Easily one of the best reality TV shows of all time, MTV’s “Catfish” provides viewers an experience unlike anything else on television. Since 2012, Nev Schulman — along with co-host Max Joseph, before he left “Catfish” and was replaced with Kamie Crawford — tracked down the most fascinating stories of romance, deceit, and betrayal from across the country, shining a light on just how much of a minefield online dating can be.

The cases are so outlandish, so packed to the brim with drama and intrigue, that many have questioned whether or not “Catfish” is staged. At the center of most stories is a titular “catfish” — an individual who uses digital trickery and social manipulation to capture the affections of their victims. These bizarre operators range from callous cyberbullies and scammers who delight in tormenting others to people with insecurities so deeply tragic, one can’t help but empathize with their need to finally experience the kind of affection they’ve never had, even if it’s all a façade.

But, like any reality show, what we see on camera is only a fraction of the full story. Behind the scenes, the cast of “Catfish” have dealt with some real tragedies.

Given how much it has been eclipsed by the show in terms of popularity, it’s possible there are many fans of MTV’s “Catfish” who have yet to experience the 2010 documentary film that preceded it. If you count yourself among this crowd, we highly recommend checking the feature out, as it follows Nev Schulman’s own journey falling prey to a catfish through the early days of social media.

Nev’s brother began filming him after his Facebook friendship with the Wesselman-Pierce family started shifting from a sweet novelty of the internet age to an increasingly unsettling risk. Initially, Nev had simply become personally invested in the story of Abby, the family’s youngest member who was ostensibly an 8-year-old artistic prodigy. But after becoming more acquainted with her and her family, he found himself developing romantic feelings for Abby’s sister Meagan. Of course, as longtime viewers of the show can predict, neither Meagan nor Abby turn out to be real — they were both merely inventions of Angela Wesselman-Pierce, who catfished Nev for a period of nine months.

She did so with the dubiously obtained support of her husband Vince, who was under the false impression that she was using the relationship for her own financial benefit. Even after learning that Angela had been lying to him as well, Vince seemingly stood by her actions, saying that her relationship with Nev offered him excitement and vitality. This doc is where the term “catfishing” originates — Vince says in an interview that his wife is like a catfish that has been shipped with cod to keep them lively enough to make it to their destination.

After appearing on a Season 2 episode of “Catfish” in 2013, Ashley Sawyer and Mike Fortunato had earned their place as one of the show’s most endearing couples. But after overcoming their deception to rekindle a more honest love, Mike and Ashley met a tragic end.

On October 12, 2013, just a month after his episode aired, Fortunato died at the age of 26 due to a pulmonary embolism, which was itself exacerbated by other underlying health issues. Fortunato first realized something was wrong while he was at work, and, according to his sister, he tried to drive himself to hospital before succumbing to his condition on the road, crashing into a fence and being stranded until medical personnel were able to find him and intervene. Though they were able to get him to a hospital for treatment, their attempts to save him were unsuccessful.

Sawyer told MTV News at the time that their relationship was progressing and that the two of them had been looking forward to spending New Year’s Eve together when Fortunato died. Sadly, Sawyer also died less than three years later on April 30, 2016, at the age of 23. Though a cause of death was never officially released, the captain of the Hoover, Alabama Police Department said (via CNN): “In all likelihood, her death is due to a drug overdose and is being investigated as such.” Upon hearing the news, Nev Schulman wrote on X (formerly Twitter), “So sad to lose both Mike & Ashley. I hope they are happy & together now where nothing can hurt them.”

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

In May 2018, ahead of the show’s seventh season, former “Catfish” participant Ayissha Morgan posted two YouTube videos accusing Nev Schulman of sexually harassing her while filming her Season 4 episode. Morgan alleged that Schulman made multiple unwanted sexual advances toward her (though Morgan identifies as lesbian and was featured on the show pursuing a lesbian relationship, she said that Schulman explicitly tried to undermine her sexual identity in his overtures). She also claimed a production assistant assaulted her while she was intoxicated. In addition to posting these videos, she filed two police reports with authorities in Houston, Texas.

Schulman firmly denied the allegations made against him in a statement to USA Today, writing, “The behavior described in [Morgan’s] video did not happen and I’m fortunate that there are a number of former colleagues who were present during this time period who are willing to speak up with the truth. I have always been transparent about my life and would always take responsibility for my actions — but these claims are false.”

