Miriam: Death of a Reality Star – the true story behind new Channel 4 documentary

Big Brother was a game changer. Channel 4's social experiment in 2000 had 11 participants who were monitored every second of the day. This idea instantly became popular and paved the way for reality TV as we know it today. The public fell in love with this new type of programming, and Big Brother was the reason behind it; enabling hit shows such as Love Island, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! and The Apprentice to come into existence.

During this period, there were many reality TV shows that were successful and popular, but there were also many that failed. People are not interested in watching just anything, and shows like Shattered, which required contestants to stay awake for a chance to win £100,000, did not succeed. The same can be said for Touch the Truck, a Channel 5 series where 20 individuals had to hold onto a Toyota truck for as long as they could to win it.

Maybe the most vulgar and harshest criticized show that came from reality TV was There's Something About Miriam. The concept involved "six macho guys" going to a luxurious £2 million villa in Ibiza to try to win over "one gorgeous woman." The catch? The woman, Miriam Rivera, was transgender.

Many people criticized the show called There's Something About Miriam. The contestants who appeared on the show even started a petition to sue the company that made it. However, the press mostly blamed Riveria, even though they were also used for entertainment in the same way as the contestants.

A fresh Channel 4 show is set to investigate the sorrowful existence of Riveria, her moment in the public eye, and her premature demise in 2019 in Miriam: Death of a Reality Star. This trilogy of documentaries aims to delve into the rampant transphobia that was prevalent in the early 2000s, and ponder if modern-day reality TV would allow such a barbaric production.

Who Is Miriam Rivera?

Rivera was born in Mexico in 1981. The birth certificate said Rivera was male, but from a young age, Rivera experienced symptoms of gender dysphoria. Rivera shared in the show "There's Something About Miriam" that strangers often thought Rivera was a girl.

In the past, people would approach my mother and compliment her on having a lovely daughter, which she still remembers. However, my mother would correct them by saying, "No, that's my child," referring to me. This would frustrate me when I heard it.

Rivera began her journey of transitioning into a female when she was still a young child and got suspended from school when she was just 12 because she spoke about her gender dysphoria and decided to take hormones. Being just 14-years-old, she made the tough call to leave her parents' home and start a new life.

She recounted that on a particular night, she had a vision featuring in the documentary. In the vision, a voice spoke to her distinctly, telling her to uphold pride, strength and that the world was stirred up in anticipation of her.

Rivera became known as a young adult in the ballroom scene in New York, despite having relocated to Tijuana initially.

In the latest documentary, drag performer Nikki Exotika talks about herself as a "seductive Latina goddess" with a "notably feminine appearance even with minimal surgeries".

Rivera arrived in the UK in the early 2000s and had plans to pursue a career in singing with a punk band consisting of transgender girls known as the Speed Angels. During this time, she crossed paths with TV producer Remy Blumenfeld who was creating a television program.

When Did There's Something About Miriam Air?

Blumenfeld's project was a variation of The Bachelor, a very popular American dating series where various women compete for the attention of a usually attractive and financially secure man.

Despite Blumenfeld's aim to celebrate and experiment with gender roles in the transgender community, the way the project was advertised didn't match up. A lack of knowledge and awareness about transgender issues led to the use of language that was unacceptably transphobic. The commentary of the show's host, Tim Vincent, during There's Something About Miriam, used insulting phrases like "heroic guys" who were unknowingly attracted to Miriam, who was portrayed as confused and deceptive due to being transgender.

The British Medical Journal stated that the television program was not meant to honor the lives of transgender individuals. Instead, it was created with the intention of causing the winning participant to feel frightened upon realizing that their preferred romantic partner possessed male genitalia.

The male participants, who were in their early to mid-twenties, joined a program originally titled Find Me A Man. The program was marketed as an enjoyable vacation on the lively Ibiza island, with all costs covered.

The filming of the show took place during the summer of 2003. Rivera's big reveal was the highlight of the finale.

After selecting Tom Rooke, the lifeguard, as the champion, Rivera addressed the competitors with candid words: "I attempted to be completely truthful. To be clear, I hail from Mexico, I participate in modelling, and my age is 21. Tom, I take great pleasure in spending time with you and kissing you. As you know, I admire men, and I also take pleasure in being a woman. Regrettably, I was not born as a woman but as a man."

Miriam's Finale: What Went Down?

