Survivor fans today may not realize that the show’s longtime host Jeff Probst once dated a contestant. In Touch takes a deep dive into his romance with Survivor alum Julie Berry.

Who Did Jeff Probst Date From ‘Survivor’?

Jeff dated season 9 contestant Julie Berry from Survivor: Vanuatu. The show was filmed from late June through early August 2004 on an island in the South Pacific. The duo had a 19-year age difference as Jeff was 42 at the time and Julie was 23 years old.

When Did Jeff Probst and Julie Berry Start Dating?

While the pair appeared to have flirtatious interactions during season 9 of Survivor, Jeff said they didn’t become involved until after filming wrapped.

The Wichita, Kansas, native told People in December 2004 that he reached out to Julie after production was over just to say “hi,” but that it blossomed into something more.

“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 admitted.

By the time the season’s final tribal council aired in December 2004, Jeff and Julie were already a couple.

Jeff Probst Was ‘In Love’ With Julie Berry

“I’m in love. I’m with her. I’m with her family, and there ain’t no turning back. When you find it, you know and now I get it,” Jeff gushed to People about his then-girlfriend in December 2004. “The funniest thing is people used to always say, ‘You’ll know,’ and I’d think, ‘Oh, shut it! Let me tell ya, I’ve been around long enough, I don’t know.’ And then suddenly one day, I knew. Now I am one of those irritating people that is now saying, ‘You’ll know.’”

Jeff Probst Was “Surprised’ He Found Love on ‘Survivor’

“Nobody is more surprised than me that I could find my love affair on a show that I host, but the truth is when something like this gets dropped in your lap, you don’t look at how it’s wrapped, you don’t look at how it’s being delivered. You just put your arms around it and you hold on because this is my love affair and there’s no question in my mind about it,” Jeff told People in December 2004.

How Long Did Jeff Probst and Julie Berry Date?

Jeff and Julie were a couple for nearly four years. She attended numerous red carpet events as the CBS star’s date.

Being Jeff’s girlfriend also kept Julie in the Survivor mix, as she attended the Survivor: Palau finale and reunion show in 2005, as well as the Survivor: Fiji finale and reunion show in 2007 as Jeff’s date.

When Did Jeff Probst and Julie Berry Break Up?

Jeff and Julie split in early 2008.

In April 2008, Jeff told USA Today that he “tried to make amends and move forward” but said “it’s hard to be friends” when it came to his ex-girlfriend. He shared that the reason for their split was due to his long periods away while shooting Survivor, including so many remote locations with “bad cell phone” reception that resulted in limited communication.

Who Is Julie Berry?

At the time Julie competed on Survivor in 2004, the Maine native was working as a youth counselor after earning her master’s degree in educational psychology and counseling from California State University, Northridge.

Where Is Julie Berry Today?

As of March 2025, Julie is a mother to daughter Lily, who was born in February 2022. She shares her little girl with her partner, Joseph Young. Julie still lives in Maine and is an avid world traveler, who lists her profession as “producer” in her Instagram bio.

Jeff Probst Has Been Married Since 2011

Julie was the first and only contestant Jeff ever confessed to dating. He’s been married to wife Lisa Ann Russell since December 2011. While Jeff never had children of his own, he’s been an active stepfather to the two children Lisa Ann shares with her ex-husband, actor Mark Paul Gosselaar.