{"id":267851,"date":"2019-02-20T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-20T11:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/b1014557"},"modified":"2019-02-20T04:00:00","modified_gmt":"2019-02-20T11:00:00","slug":"alec-merlino-and-kara-kays-survivor-love-story-deserves-reward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/music-news\/alec-merlino-and-kara-kays-survivor-love-story-deserves-reward\/","title":{"rendered":"Alec Merlino and Kara Kay’s Survivor Love Story Deserves Reward"},"content":{"rendered":"
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When Kara Kay<\/strong> and Alec Merlino<\/strong> found out they were\u00a0appearing on Survivor<\/em>, finding love certainly wasn’t on their to-do list.<\/p>\n

Instead, the $1 million prize was one of their main motivations to leave sunny California and\u00a0try to outwit, outlast and outplay their competition.<\/p>\n

While they may not have made the finals on season 37 of Survivor: David vs. Goliath<\/em>, the two castaways found a prize each of them never expected. Oh yes, these two found love.<\/p>\n

“I think we both started liking each other, but we just didn’t know it,” Alec shared with E! News exclusively ahead of tonight’s season premiere. “Toward the end of the show, when I would walk back into Tribal when I got voted out, I was like, ‘She’s kinda cute.’ And it wasn’t until the very last night when the thing kinda happened.”<\/p>\n

That thing is\u00a0deciding to turn their friendship into something more. The pair says they started dating May 7, which was the last day they were both in Fiji.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Since then, Alec has moved to San Diego, Calif., to work on his Head & Hart<\/a> small business. And yes, it helps that Kara calls it home too.<\/p>\n

While\u00a0both parties aren’t\u00a0ones to post couples shots on Instagram each and every day, they assure fans that things are going great.<\/p>\n

“Usually our days consist of waking up and we’ll bike ride, walk by the bay, run. We just like to get caught up in the moment and we don’t like to pull our thumbs out,” Alec explained. “I just don’t feel the need to post every second of what I’m doing. We’re both really good about not having our phones and that’s just a testament to our relationship.”<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Kara added, “And it’s a testament to how we started too. We started with absolutely nothing. It’s like the reverse Bachelor<\/em>. You start at your absolute worst with no technology, stripped of everything that is normal in everyday life\u2026We’re like way closer than a lot of people ever will get to be.”<\/p>\n

While the pair agrees that you shouldn’t join Survivor<\/em> to find romance, they are grateful that cupid struck at an unlikely destination.<\/p>\n

In fact, they aren’t the only contestants to find love on the show. Take a look at some of the other couples formed because of\u00a0Survivor<\/em> in our gallery below<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Jenna<\/div>\n

Instagram<\/p>\n

Jenna Bowman and Sebastian Noel<\/h3>\n

These Survivor: Ghost Island<\/em> contestants are so intertwined they started a vlog and a couples Instagram account: Tarzan and Jen<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Parvati<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Parvati Shallow and John Fincher<\/h3>\n

Parvati Shallow, a participant on multiple iterations of Survivor<\/em>, started dating John Fincher of Survivor: Samoa<\/em> in 2014. They married in 2017 and welcomed a daughter in 2018.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Whitney<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Whitney Duncan and Keith Tollefson<\/h3>\n

This pair from 2011’s Survivor: South Pacific<\/em> had almost instant sparks. Their relationship took them on The Amazing Race<\/em> together, and they wed in 2014.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Article continues below<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Jeff<\/div>\n

Andrew H. Walker\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Jeff Probst and Julie Berry<\/h3>\n

After production on Survivor: Vanuatu<\/em> wrapped, Probst, the longtime host of the CBS series, reached out to Berry. The two started dating, but kept the relationship a secret until after Berry’s season aired. They were together for a few years, but eventually split.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Rob<\/div>\n

Robert Voets\/CBS Photo Archive via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Rob Mariano and Amber Brkich<\/h3>\n

Oh, Boston Rob and Amber. These two took showmance to the next level. They met in 2003 while on Survivor: All-Stars<\/em>, got engaged in 2004, and had a TV wedding in 2005. They competed on The Amazing Race<\/em> in season seven and returned for The Amazing Race: All-Stars in 2007. They have three kids.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Mary Sartain and Ryan Opray<\/h3>\n

