Survivor has been on the air for over two decades with 41 seasons under its belt. Throughout the years, many players have faced the formidable challenges of the show until there is one lone survivor. While most people have competed to win, others wound up finding love instead.
It might not have been the cash prize they were hoping for, but some people met the love of their life instead. Many of the couples survived in the outside world and even went on to get married and have children. However, some had extinguished their torches before they even left the island. See the status of these Survivor couples.
Jenna Bowman and Sebastian Noel Made an Instant Connection
During the show’s 36th season, Jenna Bowman met Sebastian Noel. During their time on Survivor: Ghost Island, it wasn’t clear whether they were just really good friends or another couple in the making. Noel later told Reality TV World that sparks were flying between the pair before they even got to the island.
During the 13-hour plane ride to the Mamanuca Islands, Noel and Bowman sat next to each other and talked the entire time. From years of watching the show, they knew that showmances were obvious targets in the Survivor gameplay, so they decided to keep things as private as possible.
Now They Are Living Together
There was a lot of speculation from viewers as they watched Noel and Bowman interact on the show. They tried to keep their romance cool despite snuggling and holding hands now and then. After their season aired in 2018, Noel met Bowman in California, and they road tripped to Noel’s home in Florida.
The couple has been inseparable ever since. They started a YouTube vlogging channel together called Tarzan and Jen. Noel and Bowman have been traveling the world and taking their fans with them along the way. They are couple goals and spend their time in Florida when they aren’t jet-setting around the globe.
Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano Defied All Odds
It was almost like these two were meant to be when they met on Survivor: All-Stars. Rob Mariano had a flirty reputation, and Amber Brkich was a sweetheart who let her closest ally take the reins. The two immediately formed an alliance and were not secretive about their budding romance.
Brkich and Mariano defied all odds by being an open couple because those are usually big targets in the game. However, they ended up sitting next to one another in the final two. Brkich might have been crowned the Sole Survivor, but Mariano didn’t walk away empty-handed.
They Are Now Married With Four Children
Mariano proclaimed his love before the votes were read in the final decision and got down on one knee to propose. In 2005, the couple married at the Atlantic Paradise Island resort, and their nuptials aired on CBS. They have since competed on Amazing Race twice as a team.
In 2014, Mariano and Brkich welcomed a daughter named Adelina Rose and three more children after that. They also competed against each other on Season 40, Survivor: Winners at War, where the former winners competed for $2 million. They have a beautiful life together and won so much more than money.
Erik Huffman and Jamie Dugan-Huffman Didn’t Win Money but Earned Something Else
Trust is hard to find on Survivor, but fellow South Carolina natives Erik Huffman and Jamie Dugan found something special with one another. It wasn’t an instant connection, but after the second week of camp, the two opened up to each other about their lives outside the game.
Thanks to their shared personal revelations, Huffman and Dugan started having feelings for each other and became an alliance from that point on. Sadly, neither would go on to win the season. Huffman thought he found the Hidden Immunity Idol and gave it to Dugan, but she was voted out because it was worthless.
Survivor Didn’t Work Out, but They Did
Although Dugan became the first jury member, finishing in tenth place and Huffman placing sixth, they didn’t let the show ruin their feelings for one another. They might not have earned a sole survivor spot, but they found a soul mate in each other.
Two years after their season, Huffman and Dugan married in 2009. Their relationship truly flourished after being on the island, and they knew it was meant to be. Today they share a son and show off their happy life together on Instagram.
Sierra Dawn Thomas and Joe Anglim Were a World Apart Before They Met
In 2014, during Survivor: World Apart, Sierra Dawn Thomas and Joe Anglim met, but their relationship didn’t start on the show. Thomas finished fifth during the 30th season, and Anglim finished tenth after being voted off by Thomas. She didn’t show him any mercy.
Their time on the show was hardly the stuff of romance. It wasn’t until two years after their season that they started dating. It might not have been love at first sight, but Thomas and Anglim agree that they won something more important than the game.
Love Always Finds a Way
After reconnecting off the show, Thomas and Anglim started dating and later got married in 2019. In November 2020, they released an adorable Thanksgiving theme post to announce that they were expecting a child together. In May 2021, their daughter Della Dawn was born.
