Spencer William Pratt (born August 14, 1983) is an American reality television personality. In 2007, he began dating Heidi Montag, a primary cast member of the reality television series The Hills. Subsequently, he came to prominence after being cast in the series. Their relationship ultimately ended Montag's friendship with fellow cast member Lauren Conrad. The ensuing feud among the three became the central focus of the series, and was carried through each subsequent season.

Spencer Pratt
Pratt in January 2009
Born (1983-08-14) August 14, 1983 (age 41)
Alma materUniversity of Southern California (BA)
OccupationReality television personality
Years active2005-present
Television
Spouse
(m. 2008)
Children2
RelativesStephanie Pratt (sister)

The couple, collectively nicknamed "Speidi", married in April 2009. Later that year, they made controversial appearances on the second season of the American version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! In 2013, Montag and Pratt competed as a single entity on the eleventh series of the British version of Celebrity Big Brother, and returned to compete as a single entity on the nineteenth series in 2017. Pratt formerly appeared on Wife Swap and The Spyson Hour, a weekly segment on the reality TV podcast Rob Has a Podcast.

Early life

edit

Pratt was born August 14, 1983, in Los Angeles, California.[1] He has a younger sibling Stephanie, also a television personality. He attended the Crossroads School.

Reality television career

edit

2005: The Princes of Malibu

edit

Pratt first appeared on television in 2005 in the short-lived reality series The Princes of Malibu. As creator and executive producer of the series, Pratt acted in the role of "manager/publicist/agent/stylist" for series star Brody Jenner.[2]

2007–2010: The Hills

edit

In 2006, MTV developed the reality television series The Hills as the spin-off of Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County. It originally chronicled the lives of Lauren Conrad, who appeared on its predecessor, her housemate Heidi Montag, and friends Audrina Patridge and Whitney Port.[3] In 2007, Pratt began dating and later moved into an apartment with Montag, which led to the deterioration of her friendship with Conrad.[4][5] During the third season, Conrad ended her friendship with Montag after she suspected that Pratt was responsible for rumors of a sex tape involving her and her former boyfriend Jason Wahler; the ensuing feud between the three carried through each subsequent season.[6] After Conrad established companionships with Jenner and Frankie Delgado, he severed ties with both men.[7]

In August, Montag entered the music industry and began recording her debut studio album. Later that month, the song "Body Language" was leaked on the internet, and featured a rapped verse from Pratt.[8] He later directed the music video for Montag's first promotional single "Higher".[9]

Later that year, Montag and Pratt appeared on the second season of the American version of I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in support of the "Feed the Children" foundation.[10] They quit after Montag was hospitalized with a gastric ulcer[11] and later created controversy after alleging that they were subject to torture during production.[12] After leaving the series, Montag and Pratt became notorious for their antics and antagonistic roles, notably during an interview with Al Roker of Today,[13] and were described as "everything that's wrong with America".[14] In May 2010, Pratt and Montag made their final appearance on The Hills halfway through the sixth and final season.[15][unreliable source?] In 2009, Spencer and Heidi appeared at the How I Met Your Mother episode "Benefits" as themselves.

In July, Montag filed for divorce from Pratt, citing irreconcilable differences in the petition.[16] However, they called it off in September after confessing that the action was intended to boost Montag's ailing career.[17] In November, they renewed their vows in Carpinteria, California.[18] Pratt was arrested and jailed in Costa Rica on September 11, 2010, while attempting to board an aircraft with hunting weapons. He was subsequently released and banned from re-entering the country.[19]

Pratt's work on The Hills earned him the title of "Greatest Reality TV Villain" on Yahoo!'s fan-voted poll in 2015. Other nominees for this award included Juan Pablo Galavis, Omarosa Manigault, Will Kirby, and Russell Hantz.[20]

2013–2014: Celebrity Big Brother UK

edit

In January 2013, Montag and Pratt (as a single entity) competed as housemates on Celebrity Big Brother 11,[21] where they notably developed a minor feud with singer and television personality Rylan Clark.[22] They were named the runners-up, losing to Clark.[23] On February 18, Channel 5 aired a one-off television special discussing Montag and Pratt's rise to prominence, titled Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery!.[24]

