Everybody loves romance, and reality shows are a great testament to that. Many shows around the world that centre on bringing strangers together to coexist in a house and win a significant amount of money continuously show this to us. Fans of shows such as Love Island, the Big Brother franchises and Too Hot To Handle subscribe to them with the sole intention of seeing romantic experiences come alive. And while other reality shows don’t fit the love mould, we still see romantic relationships play out in them.
That’s why even as these shows come with a history of deception, lies and faux attempts at love, we still see housemates who fall in love and find genuine relationships that bloom outside the show.
In Nigeria, Big Brother Naija is a solid testament to this. Typically, the housemates move in together with excitement but without any prior relationship. As weeks pass, they get along, and we see some fall in love. Over the years, some show fans have seen this move as a diversion or a means of bolstering the support system and votes of the other housemates.
However, in the same light, Big Brother Naija has witnessed some awful breakups, particularly when one person gets evicted, showing that romance still exists in the house despite the strategic moves. Some of these housemates go on to have thriving relationships outside the house, giving fans home and abroad some of the best on and off-screen couples anyone has ever seen. Come with us as we acquaint you with 5 all-time favourite couples Big Brother Naija has given us.
- Teddy A and Bam Bam
Big Brother Naija’s third season, “Double Wahala,” gave its viewers so much drama, entertainment and, most of all, unique romantic pairings. The bond between Tope Adenibuyan, popularly known as Teddy and Bamike Olawumi, or BamBam is an excellent testament to this. Some would regard their story in the house as one of the most romantic tales the show has ever witnessed.
Their love story acknowledged that love can bloom in the strangest places, making their journey quite strange. While some viewers doubted their relevance outside of the reality show because their connection felt staged, a more significant portion cheered for them to succeed when the suspense peaked. After Bam Bam’s eviction, viewers were captivated by Teddy A’s emotional outburst, which showed how genuine their connection was.
A week after Bam Bam was evicted, Teddy followed suit, which marked the beginning of a new chapter in their romance. Their connection flourished outside the show, and we still see that today. Fans entered a frenzy when they announced their engagement on Instagram on August 4th, 2019. And a few months later, on November 16, they tied the knot in a lavish white ceremony in Dubai.
The most impressive thing about Teddy A and BamBam is that they are part of the few couples who have thrived outside the Big Brother Naija house. Together, they have two stunning children; their love tale is admirable and inspiring.
- Khafi and Gedoni
On “Pepper Dem,” the fourth season of BB Naija, Khafi, a British police officer, enters the Big Brother Naija house and falls in love with Gedoni, an entrepreneur. They had a clear chemistry from the beginning and soon fell in love with one another as housemates. These two captivated the interest of millions of Africans with their captivating love story in the house.
After they left the show, the two kept fans wondering about the state of their relationship. That’s why many were thrilled and overjoyed when Gedoni proposed to Khafi months later. In 2020, they had a stunning destination wedding. Everyone who attended the ceremony—including family, friends, and other housemates—found it unforgettable.
After four years together, Khafi and Gedoni are still going strong and becoming more in love. Their followers are overjoyed that they are now the proud parents of two adorable children.
- Mercy and Ike
Another couple Big Brother Naija‘s fourth season gave us was Mercy and Ike; these two were also among the most talked-about. Following her victory in the competition, Mercy and Ike went public with their feelings and declared their relationship official.
For a while, they maintained their close bond outside of the house, and as a result, they debuted their reality show, Mercy and Ike, which allows fans to see inside their relationship. However, this show didn’t air for long. Their relationship was brief despite their outward shows of affection. Mercy stunned their fans in September 2020 by declaring on social media that her relationship with Ike was a mess and she had to call it quits.
Ike claimed their relationship would not last because many people had negative ideas about them. On the other hand, Mercy denied dating Ike in a podcast interview, which left fans perplexed and unclear about the true nature of their relationship.
Despite the tragic end to their fairy tale, Mercy and Ike have moved on and are still pursuing their careers in the entertainment sector.
- Neo and Vee
These two were the entertaining duo of Season 5’s “Lock Down” edition of the reality TV show. The couple quickly became household names since they were often spotted sharing intimate moments. Fans were enamoured with their relationship, and everyone gushed over Neo‘s romantic expressions of love for Vee.
While their love affair in the house wasn’t without drama, that didn’t translate into the couple’s life in the real world. In 2021, Neo went above and beyond to surprise Vee with a bouquet and gifts for her birthday, and fans became more awed by Neo’s affection.
It was devastating to discover that their relationship had reached a difficult stage after Vee shared a photo of herself online with the remark, “soft and single.” Soon after they unfollowed one another on Instagram, fans noticed, and speculation of a potential breakup started circulating. The couple’s breakup was eventually verified, even though it was never publicly announced.
- Liquorose and Emmanuel
Season 6 of the reality TV series, “Shine Ya Eye” featured a steamy and sensual romance between Liquorose and Emmanuel that lit up our screens. It was obvious that these two were much in love with one another.
However, like many relationships in the house, this connection became short-lived when they pursued it in the real world. Liquorose revealed the reason for the breakup to the media in 2022, surprising everyone with her shocking announcement. She admitted that she was devastated to have to break up with Emmanuel because of his many sexcapades.
She was forced to make the painful choice to end the relationship even though Emmanuel denied the accusations. Fans were enraged by this revelation, and many expressed their dissatisfaction with the couple they rooted for, breaking apart and taking sides.
