Big Brother 26 houseguests Makensy Manbeck and Matt Hardeman have hard launched their relationship about two months after the October 13 season finale, during which the possible couple was finally reunited after being separated for the whole season. Makensy was the runner-up to winner Chelsie Baham, and therefore spent the full 90 days in the Big Brother 26 house. However, Matt was the first houseguest to be evicted after Angela Murray targeted him during her now-infamous "Crazy Eyes" tirade, and he spent the summer at home. They both wondered what might have been if he'd stayed in the house.
In an Instagram post, Makensy announced that she and Matt are in a relationship. She shared a carousel of photographs and a video of herself and Matt, with the caption, "In case the soft launches weren’t enough, here’s a hard launch." In the comments section of Makensy's post, Matt wrote, "My biggest blessing and worth every bit of the wait. Excited for the future we get to build together Makensy Jo." He also added another comment in which he joked, "Can y’all please stop asking me to go on Love Island now."
In addition, Makensy and Matt's fellow Big Brother 26 houseguest flooded the comments section of the post with well-wishes. Quinn Martin wrote, "I’m not kidding, this is the best day of my life!!," while Leah Peters wrote, "YESSS MADE IT OUT OF THE GROUP CHAT," indicating that some of the cast knew about their romance. She also joked, "MATT IS JUST A COVER UP GUYS ME AND MAKENSY ARE GETTING MARRIED."
Joseph Rodriguez said, "Not to be dramatic but this is the greatest hard launch of all-time," while Chelsie commented, "I’m. Dying." Brooklyn Rivera wrote, "My babiessssss!!!!," Lisa Weintraub said, "Too cute," and T'kor Clottey added, "Aaaaahhhhh!!!!"
Makensy: In case the soft launches weren’t enough, here’s a hard launch.
Matt: My biggest blessing and worth every bit of the wait. Excited for the future we get to build together Makensy Jo. Can y’all please stop asking me to go on Love Island now.
What Big Brother 26's Makensy & Matt's Relationship Hard Launch Means
The Showmance-That-Never-Was Became A Real-Life Romance
Big Brother 26 fans were so disappointed when Matt was the first houseguest to be evicted from the game. He and Makensy had already become close during the first week, but Angela called them out on it in front of the whole house, bringing both of them to tears with her harsh words. After Matt left, Makensy admitted that she was a bit relieved because she could now focus on her game without any distractions. However, she wondered what could've been.
Makensy and Matt aren't the only relationship to come out of Big Brother 26. Their fellow houseguests Tucker Des Lauriers and Rubina Bernabe also reunited after the show, and their relationship is still going strong. In addition, Leah Peters and Quinn Martin admitted to having crushes on each other, but it's unclear where they stand with each other now that the show is over. Also, Chelsie had a crush on Cam Sullivan-Brown, but there's been no word on if that friendship has developed into something more.
It's wonderful to see that Makensy and Matt's connection during Big Brother 26 was real. They really seem to be falling in love with each other in real life. They both got the short end of the stick during Big Brother 26, as Matt was evicted first, and runner-up Makensy chose her ally Chelsie to sit next to her in the Final 2, but then lost the game unanimously. It's fantastic that they found something even better than the Big Brother 26 grand prize: each other.
Big Brother Has Led To Many Other Long-Lasting Showmances
Big Brother Has More Successful Marriages Than The Bachelor
While The Bachelor has only led to one wedding, (Sean Lowe and Catherine Giudici), Big Brother has resulted in several long-lasting marriages. Several couples have gotten married and had children since they competed on the show, including Jordan Lloyd and Jeff Schroeder (Big Brother 11 and 13), Rachel Reilly and Brendon Villegas (Big Brother 12 and 13), Daniele Donato and Dominic Briones (Big Brother 13), Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo (who became a couple after Big Brother 18), Jessica Graf and Cody Nickson (Big Brother 19), and Bayleigh Dayton and Chris "Swaggy C" Williams (Big Brother 20).
In addition to these married couples, there are other successful relationships between former houseguests who are dating. They include Big Brother 23 houseguests Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss, who began their romance in the jury house. In addition, Big Brother 25's America Lopez and Cory Wurtenberger are still in a relationship, following their showmance in the house. The Big Brother 26 houseguests are following in their footsteps.
Our Take On Makensy & Matt's Relationship
Makensy & Matt Could Be The Real Deal
Because Makensy and Matt never had the chance to begin a real showmance in the Big Brother 26 house, their relationship seems more real. They were separated from each other after getting to know each other for a week, which could've destroyed whatever they were building. However, absence seemed to make the heart grow fonder for both of them. It's interesting to think that Makensy couldn't see Matt at all after he left, but he could watch her every day on the live feeds and also on the CBS episodes of the show.
Matt and Makensy are one of the cutest Big Brother couples. They have a great chance of making their relationship work too, considering that Big Brother has led to more successful marriages than The Bachelor. Makensy and Matt are wished all the best as they begin this new chapter of their lives together.
Source: Makensy Manbeck/Instagram