They constantly share pictures of each other and their daughter on social media. In a 2019 interview, Thomas said, “I tell him every day, and I thank the Lord every day because he is literally the most amazing man I’ve ever met.” They couldn’t be more in love.
Kim Powers and Alex Bell Met off the Show
Kim Powers was on Survivor: Africa in 2001, while Alex Bell competed on Survivor: Amazon in 2003. The two weren’t on the same season, but that didn’t stop them from forming a relationship. They hung out with other Survivor contestants and met through mutual connections.
After dating for a few years, Powers and Bell got married in 2006. They have now been married for over a decade. The couple adopted their daughter Bella, and she completed their family. The couple keeps their life relatively private and off social media.
Tyson Apostol and Rachel Foulger Dated Before the Show
As one of the greatest players to compete on Survivor, Tyson Apostol has been on four different seasons and won once. In 2013, during Survivor: Blood vs. Water, Apostol appeared on the show with Rachel Foulger. It was his third time competing.
Apostol and Foulger were already dating before the show, and fans made them the power couple of the season. Foulger only lasted seven days on the island before she was voted out. Apostol used his anger to make it to the end and win the season.
A Fellow Castaway Officiated Their Wedding
After continuing to date when the show ended, Apostol and Foulger appeared on Marriage Bootcamp, where he proposed. Fellow Survivor castmate Stephen Fishbach officiated their wedding in 2015. Later that year, they welcomed their daughter Bergen Rose and shared that there were complications with the birth.
In 2018, Apostol and Foulger attended Fishbach’s wedding and welcomed their second daughter a month later. Today the couple is still happily married, and their daughters are growing up so fast. They share lots of family photos on their Instagram pages.
Elizabeth Beisel and Jack Nichting Won in the Love Department
After meeting on Season 39 of Survivor: Island of the Idols, Elizabeth Beisel and Jack Nichting waited until after the show to start dating. Neither of them came out of Survivor as champions, but they did win each other. They went public with their relationship after the finale and reunion.
In her Instagram post, Beisel wrote, “Did you guys hear the news? I’ve got a curly-haired boyfriend named Jack, and he is simply the most wonderful human being I know. And yes, we do share hair products.” Nichting shared an equally adorable post on the same day.
The Two Are Still Dating
The two have been dating for almost two years now and regularly share photos of each other online. When Beisel’s father passed away in July 2021, Nichting was right by her side through it all. He cheered her on as she completed the promise she made to her father before his death.
In September 2021, the three-time Olympic swimmer swam from mainland Rhode Island to Block Island, and Nichting was waiting for her at the end. They are so supportive of each other and always gush about how in love they are.
Keith Tollefson and Whitney Duncan Found a Way to Stand Out
Keith Tollefson and Whitney Duncan first met on Survivor: South Pacific, where they instantly struck up an alliance and showmance. While their romance was good on the show, it emerged that Duncan was allegedly married to country musician Donny Falgatter before she went to film Survivor.
After the entire season was done filming, Duncan called Falgatter and told him she had fallen in love with Tollefson. They later filed for divorce, and she was free to be with Tollefson. The couple then competed on The Amazing Race together like many other Survivor contestants.
They Have Been Through Tough Times
After dating for a while, Tollefson and Duncan got married in 2014. They jumped into wedding planning mode as soon as they came back from The Amazing Race and pulled everything together. While everything seemed great, the couple was met with some challenging times.
In July 2021, Duncan opened up about her struggle with infertility. They both wanted to start a family but had trouble getting pregnant when they started trying. Although they are going through a difficult time, Tollefson and Duncan are still as in love as ever.
Jon Misch and Jaclyn Schultz’s Love Survived
While competing on Survivor: San Juan del Sur, Jon Misch and Jaclyn Schultz teamed up. They started dating before the show and formed an alliance, which worked in their favor until the end. Schultz was the season’s runner-up, but she managed to make her relationship survive.
Although they might have argued a few times throughout their season, Schultz and Misch always made up. After the season, the couple announced their engagement on October 22, 2014. They got married in 2016, and many of their castmates attended, including Val, Alec, and Josh.
