The Season With the ‘Most Intimate Footage We’ve Ever Had of a Love Affair’ Led to a Real-Life ‘Survivor’ Romance
Out of all the popular shows that have changed the course of reality television, Survivor is probably the most iconic. The franchise launched in the United States in 2000 and eventually spawned multiple spinoffs and themed series. One of the most popular aired in 2008, when Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites debuted on television. This season would become infamous amongst the fan base, as well as for host Jeff Probst, who opened up before it aired about a red-hot romance that developed between two of the contestants. While Probst remained mum on the identity of the two contestants, many fans have developed a theory about the details of the romance.
‘Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites’ aired in 2008
By the time Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites aired in 2008, Survivor was already the hottest show on TV. It dominated the reality television genre, inspiring fans to gather around the TV every week and discuss all the details, including which contestants were likely to get voted off the island and which were likely to go the distance and achieve reality stardom.
Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites changed things up in a few ways, including being the first season to feature an even-numbered jury and two rather than three finalists on the final Tribal Council. Fans loved both the changes and the contestants. And to this day, the season remains one of the best in the show’s legendary history.
What did Jeff Probst say about the ‘intimate’ footage captured during ‘Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites’?
Sparks apparently flew behind the scenes during Season 16, as detailed by longtime host Jeff Probst. Prior to the premiere of Survivor: Micronesia – Fans vs. Favorites, he admitted that there was a serious romance that developed between two of the contestants on the show. As reported by People, Probst said “We have some of the most intimate footage we have ever had of a love affair developing and ‘consummating’ in a ‘Survivor’ way. It was brilliant how we captured it, because they tried to hide. We out-thought them.”
Probst noted that all the contestants were provided with contraceptives during filming, because “We don’t want to have any ‘Survivor’ babies.” Still, the savvy host of the show gave no hints as to the identity of the contestants, and it wasn’t until later that fans began putting together the pieces to figure out who the star-crossed Survivor lovers actually were.
Jeff Probst was likely alluding to the romance between ‘Survivor’ contestants Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel
When Season 16 premiered, fans were quick to notice the onscreen relationship between contestants Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel. Their makeup season and shower scene powered a lot of viewer conversations, and according to CBS, Lusth even had a sweet message for Kimmel after he was booted from the show: “I honestly feel like I started to fall in love with you. I’m glad I didn’t win Cook Islands so that I could be here and meet you.”
The two kept their romance going after the season wrapped, embarking on a real-life relationship that lasted around six months. According to Screen Rant, Lusth and Kimmel ended up breaking up not long after the Season 16 reunion. These days, Kimmel is happily married to her husband, Matt Cooper, and shares two young children with him, while Lusth travels the world as a popular part of the Survivor franchise universe. Even though Lusth and Kimmel’s love affair didn’t last, it was certainly entertaining for a brief period of time.
