7 Couples Who Found Lasting Love on “Big Brother”

These ‘Big Brother’ showmances are still together today

NEED TO KNOW

• Big Brother has led to many long-term relationships
• Host Julie Chen credits the show’s intense environment for fostering strong, enduring connections
• Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder, the show’s longest-lasting couple, got married in 2016 and have since welcomed two sons

Fans may not think of Big Brother as a dating show, but that hasn’t stopped a number of contestants from falling in love over the years.

During the CBS competition show, contestants live together for months, compete in challenges and vote one another out, all while being sequestered away from society in a house filled with cameras to catch every moment. All that time together has led to several romances — a.k.a. “showmances.”

From short-lived romances like Rylie Jeffries and Katherine Woodman to years-long relationships like Claire Rehfuss and Derek Xiao, Big Brother has unexpectedly led to many couplings. Seven relationships are still together to this day — and some are even married with kids.

“We’ve had more marriages than The Bachelor, and we are not a dating show,” host Julie Chen Moonves told PEOPLE in July 2025. “Because when you’re in the Big Brother house, you’re in a pressure cooker with someone where there’s no escape, and it’s 24/7.”

In season 28, which premiered in July 2026, a showmance is already brewing between Lyric Medeiros and Rome Seymour.

Below, see seven couples who met in the Big Brother house and are still going strong today.

01 of 07

Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder

Big Brother’s longest-reigning couple are Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder. The duo met in 2009 while competing on season 11. Schroeder, who is originally from Illinois, went home on day 61, while North Carolina native Lloyd ended up winning the season.

Lloyd admitted to Entertainment Weekly in June 2022 that watching Schroeder get evicted wasn’t easy. “When Jeff got evicted, everybody thought that I was basically doomed and there was no chance for me,” she said.

Later that year, the duo started officially dating and appeared on season 16 of The Amazing Race. They later returned to the Big Brother house again to compete on season 13 in 2011. While neither won, Schroeder was crowned America’s Favorite Houseguest on both seasons.

In March 2016, they got married. They now have two sons: Lawson, born later that year in October, and Layton, born in September 2018. The couple now host the podcast Togethermess, chronicling their lives as parents.

02 of 07

Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly

In 2010, cocktail waitress Rachel Reilly and high school swim coach Brendon Villegas met while competing on season 12. The two grew closer during the competition and had 41 days together before Reilly was evicted.

“Big Brother gave us 41 days for a first date,” Villegas told PEOPLE in February 2026. “So I really got to know every aspect of Rachel when we were together 24/7.”

During the same interview, Reilly admitted that she wasn’t initially impressed after meeting Villegas in the Big Brother house. “I thought Brendon was really handsome and good-looking,” she said. “But I wasn’t impressed or interested until I found out he was getting a Ph.D. at UCLA.”

The couple wed in September 2012 and went on to compete on several more reality shows together, including season 13 of Big Brother (which Reilly won), Celebrity Fear Factor and seasons 20 and 24 of The Amazing Race. More recently, Reilly starred in season 1 of The Traitors, returned for Big Brother season 27 (where she placed ninth) and made a cameo in the season 28 premiere.

Off-camera, the couple have two children: daughter Adora, born in April 2016, and son Adler, born in November 2020.

03 of 07

Daniele Donato and Dominic Briones

Returning contestant Daniele Donato met Dominic Briones in 2011 while competing on season 13.

Two years later in January 2013, the couple got married in Huntington Beach, Calif. “Truth be told, I really didn’t like him at first,” Donato told PEOPLE at the time. “I thought he was a little troublemaker.”

“After the finale, we became inseparable,” she continued. “We got to know each other really well, and we fell in love!”

In August 2018, they welcomed their daughter, Tennessee. Donato broke the news in an Instagram post, writing, “God is amazing and I couldn’t feel luckier than I do right now. The best birthday present anyone could ever ask for.”

In November 2021, they welcomed their second daughter, Lux.

04 of 07

Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo

In 2016, returning contestant Nicole Franzel met Victor Arroyo while competing on season 18. Franzel went on to win the season, and the couple later competed on season 31 of The Amazing Race.

Two years later during season 20, Franzel returned to the Big Brother house under the guise of helping to host a competition. In reality, Arroyo proposed to her live on camera.

In January 2021, the couple announced they were pregnant with their first child, and two months later, they wed. “I can’t believe the day is finally here 😍 Nic and I will finally be MARRIED!!” Arroyo posted to his Instagram. “👰🏼🤵🏽‍♂️ + baby in the oven 😁.”

They welcomed their son, Arrow, in July 2021. In September 2025, the couple revealed to PEOPLE that they were pregnant again, this time with twins.

“My last pregnancy was a cakewalk. This one is completely opposite,” she told PEOPLE. “I’m already having sciatica pain and all other symptoms of being 30 weeks pregnant. Having two in there is a lot different than having one. I need to be more careful with my workload this time around.”

In February 2026, the twins — son River and daughter Goldie — were born. “These cuties have made our Arrow a proud big brother,” Franzel wrote on Instagram.

05 of 07

Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson

Jessica Graf met Cody Nickson while competing on Big Brother season 19 in 2017. The following year, they got married and competed on season 30 of The Amazing Race, winning the competition and taking home the $1 million prize.

“Our wildest dreams came true today — we’re married!” they told PEOPLE in October 2018, revealing that the guest list included many of their former competitors from Big Brother and The Amazing Race. “Being surrounded by our closest family and friends and sharing this special day with them was all we ever wanted.”

Since then, the couple has welcomed five daughters. Maverick was born in March 2019, followed by Carter in October 2020, Atlas in July 2022, Gemma in December 2023 and Italia in October 2025. Nickson is also a dad to daughter Paisley from a previous relationship.

06 of 07

Bayleigh Dayton and Christopher Williams

While competing on season 20 of Big Brother in 2018, Bayleigh Dayton met Christopher “Swaggy C” Williams. Despite Swaggy being sent home second, he returned for the season finale, where he proposed to Dayton on-camera.

“I don’t really care about any girl in the world,” he said. “I want you and only you. And I don’t really know what my future holds, but I do know I want you in it.”

Since then, the couple married on Swaggy’s birthday in February 2019 and have welcomed two children together: daughter Alora, born in August 2022, and son Christopher, born in January 2024. They now live in Dubai.

07 of 07

America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger

America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger fell in love while competing together on season 25 in 2023. Wurtenberger was evicted on day 79, and just one week later, Lopez was evicted on day 86.

After his elimination, Entertainment Weekly asked Wurtenberger what it will be like for his parents to meet Lopez for the first time. “They’ve already kind of met her though because they’ve been watching her for months,” he said. “It’s kind of a unique experience. I’m much more nervous about meeting America’s parents than I am about her meeting mine.”

The two moved to Boston together in 2025 and regularly post photos of each other on social media. That same year, they co-hosted episodes of the Big Brother Unlocked Unlocked podcast, which recapped episodes from season 27.

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