TV Guide included him in its 2013 list of "The 60 Nastiest Villains of All Time."[25]

The couple appeared in the E! Documentary special After Shock: Heidi & Spencer.[26]

2015: Marriage Boot Camp and Partnership with Rob Has a Podcast

edit

Pratt and Montag were houseguests on We TV's Marriage Boot Camp, as they worked out their differences about having children. While there, the couple met and became friends with Survivor winner Tyson Apostol and his girlfriend Rachel Foulger. When Marriage Boot Camp aired on television, Pratt and Apostol began hosting The Spyson Hour, a weekly podcast to recap the show, alongside Rob Cesternino of Rob Has a Podcast. After the season finished airing, Pratt, Apostol, and Cesternino continued The Spyson Hour, discussing Pratt's reality TV history and zany current events. Pratt left the show in October 2015.

2017: Return to Celebrity Big Brother UK

edit

In 2017, Pratt re-entered the Celebrity Big Brother 19 with his wife. On day 18, the couple was eternally nominated by James Cosmo, which they did not have a good reaction to. They were saved in an eight-person eviction on day 22. However, they were evicted on day 25 against Kim Woodburn, Jessica Cunningham, Bianca Gascoigne and Jedward; after they finished in 9th place. Pratt and Montag were reunited with their rival, Rylan Clark-Neal, on Big Brother's Bit on the Side that night.

2018: Snapchatter of the Year

edit

Pratt developed a widespread fanbase on Snapchat by posting stories showing his family, daily life and his passion for hummingbirds. His popularity led to him being nominated in January 2018 for Snapchatter of the Year at the 10th Annual Shorty Awards, eventually winning the category.[27]

2019: The Hills: New Beginnings

edit

At the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards, MTV announced a reboot of The Hills entitled The Hills: New Beginnings, slated to premiere in 2019. Pratt was announced as part of the cast of the new series.[28][29][30] The show followed the Pratts as they navigated running their business "Pratt Daddy Crystals" and wanting to expand their family. The show was cancelled after two seasons.

Personal life

edit

In December 2013, Pratt completed his undergraduate degree in political science at the University of Southern California after ten years. Pratt had left his studies to pursue television projects and re-enrolled in 2011.[31]

