Kim Kardashian West Almost Starred in This Short-Lived Reality Show Before ‘KUWTK’
Kim Kardashian West is a true hustler, working hard ever since she was a young adult to build her dream life. She got her breakthrough in the late 2000s when she and her family snagged their hit show, Keeping Up With the Kardashians. But as it turns out, the KKW Beauty mogul was actually supposed to appear on a different show before KUWTK.
Kim Kardashian West was meant to be on another show before ‘KUWTK’
Speaking to E! News in a piece published in October, Kardashian West revealed she was supposed to be on a reality show called I’m a Rich Kid, Get Me Out of Here!
According to Digital Spy, the show was a spinoff of the UK-originated series I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Here! which sent “a group of C-list celebrities to the Australian jungle for a fortnight.” But instead of focusing on celebrities, the spinoff was supposed to include the children of the rich and famous in America.
The Evening Standard reported that other possible contestants included Ivanka Trump, Kelly and Jack Osbourne, and Rod Stewart’s daughter Kimberley, among others.
“They’re definitely going to be testing both their physical and mental abilities,” ABC executive Andrea Wong told Variety at the time. “It’s going to give them a chance to prove that they’re different than people’s preconceived notions of rich kids.”
However, the show never materialized. “It got canceled before filming,” said Kardashian West — the daughter of manager Kris Jenner and late attorney Robert Kardashian Snr. “I was devastated and then KUWTK happened.”
Kim Kardashian West landed ‘KUWTK’ a few years later
After the cancelation of I’m a Rich Kid, Get Me Out of Here! in 2004, Jenner started looking for other TV opportunities for her children. As she told The Hollywood Reporter, she first tried to get a show that would focus on their work at their now-closed store Dash. But after that fell through, she came up with an idea for a show centered on their family unit.
“One night, Deena Katz [casting director for Dancing With the Stars] came over for dinner and life was swirling around, and she said, “This is a reality show — I think you should really talk to Ryan Seacrest.” So I did,” she explained.
Eventually, the show was picked up by E! and went on to premiere in October 2007. It was instantly a hit, achieving stellar ratings and launching the Kardashian-Jenners reach global fame. It also spawned a number of spinoffs including Dash Dolls, Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami, Kourtney and Kim Take Miami, and Kourtney and Kim Take New York.
‘KUWTK’ is now coming to an end
After enjoying a hugely successful run, Keeping Up With the Kardashians is now coming to an end. Kardashian West announced the news on her Instagram back in September, saying it’s going off of the air in 2021 “after what will be 14 years, 20 seasons, hundreds of episodes and numerous spin-off shows.”
“Without Keeping Up with The Kardashians, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” she added. “I am so incredibly grateful to everyone who has watched and supported me and my family these past 14 incredible years. This show made us who we are and I will be forever in debt to everyone who played a role in shaping our careers and changing our lives forever.”
It was a sad moment for many of her fans. But knowing Kim, she’ll probably find a way to get back on our screens at some point in the future.