Tragedy Strikes
Throughout their four years of marriage, the couple endured some difficult times. Misch and Schultz wanted to start a family, but she suffered from a condition called MRHK Syndrome. This meant she wouldn’t be able to carry a child naturally because she was born without a womb.
After two cycles of IVF, three embryo transfers, and two surrogates, they lost their daughter to a miscarriage in December 2020. They have stuck by each other’s sides through it all. Misch and Schultz recently shared that their surrogate is pregnant again, and we hope it goes smoothly.
Parvati Shallow and Jon Fincher Started Dating After the Show
Fan-favorite Parvati Shallow appeared on four seasons of Survivor but never competed with Jon Fincher, who appeared on Survivor: Samoa. The two met through mutual connections outside of the show and began dating in 2014. After three years together, they got engaged in 2017.
Shallow made a career out of appearing on Survivor, and Fincher understood why she loved the competition so much. She even won in 2008. The loved-up couple ended up getting married just seven months after their engagement. A year after their wedding, the couple welcomed their first daughter.
A Love That Didn’t Last
While these two may be good at surviving on a deserted island, their relationship didn’t last. After four years of marriage, Shallow and Fincher filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. She also sought a restraining order against Fincher because she was afraid to be around him.
Shallow also wanted Fincher to have supervised visits with their daughter. There were reports of domestic violence which they argued about in court because they had differing stories. Fans were shocked to hear the news because their relationship was like a fairytale at the beginning.
Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn Won More Than the Competition
While they didn’t compete in the same season, Jenna Morasca and Ethan Zohn met when she was crowned the winner of Survivor: The Amazon. Zohn previously won Survivor: Africa, and he was at the finale to congratulate her as the new reigning champion.
Zohn was smitten, and they started dating in 2003. After dealing with the loss of her mother from breast cancer, the couple was hit with more bad news; Zohn was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in 2009. The couple found themselves facing more complex challenges than those on TV.
Too Many Challenges for Them to Handle
Morasca dropped everything to take care of Zohn, and he was in remission in 2010. The couple decided to compete on the Amazing Race before Zohn found out his cancer had returned. After a long battle, he was cancer-free again in 2013.
Although she stuck by his side through both cancer battles, Morasca and Zohn broke up after ten years of dating. They went through an emotional journey but decided to move on and remain friends. In 2016, Zohn married Lisa Heywood. Morasca hasn’t been in a relationship recently.
Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel Found Love in the Jungle
Unless you come into the show with your significant other or are in a serious relationship, many Survivor contestants engage in innocent flirting or kissing. While it usually stops there because no one likes island breath, that didn’t hold back Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel.
On Survivor: Micronesia, Lusth and Kimmel turned their shelter into a love shack. Sadly, their relationship was only jungle love. They were still a couple at the season reunion but went their separate ways shortly after. Kimmel got married to someone else in 2015.
Alec Merlino and Kara Kay Shared Island Chemistry
While competing on Season 37 of Survivor: David vs. Goliath, Alec Merlino and Kara Kay flirted and had obvious chemistry but remained strictly friends. They knew that there was more to their friendship when they got home and almost immediately started dating in 2018.
The couple then moved to San Diego, California, where Merlino ran his clothing business, and Kay worked as a realtor. He actually broke the non-disclosure agreement by posting a picture with Kay only a week after filming ended, and he wasn’t allowed to attend the finale.
Erased From Social Media
Throughout their two years of dating, Merlino and Kay frequently featured each other on their social media. However, in early 2020, Merlino deleted his Instagram profile, and Kay removed the photos with her boyfriend from her feed. At first, no one knew why they called it quits.
Merlino later explained that he and Kay broke up because they were at two different places in their lives, but the breakup was amicable. Merlino said he will always have a special place for Kay in his heart, and they are still friends despite not being together.
Wendell Holland and Michele Fitzgerald Kept Their Relationship a Secret
While they initially competed and won their respective seasons, Wendell Holland and Michele Fitzgerald came back to compete against each other on Survivor: Winners at War. A revelation about them was made during the season when the tribe swap resulted in them being on the same team.
Fitzgerald said, “How the heck did I get stuck stranded on an island with my ex-boyfriend? Wendell and I dated briefly, which is a saga in itself.” The details of their relationship are unknown, but they managed to keep it a secret. He claims their relationship was never that serious.
