6 “Survivor” Showmances That Lasted — and Whether Each Couple Wants to Play a Season Together Now (Exclusive)

“Yes! I’d keep him around long enough to feed me and keep me warm,” Sierra Dawn Thomas tells PEOPLE of Joe Anglim, who she competed with on season 30

Imagine if Survivor’s 50th season — which host Jeff Probst recently confirmed will feature a full cast of returning players for the first time since season 40’s all-winners cast — only included former castaways who had showmances that either lasted or flamed out over the years.

While season 46 comes to a close on May 22, and the milestone 50th season won't air until 2026 with three new seasons to come before that, PEOPLE is taking a look at six Survivor showmances and how these relationships have evolved since meeting on their respective seasons.

PEOPLE asked couples who are still dating (like season 44’s Matthew Blankinship and Frannie Marin) or married (like Survivor veterans Amber and “Boston Rob” Mariano, who now have four daughters) whether they’d ever compete together again.

Related: Survivor Season 46 Breaks the Record — Again — for Most Players Voted Out with Idols In a Single Season

While their love has outlasted some viewers’ expectations and reality TV pressures, their answers reveal their ongoing competitive spirits to outwit, outplay and outlast each other in Survivor.

Married Survivor alums Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson, who met and connected on season 23, tells PEOPLE they would “absolutely” play together again.

“After being together 13 years, we pretty much read each other’s minds [and] he could never backstab me or he’d be sleeping in the guest room,” Whitney says jokingly.

Meanwhile, Frannie reveals why she wouldn’t play with her boyfriend: “I don’t want to play with Matt again because he is distracting, and I want to win!”

Related: Boston Rob Mariano Reflects on 19-Year Marriage to Wife Amber: 'We Dedicate Everything to Family' (Exclusive)

Matthew Blankinship and Frannie Marin

• Matt, 29 (March 27, 1995): Competed on season 44

• Frannie, 25 (March 13, 1999): Competed on season 44

PEOPLE: Would you ever play Survivor together again?

Matt: I don’t want to play with Frannie again because she’ll win all the challenges.

Frannie: I don’t want to play with Matt again because he is distracting, and I want to win!

When did you start dating?

June 2022.

How did you start dating?

We both knew we liked each other while competing on the show, but were too nervous to say anything. At Ponderosa [where players who make the jury hang out after they’re eliminated], we finally admitted our feelings for each other and went on a beautiful first date picnic. Shortly after, we started dating and sealed it with a kiss.

Current Residence?

San Francisco, California.

Joe Anglim and Sierra Dawn Thomas

• Joe, 35 (Sept. 30, 1988): Competed on season 30 (Worlds Apart); season 31 (Cambodia); season 38 (Edge of Extinction)

• Sierra, 37 (Dec. 18, 1986): Competed on season 30 (Worlds Apart); season 34 (Game Changers)

PEOPLE: Would you ever play Survivor together again?

Sierra: Yes! I have to make sure I last more days than he does, again! I’d keep him around long enough to feed me and keep me warm.

Joe: I would absolutely play with her again, but considering how competitive she is, and on top of that, she’s a mama bear now, she’ll most likely let me make the merge again but quickly put me on the jury.

When did you start dating?

August 2017.

How did you start dating?

We were both dating people after we were on the show together and became really good friends over the next couple years. After those relationships ended, we naturally started dating as the love we had for each other grew deeper. We are grateful we had those years before dating to become really close as friends. When people say to fall in love with your best friend, they aren’t lying. It was the best thing going into dating, having a solid foundation and knowing each other so well.

When did you get engaged?

April 9, 2019.

When did you get married?

Nov. 23, 2019.

How many kids do you have?

One daughter and one son.

Current Residence?

Salt Lake City, Utah.

Keith Tollefson and Whitney Duncan

• Keith, 39 (Oct. 1, 1984): Competed on season 23 (South Pacific)

• Whitney, 39 (Aug. 3, 1984): Competed on season 23 (South Pacific)

PEOPLE: Would you ever play Survivor together again?