During the fourth season of The Hills, Montag and Pratt eloped in Mexico on November 20, 2008.[32] A wedding ceremony was held on April 25, 2009, in Pasadena, California.[33][34] Their son Gunner Stone was born on October 1, 2017.[35] Their second son, Ryker Pratt, was born on November 17, 2022.[36]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Spencer Pratt Biography". TVGuide.com. Archived from the original on September 14, 2015.
  2. ^ Amsden, David. "Master of His Own Celebrity: Brody Jenner knows just who to screw to sit pretty on the B-list". Men.style.com. Archived from the original on 2009-02-04.
  3. ^ Virginia Heffernan (May 31, 2006). "'The Hills,' a Follow-Up to 'Laguna Beach,' Makes Its Premiere on MTV". The New York Times. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  4. ^ "The Hills (Season 2) Ep. 208: Enough Is Enough". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on June 29, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  5. ^ "The Hills (Season 2) Ep. 212: Goodbye For Now". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on December 12, 2009. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
  6. ^ "The Hills (Season 3) Ep. 301: You Know What You Did". MTV. Viacom. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  7. ^ "The Hills (Season 3) Ep. 305: Rolling With The Enemy". MTV. Viacom. September 3, 2007. Archived from the original on January 29, 2013. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
  8. ^ Aaron Parsley (August 16, 2007). "Heidi Montag 'Upset' Over Leaked Song". People. Time Inc. Archived from the original on October 1, 2007. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  9. ^ Dagostino, Mark (February 18, 2008). "Spencer on Heidi's Album: 'Madonna, Eat Your Heart Out'". People. Time Inc. Archived from the original on March 8, 2008. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
  10. ^ "Charity Speaks Out About Speidi Possibly Quitting Reality Show". Radar Online. American Media, Inc. June 2, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  11. ^ Jocelyn Vena (June 7, 2009). "'Hills' Star Heidi Montag Hospitalized". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on April 5, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  12. ^ Holmes, Linda (June 9, 2009). "Spencer, Heidi jeopardize their fragile 'fame'". MSNBC. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  13. ^ Mike Celizic (June 16, 2009). "Al Roker weighs in on Speidi 'attack'". Today.com. NBCUniversal. Archived from the original on September 6, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  14. ^ "NBC executive not happy with Heidi, Spencer". MSNBC. NBCUniversal. June 4, 2009. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  15. ^ Kelly Maddern (May 28, 2010). "Heidi and Spencer's Downward Spiral, Before Our Very Eyes". Yahoo! Voices. Yahoo!. Archived from the original on December 15, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  16. ^ "Heidi Montag Files For Divorce From Spencer Pratt". MTV News. Viacom. July 30, 2010. Archived from the original on January 6, 2014. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  17. ^ "Couple faked divorce for TV deal". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. November 5, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  18. ^ Joyce Chen (November 16, 2010). "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt renew wedding vows in private ceremony, celebrate themselves". Daily News. Daily News, L.P. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  19. ^ "Spencer Pratt arrested for firearm possession: Former reality star tweets 'Costa Rican jail smells like children's tears'". MSNBC.com. 2010-09-14. Archived from the original on 2010-09-13. I'm not allowed in the country anymore -- but that's because of the chicken incident.
  20. ^ Yahoo TV Staff (June 3, 2015). "Greatest Reality TV Personalities of All Time: Villains". Yahoo TV. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  21. ^ "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Death Threats: 'Celebrity Big Brother' Stars Receive Nothing But Hatred". The Huffington Post. AOL. January 23, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  22. ^ Rachael Wheeler (January 22, 2013). "Speidi's emotional apology to Rylan Clark ends the Celebrity Big Brother feud: "We didn't mean to clap"". Daily Mirror. Trinity Mirror. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  23. ^ "Heidi Montag, Spencer Pratt Open Up About 'Celebrity Big Brother,' Death Threats And 'Feigned' Villainy". The Huffington Post. AOL. January 29, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  24. ^ "Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery!". Channel 5. Northern & Shell. February 18, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  25. ^ Bretts, Bruce; Roush, Matt; (March 25, 2013). "Baddies to the Bone: The 60 nastiest villains of all time". TV Guide. pp. 14 - 15.
  26. ^ Johnson, Zach (November 19, 2013). "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt Starring in One-Hour E! Special, After Shock: Heidi & Spencer". E! News. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  27. ^ "Spencer Pratt Snapchatter of the Year".
  28. ^ Corriston, Michele. "MTV Announces The Hills Reboot at the 2018 VMAs". People. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  29. ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray. "'The Hills' Is Heading Back To MTV With 'New Beginnings'". Deadline. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  30. ^ Nyren, Erin. "MTV Reboots 'The Hills' With Original Cast Members". Variety. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
  31. ^ McGrady, Rachel (December 5, 2013). "Spencer Pratt Finishes College After 10 Years: "I Was Busy Being Fabulous!"". Us Weekly. Retrieved February 10, 2014.
  32. ^ "The Hills (Season 4) Ep. 419: Mr. And Mrs. Pratt". MTV (Viacom). Archived from the original on January 8, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  33. ^ "Heidi Pratt: I Can't Wait to Renew My Vows With Spencer!". Us Weekly. November 20, 2009. Retrieved October 2, 2017. Spencer and Heidi Pratt have officially been married for an entire year! ... Their second wedding, held April 25 in Pasadena, Calif., was filmed for the fifth season of The Hills.
  34. ^ Jocelyn Vena (April 25, 2009). "'Hills' Stars Heidi Montag And Spencer Pratt Get Married". MTV News. Viacom. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  35. ^ Hautman, Nicholas; Lupo, Marc (October 1, 2017). "Exclusive: Heidi Montag Gives Birth, Welcomes First Child With Spencer Pratt: Details!". Us Weekly. Retrieved October 2, 2017.
  36. ^ "Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt Welcome 2nd Baby Boy as She Documents Her Labor: 'The Real Deal'".
edit