Jessica “Figgy” Figueroa and Taylor Lee Stocker Had a Cringey Nickname
Some Survivor showmances try to hide their flirtations from the other players, but that was not the case for Jessica Figueroa and Taylor Lee Stocker on Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X. They were even known as “Figtails” throughout the season. We’ll give you a moment to soak up the cringe.
While on the island, Stocker said it was like wearing “love goggles,” and Figgy melted over his blue eyes. It didn’t take long for “Figtails” to start acting like a couple, much to the dismay of their fellow tribemates, particularly Michaela Bradshaw, because she got annoyed by their flirting.
The Drama Unfolded at Home
Luckily for her tribemates and the audience, Figgy was eliminated pre-jury, which spared everyone an entire season of “Figtails.” While the two continued their relationship for a bit after the show, Stocker had some personal drama that effectively ended “Figtails.” No one was sad about their breakup.
It was revealed that Stocker was expecting a child from a pre-Survivor relationship. He decided to end things with Figgy, and she did not take it well. In interviews after their split, she made it clear that they were no longer speaking. Stocker’s girlfriend gave birth to a boy, and they got married.
Jennifer Lyon and Gregg Carey Were a Powerhouse Alliance
During Season 10 of Survivor: Palau, Jenn Lyon and Greg Carey met on the Koror tribe. It was one of the most dominant tribes in Survivor history, and Lyon and Carey were a powerhouse alliance. They helped keep each other safe for most of the game.
They both made it close to the end of the game and formed a close bond along the way. After returning from filming, Lyon and Carey struck up a romance and dated for a few months. They remained friends until Lyon passed away from breast cancer in 2010.
Jeff Probst and Julie Berry Kept Their Relationship Quiet
While it seems a little scandalous, even show host Jeff Probst got in on the showmance action. After meeting during Survivor: Vanuatu, Probst waited to reach out to Julie Berry until the season was finished. They kept their relationship a secret until the season reunion.
Some people weren’t thrilled about their relationship, but they were in love. It was one of the biggest blindsides in the show’s history, and Probst said, “Nobody is more surprised than me that I could find my love affair on a show that I host.”
Their Relationship Affected Her Chances to Win
Probst and Berry might have been in love, but their relationship impacted Berry’s ability to appear in future seasons. By dating the show’s host, she gave up the right to come back as a player because of the information she was privy to as his girlfriend.
Berry stayed in the world of reality TV as a producer on The Bachelor and Dancing With the Stars. Sadly, after their three-year relationship, the couple split in 2008. Probst later married Lisa Ann Russell in 2011, who wasn’t a contestant on the show.
Colleen Haskell and Greg Buis Were the First Showmance
Before anyone knew that showmances were targets for other players, Colleen Haskell and Greg Buis got together during the first season of Survivor. They will always be a fan-favorite showmance because of their wacky personalities. The chemistry between Haskell and Buis was instantaneous.
The innocence in their relationship was sweet because they would galivant in the woods and sing campfire songs, which highlighted their innocence. Everyone knew they had a thing for each other, but Haskell and Buis didn’t date past their time on the show.
Jerri Manthey and Benjamin “Coach” Wade Had a Villainous Showmance
During Season 20 of Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, Villains Tribe mates Jerry Manthey and Benjamin “Coach” Wade had the rest of the castaways questioning their relationship status. Coach and Manthey were caught cuddling on the first day, and it caused a stir at their camp.
Despite being caught in a compromising position, Coach and Manthey denied it and voiced their concerns about getting into a showmance. They kept a close alliance and made it pretty far in the game. While they might not have been an official couple, they were fun to watch together.
Andrea Boehlke and Matt Elrod Got Split Up by Their Team
Some Survivor showmances are too sweet for words. On Season 22 of Survivor: Redemption Island, Andrea Boehlke and Matt Elrod gave viewers all the feels. When he told her that she made him feel more at home, we all swooned and rooted for their romance to last.
However, as their romance became more serious, other contestants worked up a plan to split them up because they knew how strong a pair could be in the game. Sadly, Boehlke and Elrod didn’t pick up where they left off after Elrod was voted out in the second episode.