Production on “Catfish” paused for a month while an investigation into Morgan’s claims was carried out. In June 2018, it was reported that investigators determined the allegations to be “not credible and without merit” (per Deadline). Morgan criticized the investigators for allegedly not interviewing her during their process. MTV denied this, insisting that investigators attempted to reach her on multiple occasions.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN’s National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

With so many episodes ending in heartbreak and betrayal, it’s always a pleasant surprise when a “Catfish” journey ends in a participant’s faith being rewarded. Such was the case of Robert Brian Clark and Jesse Bettinger, whose three-year online relationship was finally brought into the real world thanks to an intervention from Nev Schulman and Max Joseph. Bettinger contacted the “Catfish” team after Clark backed out of plans to meet on two occasions. She feared she was being catfished, though when producers tracked Clark down, he was who he said he was. In December 2016, Clark died in Birmingham, Alabama after experiencing a freak motorcycle accident. It was reported that, in trying to cross railroad tracks, he was somehow thrown off the bike onto a busy roadway and was tragically struck by an oncoming vehicle. He was pronounced dead 20 minutes after the accident.

At the time of his death, Clark and Bettinger were no longer dating (their relationship quickly deteriorated and came to an end not long after their “Catfish” episode). Nevertheless, she paid tribute to him following his passing on social media with several photos and a short statement that recalled their “good times” together. She added, “Your struggle is finally over,” apparently alluding to Clark’s reported post-traumatic stress disorder. The Afghanistan veteran was apparently diagnosed with PTSD after an episode at a gas station led to police being called, though this “does not appear to have factored into the December tragedy,” the Daily Mail reported.

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Talk of a British version of “Catfish” began in 2016, but it didn’t make the jump across the pond until 2021, when “Catfish UK” finally debuted. Starting in the spin-off’s second season (and until its eventual cancellation after its third season), YouTuber and podcaster Nella Rose replaced Julie Adenuga as the show’s co-host, alongside stalwart Oobah Butler. Tragically, by the time the first episode of “Catfish UK” aired, Rose had lost both of her parents.

In 2016, just a few weeks after she had turned 19 years old, Rose’s mother passed away with little warning due to an illness. This tragedy also caused immediate financial instability for her and her family. She has shared in videos filmed years afterward for her YouTube channel that she hoped to live with her mother well into her 20s while she built her life. Instead, she suddenly found herself sleeping on friends’ couches to make it through college.

In 2020, her father also passed away, seemingly also due to illness. “Rest in Peace Daddy. Watching you suffer for the past month has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life but at least you’re not in pain anymore,” she wrote on her Instagram. “Gonna make you the proudest dad ever in the years to come because I know you’re still by side every step of the way [sic].”

Ranked as one of the best “Catfish” episodes ever, Season 5’s “Spencer and Katy” centers on the dubious digital relationship between mild-mannered Knoxville resident Spencer Morrill and international best-selling pop musician Katy Perry. If you haven’t seen the episode, then you won’t be surprised to learn that Morrill was in fact not in a relationship with Perry, but had spent six years chatting intimately with an entirely unrelated woman named Harriet.

Morill’s story was all at once cringe-inducing and heartbreaking, as nobody deserves to be manipulated in such a way. As such, it was frustrating to some when Harriet appeared to be reveling in the attention brought to her by the MTV show on social media. On Twitter, she adopted the name “KATYFISH” and boasted that she was “the most iconique [sic] catfish in the history of the show.” In an interview with Knox News, Nev Schulman opined that Harriet’s behavior was emblematic of a wider societal issue of people prioritizing viral fame over their impact on other human beings. He also rebuked her Tweet, saying, “To see her on Twitter last night, just sort of bragging about it, it’s disappointing — and it’s gross, to be honest.”

For his part, Morrill seemed as confused as he was hurt by Harriet’s words. The real Katy Perry heard about his story after it aired and expressed her sympathy for Morrill’s situation — though she didn’t want to know all the details. “I felt bad for him, and so I didn’t really like to indulge in that,” Perry said during a radio interview (via BBC). “Someone sent me a link [to the story] and I didn’t actually read through it because I just think it’s really unfortunate and very sad.”

In August 2024, Nev Schulman revealed on his Instagram that, while on his way to pick up one of his children from school on his motorcycle, he collided with a truck. “I never made it to pick up my son from school on the bike. In fact in some ways, I’m glad I didn’t,” he wrote. “I was alone on impact. Me and the truck. And then I guess the pavement. I was alone and unconscious.”

Schulman had fractured his neck in two places and had to be rushed to hospital immediately for emergency treatment. Fortunately, the “Catfish” host not only survived the accident, but he did so without any major permanent alterations to the functionality of his hands or legs. “It’s hard to feel sorry for myself when I hear from the doctors about how many people with similar injuries will never walk again,” he wrote. In later interviews, he credited the quality of his helmet with his survival, in addition to the medical professionals working in the Southampton Emergency Room and the Stony Brook ICU. “The incredible knowledge and care from everyone in the medical community has been so remarkable,” he shared in his original post.

Despite being a frightening and potentially deadly event, Schulman’s tone was one of gratitude. Coming so close to death seemingly put his life into perspective and gave him a new appreciation for the little moments of peace he and his family were able to find around the tragedy. “I’m lucky to be here,” he said, “alive, standing and hugging my family, projected to make a full recovery. And I’m really starting to understand the meaning of gratitude.”