The couple were introduced by Johnny Fairplay<\/strong> and were engaged, but the relationship didn’t last.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Article continues below<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

Steve Mack\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Spencer Duhm and Todd Herzog<\/h3>\n

Todd Herzog, the winner of Survivor: China<\/em>, met Survivor: Tocantins<\/em> contestant Spencer Duhm in 2009. The couple eventually split, and Herzog later appeared on Dr. Phil<\/em> for an intervention with his alcohol addiction.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

Amy Sussman\/Getty Images<\/p>\n

Stephen Fishbach and Courtney Yates<\/h3>\n

Courtney Yates of Survivor: China<\/em> and Stephen Fishbach of Survivor: Tocantins<\/em> never competed on the series together, but met in 2009 and struck up a romantic relationship, but it didn’t last. Fishbach got married in 2018<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

Sonja Flemming\/CBS via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Ethan Zohn and Jenna Morasca<\/h3>\n

These two Survivor<\/em> winners met during the finale of Survivor: The Amazon<\/em>. They started dating in 2003 and were together for 10 years, even appearing on The Amazing Race<\/em>.<\/p>\n

“It is with much consideration and a heavy heart that we are announcing that after 10 years of a loving relationship, the decision was made to move on without each other,” a rep for the couple told E! News in 2013<\/a>. “We will carry with us the memories of a relationship grounded in love, laughter, support and friendship.”<\/p>\n

“We have experienced some of life’s greatest joys and toughest challenges together, and our decision to be apart can never diminish that. We want to thank everyone for their support and we ask that our privacy be respected as we move forward.” Ethan Zohn is now married.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Article continues below<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

Instagram<\/p>\n

Erik Huffman and Jaime Dugan-Huffman<\/h3>\n

The Survivor: China<\/em> contestants met on the show in 2007 during the competition. They married two years later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Alex Bell and Kim Powers<\/h3>\n

Alex Bell, from Survivor: The Amazon<\/em>, and Kim Powers, from Survivor: Africa<\/em>, met through the show and got married in 2006.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

David Murphy and Carolina Eastwood<\/h3>\n

Carolina Eastwood, a Survivor: Tocantins<\/em> contestant, and David Murphy, a Survivor: Redemption Island<\/em> contestant, got engaged on TV during the Redemption Island<\/em> reunion. However, the marriage didn’t happen and the split.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Article continues below<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Survivor<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Ozzy Lusth and Amanda Kimmel<\/h3>\n

Lusth and Kimmel met on Survivor<\/em> season 16, Survivor: Micronesia<\/em>, where a showmance quickly developed. They continued dating after cameras stopped rolling, but eventually split.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Alec<\/div>\n

CBS<\/p>\n

Alec Merlino & Kara Kay<\/h3>\n

After competing on Season 37 or Survivor: David vs. Goliah<\/em>, the two contestants formed a romantic relationship that continues today in San Diego, Calif. “We shared so much chemistry and friendship on the island,” Kara explained to E! News. “And then we got home and we both knew.”\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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As for the possibility of seeing Alec and Kara on another CBS reality show down the road? Never say never.<\/p>\n

“The Amazing Race<\/em> sounds right up our ally. We both love to travel. We love being competitive and we make a really good team so I think that’s something we would entertain,” Kara shared. “I don’t know about Big Brother<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

Alec added, “I would do Amazing Race<\/em> in a heartbeat\u2026I couldn’t do 100 days [on Big Brother<\/em>]. I couldn’t do it.”‘<\/p>\n

A brand-new season of Survivor<\/em> kicks off tonight with new episodes airing Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. only on CBS and CBS All Access.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n

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Don’t miss E! News<\/em> every weeknight at 7, only on E!<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

via:: E! Online<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When Kara Kay and Alec Merlino found out they were\u00a0appearing on Survivor, finding love certainly wasn’t on their to-do list. Instead, the $1 million prize was one of their main motivations to leave sunny California and\u00a0try to outwit, outlast and outplay their competition. While they may not have made the finals on season 37 of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-267851","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-music-news"},"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-06-18 22:47:28","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"KIDN - The Lift FM","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn","push-errors":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267851"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267851\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alwaysmountaintime.com\/kidn\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}