PETE AND CHRISTINA : THEN
Pete Timbs and Christina “Ballerina” Davis were the OG housemate couple from season one who were responsible for introducing the term “dancing doona” into Australian vernacular after their late-night antics.
PETE AND CHRISTINA: NOW
Sadly, the formerly loved-up duo called it quits shortly after the show but they continued to shine on their own. Christina went on to enjoy a career in stand-up comedy while Pete worked in media and now lives in Byron Bay with his wife Camilla, where he runs a café.
Speaking on Channel Seven’s The Morning Show in June last year, the 48-year-old revealed he keeps in touch with co-stars Blair McDonough, Ben Williams, Johnnie Cass and Jemma Gawned – but made no mention of his ex, Christina.
JESS AND MARTY: THEN
Nathan “Marty” Martin may have had a girlfriend on the outside, but that didn’t stop the farm boy from falling madly in love with city girl Jess Hardy in season two. Their love looked set to last well away from the Dreamworld compound and the pair even had their own spin-off show in 2004, Marty & Jess: An Outback Wedding, where cameras rolled as they tied the knot.
JESS AND MARTY: NOW
Marty and Jess’s fairytale romance came crashing down when they divorced 15 months after their well-publicised wedding. Marty went on to remarry, and now has three children with his second wife Lexi.
Still single, Jess went on to focus on her career studying law and became a radio host. And as the 2020 reboot of Big Brother kicked off, Jess reflected on her and Marty’s relationship during an interview with Triple M’s Moonman in the Morning.
Speaking of her decision to become intimate with Marty on national TV, she remarked, "I'm not an exhibitionist, but you do kind of forget [about the cameras] and you like the intimacy, you feel like you've got an ally, you get a little cosy and before too long it's the dancing doona all over again."
JAMIE AND KATIE: THEN
In 2006 headband-wearing Jamie Brooksby and loud and proud virgin Katie Hastings became season six’s golden couple. The pair even went as far as staging a mock wedding while in the house before Katie was booted and Jamie went on to win the $426,000 prize money.
JAMIE AND KATIE: NOW
Speaking to TV WEEK this month, Jamie blamed himself for the split with Katie shortly after the whirlwind of fame following the show and admitted he hasn’t kept in touch.
"We haven't spoken since shortly after we parted ways but I have no ill feelings whatsoever,” he said.
“I hope she's living her best life. We shared something pretty surreal and memorable. It was an unforgettable experience that changed our lives."
TRAVIS AND AISHA: THEN
Also kicking off their romance in the Big Brother house, Travis Lunardi and Aisha McKinnon were the genetically blessed pair to fall for each other in season 11, which aired in 2014. While Aisha was evicted on day 58, Travis made it all the way to the end and was runner-up behind winner Ryan Ginns.
TRAVIS AND AISHA: NOW
Despite the naysayers who though they wouldn’t last beyond Big Brother’s walls, Travis and Aisha went on to date for another 18 months before eventually splitting. These days, Aisha has a healthy number of Instagram followers (327k to be exact) and is the founder of label BOYBYHER.
Meanwhile, Travis is living in Melbourne and working as a dive instructor. He recently went back to his reality TV roots in a celebrity showdown boxing match – and was up against the likes of The Bachelorette’s Ciarran Stott and Paddy Colliar as well as Love Island’s Eden Dally.
TULLY AND DREW: THEN
As one of the most controversial couples in Big Brother history, season 10's Tully Smyth and Anthony Drew (know simply as “Drew”) hooked up despite Tully having a girlfriend on the outside. The scandal rocked the nation as Tully became one of the most hated women in Australia in 2013 thanks to her affair.
TULLY AND DREW: NOW
Like those who came before them, Tully and Drew didn’t last the distance. But plot twist: Tully and her ex-girlfriend Tahlia Farrant salvaged their broken relationship to become best friends.
Earlier this year, Tahlia broke her silence about the betrayal. Spilling her side on Georgia Love’s podcast Everyone has an Ex, Tahlia revealed she ultimately opted to forgive Tully and leave behind the pain. Over the years, Tully has been linked to high-profile men such as Richie Strahan and Ciarran Stott.
Meanwhile, Drew has since moved on and in 2018 briefly dated Leah Costa from Matty J’s season of The Bachelor. The fling ended with a tearful Instagram video rant from Leah when he dumped her after she faked an engagement to him.
CAT AND LAWSON: THEN
On par with Tully and Drew in the level of controversy was season 11's Cat Law and Lawson Reeves, whose relationship also started with infidelity.
Magician Lawson had been dating his girlfriend Candice Leeder for five years before entering the house, but decided to embark on a romance with midwife Cat anyway – much to the disgust of some of his fellow housemates.
CAT AND LAWSON: NOW
Despite the scandalous start, Cat and Lawson continued to date after being evicted from the house – and remained committed for another four-and-a-half years but revealed their break-up in 2019.
“It was a relationship that wasn’t for TV or for ratings or for getting us further in the game,” Cat previously told Mamamia.
“It was something that developed unexpectedly and that’s why the relationship lasted outside the house as well, because there was genuine feelings there.”
