing on the couch and watching an entire TV series in one sitting. 

This means that along the way I've watched an *extensive* amount of reality TV shows – genres ranging from home and design, dating, fashion, true crime and everything in between. 

Which is precisely where Hayu comes in because there is truly something for everyone, with over 300 shows of juicy drama to fuel your obsession. Plus, there's also a bunch of new episodes serving up the drama and streaming the same day as the US.

Given the summer holidays are around the corner, now is the time to start bookmarking all the best series on offer and get started on a spectacularly impressive marathon of fun content.

So without further ado here's eight reality TV shows that need to be on your radar this summer.

The Real Housewives of Miami.

Real Housewives fans like myself are officially rejoicing now that season five is around the corner.

Streaming from December 9 only on Hayu, The Real Housewives of Miami is one of the top-tier shows from the franchise thanks to its epic plotlines and stellar cast.

And we've been promised that the Miami ladies will be turning up the heat and dialling up the drama once again in season five. 

As a Real Housewives aficionado, the best part about Miami is that it's super easy to catch onto without much prior context – it originally began back in 2011, and then went on an extended hiatus from 2013 to 2020. And when *the* Andy Cohen announced that Miami was returning in 2021, well... it was probably the highlight of my year.

One of the best aspects about this show is that the Miami social scene for season five is pretty firey. We have friendship woes, an elicit affair that's revealed, and plenty of confrontations. Throw in a Birkin bag or two and heaps of palatial mansions, and you've got yourself a very fun watch.

Image: Hayu.

Below Deck Down Under.

Another must in my expert opinion is Below Deck Down Under.

For those of you who have not had the blessed opportunity to watch anything from the Below Deck franchise yet, here's some quick background. Below Deck captures the drama and lives of the crew who service mega luxury yachts in fancy locations across the globe. 

It's been a massive success with viewers, and for good reason –  it immediately hooks you. The fact that I have seriously considered quitting my whole stable life to go work on a yacht should be enough of an explanation!

And in Australia, the Whitsundays is the cream of the crop for travel destinations. So it makes complete sense that a Below Deck Down Under series was created this year, exclusive to Hayu.

Not only does it give fun summer vibes, it also perfectly chronicles the upstairs/downstairs drama of a real working super-yacht crew and the challenges of catering to VERY affluent charter guests.

There's a fabulous familiar face in the stewardess team for those who have watched other installments of the franchise, and perhaps most importantly, there's an extremely attractive captain. So attractive that he's been dubbed 'Captain Cutie'. Enough said.

Image: Hayu.

The Real Housewives of Dubai.

Naturally (and inevitably), I have another Real Housewives series that you simply must watch. And it's The Real Housewives of Dubai. 

It's a very new instalment that follows the extravagant lives of a group of glamourous women in a towering cosmopolitan city, famous for wealth and luxury. And with six super independent and extroverted women at the helm navigating love, business empires and friendship woes in the stunning United Arab Emirates – it's a viewer's dream.

Plus the fashion is everything! Perhaps one of the season's most iconic moments is when one of the ladies wears a wedding dress to her fellow cast member's engagement party...

The first season just premiered in 2022, and fortunately for us Aussies, we can watch the whole thing exclusively on Hayu.

Image: Hayu.

Made In Chelsea.

This show is synonymous with British reality TV, and it's been around for eons. But somehow (I seriously don't know how those producers do it) each season gets better and better.

Made In Chelsea follows the lives of a bunch of mates who live in and around some of London's most exclusive neighbourhoods.

But it's not all class. Oh no. Much to my delight, the cast members still manage to dish the drama, get involved in some good ol' backstabbing, saucy dating and chaotic moments with exes. The thing about Made In Chelsea that sets it apart from other UK reality TV hits is that this one is almost a hybrid between soap and reality – a glossy documentary style if you will. 

And all the cast are young, very pretty and very rich. Think polo parties, holidays in Spain and plenty of posh lunches. And in the new season 24 which premiered in October, we even get to see an Aussie reality TV alum be a romantic interest on Made In Chelsea, with MAFS' Ella May Ding. We love a cross-pollination!

Image: Hayu.

Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.

For those who are missing their fix of renovation and home shows, I have the perfect recommendation for you: Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles.

There's a bunch of versions of Million Dollar Listing, but the Los Angeles one reigns supreme.

Through the show, we get to look inside some seriously lush properties, including some under construction and in the development phase, as well as fully-completed homes (or more accurately, mansions). Viewers also get to meet the magnates selling the most in-demand properties in LA. And to top it all off, the houses featured are truly next-level and mostly over $30 million.

Plus some of the agents on the show have some pretty well-known clientele: Maroon 5's Adam Levine, Miley Cyrus, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick and also JLo.

Image: Hayu.

Killing Versace: The Hunt for a Serial Killer.

For those who need a true crime fix, this documentary is a go-to, as it's the perfect intersection between high fashion, true crime, mystery and celebrity.

Killing Versace: The Hunt for a Serial Killer is a deep dive into the shocking murder of global fashion icon Gianni Versace – the figure behind the iconic Versace brand.

It was a headline-grabbing case in 1997, because the gunman Andrew Cunanan who killed Gianni had also killed two other people, meaning Cunanan was referred to as a serial killer by the media.

For two weeks, police hunted down Cunanan. But when they found him, they were left with more questions than answers.

This doco in particular details the story itself, as well as speaking with experts in the field, and forensic and legal specialists.

Image: Hayu.

Newlyweds: The First Year.

I only recently watched this series, and my goodness I wish I had found it sooner. 

It's a mix of romance, drama and real-life colliding, with each season following four couples as they journey through the entire first year of their marriage.

And let's just say there are plenty of trials, tribulations and triumphs in Newlyweds: The First Year.

One of the couples, Craig and Brandon, have a particularly amazing storyline – opening up about their challenges with fertility and trying to have a baby together via surrogate. Craig even donates his own sperm to his husband's sister, who is also in a same-sex relationship.

Along with those heartfelt moments, there are also some pretty cheeky ones too – especially when one husband tells his wife early into their marriage that he cheated on her with 14 sex workers on a trip to Brazil...

Image: Hayu.

Pretty Wild.

This is definitely a more messy recommendation but sometimes when you're in the mood for some curated chaos, the messier the better.

If you've heard of The Bling Ring, then this show is a must-watch. 

Pretty Wild follows the lives of socialite sisters Tess Taylor, Alexis Neiers and Gabby Neiers as they try to make their way into the Hollywood social scene, along with their mother Andrea.

The show was filmed back in 2010, but it's come back into the Zeitgeist recently. Here's why.

Alexis and Gabby might sound familiar to you because they were charged and found guilty of being a part of The Bling Ring – the group of fame-obsessed teenagers who went around celebrity homes and robbed them of their clothes and accessories. 

And as part of Pretty Wild, producers were shocked to discover that two of their lead cast members were actually arrested during filming and involved in a serious crime. 

The show definitely put the Neiers family in the spotlight... but mostly for the wrong reasons. Namely the moment when Alexis reads about her court appearance in a magazine exposé and she only focuses on the reporting of one particular detail – her shoes.

"She said I was wearing six-inch Louboutins to court with my Tweed outfit. I wasn't wearing Louboutins I was wearing little brown kitten heels that f***ing b*tch!"

Image: Hayu.

So what are you waiting for? Get watching!

Watch every episode of every season of your favourite reality TV show, only on Hayu. Head to hayu.com or download the app to get your 7-day free trial.

Feature Image: Mamamia/Hayu.