Big Brother is one of the most popular and beloved reality programs of all time, generating praise for its cutthroat gameplay, unique premise, and of course, its showmances.
Show romances have long been an integral part of the game. Players often fall in love inside the Big Brother house, and the resulting showmances tend to generate some great drama. Some showmances are used for strategic purposes, but others are more legitimate and consistent, and it's always fascinating for fans to see who hooks up with who.
Brendon Villegas & Rachel Reilly
Many fans feel like Brendon and Rachel need to make a comeback, being two of the most iconic players to ever play the game. Rachel instantly proved one of the most memorable contestants in the show's history, often fighting with her fellow players and causing a lot of drama inside the house.
She was eventually made the first member of the jury, as her showmance with Brendon was regarded as a major threat. The two married in 2012 and now have two children, the most recent of which was born in November of 2020.
Jeff Schroeder & Jordan Lloyd
Often deemed "America's Couple," Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder are often regarded as the most beloved showmance in the history of Big Brother. The match was quite an odd one, given their conflicting gameplay styles.
Schroeder was a very confrontational player who wasn't afraid of making major moves and backdooring allies, whereas Lloyd was far more reserved and quiet. In the end, it was this timid personality that earned her the win over Natalie Martinez. The two are still together to this day and have two children.
James Huling & Natalie Negrotti
Staff recruiter James Huling originally competed on Big Brother 17 and suffered from unrequited love for Meg Maley. After returning for Big Brother 18, Huling entered into a relationship with the bright, personable, and likable Natalie Negrotti.
It was an odd relationship, lacking chemistry and causing some fans to think that there were ulterior motives. To their lack of surprise, the couple broke up quickly after leaving the house and, according to Inquisitr.com, left on extremely bad terms, with Huling admitting that the showmance was greatly exaggerated for the cameras.
Jackson Michie & Holly Allen
The most surprising thing about this showmance is just how devoted Holly was to Jackson. Jackson is easily one of the most divisive houseguests in the show's history - while many fans can acknowledge his strong gameplay, they also hate his abrasive personality, penchant for cheating, and the near-constant verbal abuse he spewed at other houseguests.
But Holly stuck with her controversial showmance, even when every other ally abandoned him, and it caused more than a few viewers to raise their eyebrows in confusion.
Mark Jansen & Elena Davies
Despite being a physical threat, Mark Jansen found himself mired in controversy for his problematic behavior and childish rivalry with Josh Martinez. This includes Mark throwing hot sauce and pickle juice into Josh's face, and Josh banging pots and pans in front of Mark.
Unfortunately, the relationship between Mark and Elena was built on some very rocky ground, and they constantly fought when outside the house. After numerous public fights through social media and on-again-off-again flirtations, according to E Online, the couple finally broke up for good in 2019.
Clay Honeycutt & Shelli Poole
Clay and Shelli of Big Brother 17 had very little in common, and their showmance came as quite a surprise. For one thing, they had a 10-year age gap between them - when Big Brother 17 began in June 2015, interior designer Shelli was 33, and college student Clay was 23.
Their personalities were also drastically different. Shelli is an extrovert who loves shopping and hanging out with friends, and Clay is an introvert who likes quiet, isolated activities, like hunting and fishing. They didn't last long outside the house, to the surprise of no one.
Austin Matelson & Liz Nolan
Many felt that the showmance between Austin and Liz was truly bizarre. Competing together on Big Brother 17, Liz was a 23-year-old marketing coordinator and Austin a 27-year-old professional wrestler.
Liz's official Big Brother promotional picture displays a young, professional woman with blonde hair and a conservative dress, whereas Austin's displays a t-shirt wearing man with long hair, a thick beard, and sleeves of arm tattoos. Without knowing their personalities, one would never assume that these two players would enter into a showmance.
Faysal Shafaat & Haleigh Broucher
These two cast members couldn't be more different, both in terms of personality and gameplay. Haleigh was a college student from Texas, Faysal, a substitute teacher from Florida. Haleigh played a flawed game but played the game nevertheless, winning the hacker competition and calling a disastrous house meeting.
On the other hand, Faysal was generally clueless, often had no idea what was going on inside the house, and was easily manipulated by his allies. He also persisted in seeking Haleigh, who eventually caved to Faysal's advances after turning him down numerous times.
McCrae Olson & Amanda Zuckerman
This is a prime example of opposites attracting. McCrae Olson was a quiet and timid pizza delivery boy who liked staying in the figurative shadows of the house. His showmance, Amanda Zuckerman, was a dominant and loud real estate broker who loved causing drama and getting into vicious, house-destroying arguments.
McCrae is a rather forgettable contestant (by design), whereas Amanda is one of the best villains in the history of Big Brother. It is by far one of the most surprising and unpredictable showmances.
Boogie & Erika Landin
Real name Mike Malin, Boogie is one of the most popular contestants in Big Brother history, known primarily for his alliance with Will Kirby. Competing three times, Boogie entered into a showmance with pilates instructor Erika Landin on Big Brother 7.
This showmance eventually resulted in Boogie's reputation as one of the show's most notorious villains, as he completely used the well-liked Erika to get deeper into the game. It was no surprise, given their complete lack of chemistry.