Whitney: Absolutely. We played well together the first time, and after being together 13 years, we pretty much read each other’s minds. He could never backstab me or he’d be sleeping in the guest room.

When did you start dating?

Whitney: We fell in love while filming in June 2011. He held my hand on night three of the game and the rest is history. I knew deep down he was my soulmate. But I had to go home and end a relationship so that we could move forward.

How did you start dating?

Whitney: I don’t know if we should count watching The Notebook at Ponderosa with Jim and Ozzy as our first date. I guess we didn’t have our first “date” until after we got home from filming. Keith visited me in Nashville a few weeks after we got back to the states and then moved to Tennessee.

When did you get engaged?

Feb. 14, 2013, almost two years after filming.

When did you get married?  

July 27, 2014, right after we did Amazing Race. This year is our 10-year anniversary!

How many kids do you have?

One son, with baby No. 2 on the way, due in October. And our dog Duke. Fun fact: We had our son on Keith’s birthday! It will be crazy if we also have our daughter that day, too!

Current Residence? 

Nashville, Tennessee.

Amber Brkich and Rob Mariano

• Amber, 45 (Aug. 11, 1978): Competed on season 2 (Australian Outback); season 8 (All-Stars, won); season 40 (Winners at War)

• Rob, 48 (Dec. 25, 1975): Competed on season 4 (Marquesas); season 8 (All-Stars); season 20 (Heroes vs. Villains); season 22 (Redemption Island, won); season 40 (Winners at War)

Would you ever play Survivor together again? Why or why not?   

We did season 40 Winners at War!

When did you start dating? 

December 2003.

How did you start dating? 

Rob: When we got back from Survivor, Amber came to Boston for New Year’s Eve.

When did you get engaged?

May 2004 during the Survivor All-Stars finale at Madison Square Garden.

When did you get married? 

April 2005 at the Atlantis Paradise Island in The Bahamas.

How many kids do you have? 

Four girls.

Current Residence?

Pensacola, Florida.

Jon Misch and Jaclyn Schultz

• Jon, 36 (March 29, 1988): Competed on season 29 (San Juan del Sur)

• Jaclyn, 35 (Aug. 16, 1988): Competed on season 29 (San Juan del Sur)

Would you ever play Survivor together again? 

I don’t think we would play together again at this stage in life because our son is still so little, but we would be open to the idea later in life!

When did you start dating?

2011.

How did you start dating?

We met at a bar called Woody’s after college in 2011 (this was before we were on Survivor in 2014). I scanned the room for a tall guy (since I am 6’0”), spotted Jon and decided to purposely bump into him to start a conversation. The one-night stand that changed our lives — in the best way.

When did you get engaged?

2014.

When did you get married?

August 2015.

How many kids do you have? 

One son.

Current Residence? 

Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Rachel Foulger and Tyson Apostol

• Rachel, 44 (July 28, 1979): Competed on season 27 (Blood vs. Water)

• Tyson, 44 (June 17, 1979): Competed on season 18 (Tocantins); season 20 (Heroes vs. Villains); season 27 (Blood vs. Water, won); season 40 (Winners at War)

Rachel Foulger and Tyson Apostol, who politely declined to comment for this story, competed together on season 27 in 2013, got engaged during Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 2 in 2014 and wed in 2015.

The couple, who have two daughters, recently shared an Instagram photo of themselves hugging each other at an Arizona Diamondbacks game in May 2024.

Regarding who should be on the all-returnees cast for Survivor’s milestone 50th season, Tyson recently said on X (formerly Twitter) that the "only season 50 I wanna see are the 3 biggest disaster tribes of the new era combined all on one season.”

Related: 25 of the Wildest Rules You Didn't Know Contestants Have to Follow on 'Survivor'

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Survivor airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CBS, and can be streamed afterwards on Paramount+.

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