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‘Big Brother’ 18: Love is in the Air as Some New Cast Members Say They’re Up for a Showmance in the BB18 House

By Cia Young
Published on: 22:56 PST, Jun 15, 2016

In less than one week on June 22, Big Brother 18 will air its two-hour premiere episode, kicking off a summer sure to be filled with excitement, drama, and maybe even a “showmance” or two.

The showmance as an entity that developed and was made popular early on in the Big Brother franchise, and in some cases romance on the show has been used for strategy.

Over the 17 seasons of Big Brother, many showmances have bloomed between cast members. However, most have fizzled either before the season ended or shortly after the couple was no longer in the house and attempted to sustain a romance while trying to navigate the pressures of the real world.

Twelve new house guests were introduced to the public on Tuesday, and several have spoken out, saying they are not ruling out a romance in the Big Brother 18 house, with some actually setting out to be one half of a showmance.

According to Entertainment Tonight, new cast member Victor Arroyo, 25, who owns a gym in Slidell, Louisiana, is hoping love will come his way while playing the CBS reality game. Victor told ET he’s “open to a showmance,” particularly if it helps him get further in the game. He also noted that if he gets involved in a showmance, it could go beyond simply strategy and he might “genuinely” be interested in the female he pairs up with in Big Brother 18. Nevertheless, Victor is intent on keeping his eye on the prize and said the $500,000 is why he’s playing the game.

Another house guest, Zakiyah Everette, 24, a preschool teacher from Charlotte, North Carolina, told ET without hesitation, “I am looking for a showmance, yes.” She went on to mention some of the more notable and lasting showmances in Big Brother history she’d like to emulate, saying “Like a Rachel and Brendon, a Jordan and Jeff… Mr. Sexy! That would be great.”

Yet, another house guest with love on his mind is Corey Brooks, 25, a baseball coach from Dallas, Texas. According to what Corey told ET, he is very “optimistic about finding love” while in the Big Brother 18 house, and found it “definitely a possibility.” He is also cognizant of the half million dollar grand prize and told ET that, if a showmance is detrimental to his game, he will be more than happy to “forget it.”

Showmances have actually aided some players to go far in Big Brother, as some couplings in the house have resulted in one of the pair going on to win the game. According to Wet Paint, one of these was Big Brother favorite Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas, affectionately shipped “Brenchel.” The two met in season 12 of Big Brother and returned in Season 13 when Rachel went on to win the game. The couple eventually married, were on another CBS reality show – The Amazing Race – and recently welcomed a baby girl into the world.

Wet Paint reports another successful romantic pairing involved Jeff Schroeder and Jordan Lloyd. They met in season 11 of Big Brother and returned to the show in season 13, as well. Jordan won Big Brother 11, which many attributed to her relationship with Jeff. Recently, the two announced they were expecting a baby and that they had married.

A showmance that is credited with another win was between Drew Daniel and Diane Henry in season 5 of Big Brother. Wet Paint reports that Diane was the brains, while Drew was the eye candy, so their pairing worked in the game. Diane and Drew were part of the final 3, along with Michael Ellis, aka “Cowboy,” but when it came down to it and they were given the opportunity, Drew dropped his showmance partner and took Cowboy to the final two. Drew won the grand prize that season with the help of Diane, who voted for him to win. It doesn’t appear that Diane and Drew’s romance endured, and in 2012, TMZ reported that Drew was arrested and charged with domestic violence.

Daniele Donato, who many will remember is the daughter of renowned Big Brother player “Evel” Dick Donato, believed she had found love in season 8 of Big Brother when she had a showmance with Nick Starcevic, according to Wet Paint. That romance was not to be, which worked out for well for Daniele, as she found love with Dominic Briones when she returned to Big Brother in season 13. Although neither Daniele nor Dominic won their season of Big Brother, Wet Paint reports the couple wed in 2013 and are still together.

According to ET, one new Big Brother 18 house guest has decided she will not take part in a showmance, but might encourage others to get romantic to sabotage their game. Bronte D’Acquisto, 26, a math student from San Diego, California, told ET:

…a lot of showmances just make you an easy target… They make you emotional. So my goal is to fuel other showmances. I’ll be like, ‘Girl, did you see the way that guy looked at you?'”

Only time will tell whether love blooms in the Big Brother 18 house. Cast members have probably started the game as of Wednesday so attraction between some of the house guests may already be brewing.

What do you think? What pairings do you want to see, or would hate to see in the Big Brother 18 house?

[Photo by Serg Zastavkin/Shutterstock Image]

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