James Clement and Parvati Shallow Joined Forces
During Survivor: Micronesia in 2008, James Clement and Parvati Shallow teamed up with another duo, Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel. Shallow continued flirting with Clement as the first week continued, and he didn’t seem to mind. She seemed to have a thing for showmances.
Unfortunately, when Shallow blindsided Lusth at a heated Tribal Council, Clement questioned her loyalty to him. He wondered if she actually liked him or was using him to get ahead in the competition. He enjoyed spending time with Shallow, but their relationship never went further.
Spencer Duhm and Todd Herzog Connected off the Show
After winning Survivor: China, Todd Herzog met Spencer Duhm right before he appeared on Survivor: Tocantins in 2009. Herzog said he was instantly attracted to Duhm because of his confidence and piercing stare. They had a great connection, but something was wrong.
After dating for a while, the couple broke up at an unknown time. It might have been due to Herzog’s ongoing alcohol addiction. In 2013, he appeared on the Dr. Phil show for an intervention about his addiction, and other Survivor contestants supported him to get sober.
Courtney Yates and Stephen Fishbach Connected on a Different Level
Another couple who met outside their respective seasons was Courtney Yates (Survivor: China) and Stephen Fishbach (Survivor: Tocantins). The two dated for a while after meeting in 2009 and connected over shared experiences on the show. It was something they shared that most people couldn’t relate to.
A year after they started dating, Yates competed in Survivors: Heroes vs. Villains, with Fishbach cheering her on from home. She wore the hat that he had worn on his season. Sadly, the quirky couple broke up but remained good friends.
David Murphy and Carolina Eastwood Showed Their Love in a Big Way
Survivor: Redemption Island contestant David Murphy, and Survivor: Tocantins contestant, Carolina Eastwood, met through other Survivor contestants after filming his season. Murphy did something that surprised people more than finding out the season’s winner. During the live finale, he proposed to Eastwood, who was in the audience.
Eastwood was beyond shocked and uttered the words, “Shut the flipping front door,” with a look of disbelief on her face. She said yes in front of millions of viewers, but they never made it down the aisle. It was reported that Murphy cheated on her with Survivor: One World contestant Alicia.
Candice Woodcock and Adam Gentry Had a Memorable Moment
After meeting on Season 13 Survivor: Cooks Island, Candice Woodcock and Adam Gentry quickly hooked up before they were separated into different tribes. To everyone’s surprise, Woodcock rebelled against her tribe to reunite with her main squeeze after the tribes merged.
This move didn’t work out in her favor, and she was voted out. However, the pair is best remembered for their passionate kiss right after she was eliminated. Sadly, love wasn’t in the cards for these two, and Woodcock and Gentry didn’t reconnect after their season.
Jeff Wilson and Kim Mullen Kept in Touch
During Season 10, Survivor: Palau, Jeff Wilson and Kim Mullen started flirting when they were having trouble sleeping. They spent late nights chatting while others were asleep, and one thing led to another. Their romance made the remaining Ulong Tribe mates fearful of their potential power.
Some of their tribemates feared that the pair’s closeness would be a distraction when it came to winning challenges. Though neither of them won, they decided to keep in touch after the show but didn’t continue their romantic relationship. They could have been a cute couple.
Parvati Shallow and Nate Gonzalez Weren’t Very Serious
Going into Survivor: Cooks Island, Nate Gonzalez wanted to prove to his Raro Tribe member that he was a strong and vital asset to the team. He hoped his strategy would draw the group’s female attention because he knew that the men would turn on each other. His plan worked.
Parvarti Shallow started flirting with Gonzalez, and things began to heat up between them. He liked her flirtations and cuddly nature, so it didn’t bother him. However, their showmance didn’t turn into anything serious. Admittedly, their moments together were entertaining.
Cole Medders and Jessica Johnston Were Very Flirty
Not long into Season 35’s Survivor: Heroes vs. Healers vs. Hustlers, Cole Medders and Jessica Johnston started innocently flirting. They turned up the heat when they went fishing together in the Fijian waters.
Johnston opened up about a personal thing to Medders and gave him a kiss on the cheek. He admitted that he couldn’t find anything he didn’t like about her. They went on a few dates after the show but didn’t go any further because they didn’t live in the same state and were at different places in their lives.