Before the anticipated ‘big unveil’, the actors and staff began to feel uneasy about the performance. As reported by The Guardian, security personnel from nearby popular nightclubs were called upon prior to the finale.

They made a sensible decision to be careful. When Rivera declared her announcement, it caused a surprising and humorous reaction. Behind the camera, the situation became more intense. A participant started to destroy the luxurious house. To ensure that Rivera was not in danger, she was taken away from the rest of the cast. According to other people competing in the show, they did not come across her again following that incident.

The participants in the program filed a legal case against the TV producers alleging that they conspired to sexually assault them, spread lies about them, violated the terms of their agreement, and caused them mental and emotional anguish. According to reports, the documentary contestants were awarded about £500,000 in damages. However, much of this sum went towards legal costs.

The airing of the TV show was postponed due to legal issues, but it still managed to attract a lot of viewership. The court case actually ended up promoting the show even further. In February 2004, There's Something About Miriam was aired on Sky One and had great success. It brought in almost a million viewers and was a hit show. Unfortunately, Miriam, who was just 21 years old at the time, was the target of tabloid outrage rather than the executives who created the program. The newspapers' headlines were quite scandalous, such as "Hey, Miriam, you're breaking the rules."

Miriam Rivera: Life After The Show?

Rivera had high hopes for her appearance on There's Something About Miriam, but unfortunately, she didn't achieve the fame she was seeking. Instead, her experience on the show was plagued by rampant transphobia, which led to her being ridiculed by many. She later appeared on the Australian edition of Big Brother, but ultimately decided to return to the United States.

According to The Guardian, Ariel Mendoza, who is Rivera's brother, stated that the media severely criticized her and many individuals held her responsible. After the program, Miriam's spirits plummeted, and she became despondent when anyone spoke of it. Although she may have been ahead of her generation, her tale is expected to instill empathy in others.

Rivera's troubles went from bad to worse when she became addicted to drugs in the mid-2000s. To finance her habit, she began working as a sex worker. In 2007, she was viciously attacked by someone who hit her with a hammer that caused her to fall four stories from a tower block. During another mishap, she vanished for six months, and when she resurfaced, she told a harrowing tale of being kidnapped at gunpoint and forced into a life of sexual slavery.

Rivera went back to her native Mexico with her spouse, Daniel Cuervo, as there were not many chances for her in New York. Unfortunately, in 2019, she was discovered lifeless outside her apartment at the young age of 38. The authorities stated that she took her own life, however, some people doubt this version of events (although there is no concrete evidence proving otherwise).

According to Daniela Real, who is a friend of Rivera, her brief moment of fame greatly affected her mental wellbeing. Real stated in the documentary that Rivera had experienced an abrupt transition from being a major star to residing in a relatively unknown area.

Love Island has put in place very strict measures to ensure the well-being of all contestants.

As of late, people have been reevaluating their connection with reality television shows. The unfortunate passing of previous Love Island participants and its presenter Caroline Flack has led to stricter measures in place to make sure that those thrown into the limelight are taken care of. Moreover, podcasts like Wondery's Harsh Reality: The Story of Miriam Rivera have brought attention to the harsh treatment that Rivera experienced as a result of her fame.

The leader of Ofcom, Michael Grade, recently stated that reality TV has become even more harsh over the last two decades since the show involving Rivera's ridicule for the sake of high ratings. Although reality TV still remains morally questionable in many aspects, it's doubtful that we'll witness the same extreme depths that the program "There's Something About Miriam" stooped to.

If the information in this article has had an impact on you, don't hesitate to get in touch with Mind for assistance. They provide additional details and contact information on their website, which you can access by clicking here. Remember, you are not alone.

Kimberley Bond works as a Features Writer at Cosmopolitan. She completed her MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield back in 2016. At the start of her career, Kimberley primarily wrote about showbiz and culture. During that time, she was able to chat up both A-List and Z-List celebrities at various events such as red carpets, awards ceremonies and parties.

When the pandemic caused events in show business to come to a halt, Kimberley began to focus on writing articles. She has since contributed to multiple publications such as The Independent, The Telegraph, Evening Standard, Stylist, and Glamour, among many more.

She's obsessed with celebrity news and updates, constantly browsing through the online tabloids. You can also see her active on X, LinkedIn, or hitting the gym in an attempt to get a butt like JLo, although without much success.