Jeff Probst, host of Survivor, may be known as the godfather of reality TV, but his personal life has always been out of the limelight. He has been the host, showrunner, and producer of Survivor, which is still going strong, even after 25 years since the first season aired. There have not been many TV shows that have achieved this level of success.
Jeff, on one side, lights up the screens with two seasons of Survivor every year. However, his fans know very little about his dating life. It was back in the 1990s when Jeff’s dating life came into the limelight when he first married trauma specialist, Shelly Wright. Here’s a look at Jeff’s relationship timeline.
Jeff Probst’s marriage to Shelly Wright was short-lived
Jeff got married to psychotherapist, Shelly back in 1996 and they separated in 2001. Their separation occurred a year after Jeff’s show, Survivor, aired, and according to a report by Parade, his rise to stardom may have had a negative impact on his marriage with Shelly. When he entered Survivor, he was already married. She had specialisation in depression, anxiety, trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. During the initial stages of his career, Shelly was Jeff’s pillar of support. However, over time, Jeff and Shelly began drifting apart, and reportedly, the demands of his show, Survivor, took a toll on their relationship. However, despite the ex-pair separating in 2001 both of them have been quiet about their relationship’s past and do not have kids.
Jeff Probst’s rumoured relationship with Survivor contestant, Julie Berry
Jeff has been married twice but reportedly had a long relationship with Julie, a contestant from Survivor. She had taken part in the ninth season of the show, Survivor: Vanuatu and the pair had announced their relationship after the finale back in December 2004. According to a report by the People, Jeff was linked to this Survivor contestant back from 2004 to 2008. During that time, Jeff was 43 and Julie was 24 and was working as a mentor in Gorham, Maine. She moved to California to pursue her Master’s in family counselling and dated Jeff until 2008. Owing to his demanding schedule, their relationship didn’t last. The relation didn’t last long; like his first marriage, it hogged the limelight. He had emailed Berry to say hello post the production of Survivor and shared with the publication:
“The funny thing was there was this perception we were flirting on the show, and that was actually just fun stuff on the show. I didn’t really talk to Julie until long after the show was over. Once we started spending some time together, I didn’t have any doubt. I didn’t have any doubt and all the questions about how you meet and any potential obstacles, they fade away like an old dry leaf.”
Jeff Probst then married Lisa Ann Russell, who is 10 years younger than him
Jeff, aged 63, is happily married to ex-model Lisa Ann Russell, who is 53 and is 10 years younger than him. The former actress began her modelling career for Revlon while in college, and in 1992, she shifted her attention to acting. She did not pursue the same for a long time and back in 1993 played a small role in Saved By The Bell: The College Years where she had met her then husband, Mark Paul Gosselaar. Both of them were married from 1996 to 2010 and have two kids. Jeff and Lisa reportedly met at her husband, Mark’s, annual Christmas bash. He had shared in an interview with Larry King that the Christmas party was the craziest he had ever been to due to the energetic group of people there. It was at the party that Jeff saw Lisa in the crowd, and they both had an instant connection. It was in August 2010 when both appeared as a couple in Emmy Awards.
Jeff Probst and Lisa Ann Russell do not have kids
Jeff and Lisa were married earlier, and both had decided to have a private wedding ceremony at the Probsts’ backyard located in Los Angeles. It was on December 5, 2011, when they got married after being introduced at the Christmas bash. The couple do not have any biological kids, but Jeff is a stepdad to Lisa’s two kids from her earlier marriage, whose names are Michael and Ava. These kids were from her previous marriage to ex-husband, Gosselaar. Speaking about his relationship, Jeff once told Larry King:
“I always thought I would have this family and this great family unit, because that’s what I came from. And then, one day, I met this woman, and it happened. And she had two kids.”
It is interesting to also note that Jeff’s current wife, Lisa and her ex-husband, Gosselaar, have a strong as well as a healthy co-parenting relationship. It has allowed Lisa’s current partner, Jeff, to play his role as a stepfather. Jeff had shared that his wife and her ex-husband had raised the children with the kind of love they see, and he is proud of getting the love even as a stepdad.
What are your views on Survivor host, Jeff Probst’s relationships?
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