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Over the years, there have been a number of showmances on Big Brother. While the show is technically a competition, some cast members have not been able to deny their chemistry with other housemates. So, how many Big Brother couples are still together, and where are they now?
America Lopez & Cory Wurtenberger
During Season 25, America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger started their fling. After their time on Big Brother ended, they attempted a long-distance relationship. However, the pair wound up moving in together. America relocated to Nashville to be closer to Cory. In a conversation with Us Weekly in July 2024, America said, “We talked about this a lot, and I was open in the house about not wanting to get married ever. With Cory, I’ll catch myself being, like, ‘If I were to get married, this is the kind of ring I’d like.’ But we just moved in together. Cory still hasn’t finished college.”
Claire Rehfuss & Derek Xiao
You may remember Claire Rehfuss and Derek Xiao from Season 23 of Big Brother. The duo started dating after their evictions on the show. They went on to compete in The Amazing Race, winning Season 34. Derek said that he is thankful for the strength of his relationship with Claire. “I think at the very beginning, I had delusions of grandeur around how good our relationship was because we hadn’t been tested, so I didn’t know,” he said. “But then we actually got tested, and now I think our relationship actually is where I thought it was.”
Christmas Abbott & Memphis Garrett
Christmas Abbott and Memphis Garrett are not an example of Big Brother couples that have stuck together. The pair returned to the BB house for Season 22, the all-star season. They got along well and eventually got married in May 2022. Less than two years later, Memphis filed for divorce. Christmas accused him of domestic violence in a statement to TMZ. “While I loved Memphis, I believe our marriage was unhealthy and abusive,” she stated. “I was granted temporary protection from the courts after demonstrating what I feel was domestic abuse. Though we are currently in divorce proceedings, we both put our families before everything else.”
Bayleigh Dayton & Christopher ‘Swaggy C’ Williams
Bayleigh Dayton and Christopher Williams (aka Swaggy C) are a true Big Brother love story. The pair got engaged during the BB 20 finale and got hitched in February 2019. They have had a wonderful marriage and have welcomed two children into the world together. Their son, Christopher, was just born in January 2024.
Jessica Graf & Cody Nickson
Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson are another Big Brother romance success story. They started dating during Season 19. Like Claire and Derek, Jessica and Cody went on to compete in The Amazing Race following their time in the Big Brother house. They won Season 30 of The Amazing Race and tied the knot in October 2018. Now, the couple has four daughters and are living their best lives together.
Nicole Franzel & Victor Arroyo
Nicole Franzel was actually in a relationship with Corey Brooks from Season 18. However, she wound up getting together with Victor Arroyo from the same season off-camera. They wound up getting engaged during an appearance on Big Brother in 2018 and got married in March 2021. The couple appeared on The Amazing Race for Season 31, coming in fourth. Nicole also competed in (and won) Big Brother Reindeer Games.
Daniele Donato & Dominic Briones
Going all the way back to Big Brother Season 13 is the romance between Daniele Donato and Dominic Briones. They started dating after they appeared on the reality show and got married in January 2013. They’ve also welcomed two daughters in 2018 and 2021. Dominic frequently gushes over his wife on Instagram. On their anniversary in 2022, he wrote, “9 years married and I’ve never loved you more. You’re the best wife, best mom to our girls, and best homemaker I could ask for. Nobody will ever know how thankful I am for you. Let’s grow, let’s build, let’s succeed together.”
Rachel Reilly & Brendon Villegas
Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas actually swore each other off when they appeared on Big Brother 12 together. However, they wound up following in love. Like other Big Brother couples, Rachel and Brendon appeared on The Amazing Race. They appeared in seasons 20 and 24 of The Amazing Race. Rachel then returned for Season 31 with her sister. She also appeared in Snake in the Grass and The Traitors. Beyond their lives on reality TV, the couple has one son and one daughter.
Jordan Lloyd & Jeff Schroeder
Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder started out as friends in the Big Brother house during Season 11. After leaving the show, they wound up staying in touch and their friendship blossomed into a romance. The pair got hitched in March 2016 and have welcomed two sons since then. Jordan went on to co-host Big Brother Reindeer Games and now the couple has a podcast called “Togethermess.”
Why Are Big Brother Couples So Successful?
Considering the number of couples that come out of reality shows and how many fail, some fans have been surprised to see how many Big Brother romances have been successful. Save for Memphis and Christmas, the rate of success for the marriages that stemmed from Big Brother seems to be relatively high.
On Reddit, fans weighed in on what might contribute to the overall success of relationships between Big Brother contestants. One person pointed out that there’s nothing else to do in the BB house than talk to each other. The contestants are cut off from the outside world completely.
“Add to that the complete pressure cooker that the BB house can be, celebrating the high highs and commiserating in the low lows, you can build some really serious bonds,” they wrote. “I feel like dating shows should take note and put the contestants through misery together for a month and see how they come out on the other side.”
Others agreed, adding that they have not only already lived together, but they’ve potentially seen each other at their worst. “Also they’ve been cooperating intently and intimately against known enemies. That comradery and trust building is strong,” one fan suggested.
Whatever the case may be, there’s no doubt that Big Brother couples seem to have a good chance of finding their happily ever after.
