\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>Big Brother’s Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss’ Relationship Timeline<\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tLeaning into love! Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss have Big Brother to thank for their relationship \u2014 but it wasn\u2019t until they were both evicted that their romance took off. The pair met in July 2021 while living under the same roof on season 23 of the CBS series. Following their respective eliminations from the [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cMe and Claire [were] like, \u2018Yeah, let me just go ahead and break this record for you guys.\u2019 And then we go up to do the challenge. I thought we were going to be there all day,\u201d Derek admitted. \u201cYou had to figure out a phrase by unscrambling words, and I\u2019m looking at these [letters] and I\u2019m like, \u2018Yeah, I don\u2019t think that makes a word.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n![\"Amazing](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/Amazing-Race-Alums-Derek-and-Claire-Return-for-Season-35-Premiere.jpg?w=700&quality=86&strip=all\")
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\n Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss.<\/span> Sonja Flemming\/CBS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nClaire did not partake in the tightrope aspect of the challenge as she was already forced to conquer her fear of heights<\/a> during a November 2022 episode of The Amazing Race<\/em>.<\/p>\n\u201c[This challenge] was very similar to what I had to do in Ronda [Spain] when I had to cross the tightrope and I saw it and just [had] flashbacks,\u201d she explained. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019ll stay on the ground. I\u2019m fine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\n![\"Jeff-and-Jordan-and-Jessica-and-Cody\"](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/jeff-and-jordan-and-jessica-and-cody.jpg?crop=0px%2C0px%2C1200px%2C679px&resize=400%2C225&quality=40&strip=all\")
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\n\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>‘Big Brother’ Showmances Through the Years: Where Are They Now?<\/a>
\n\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n\t\t\tIt\u2019s tough to win Big Brother without some sort of alliance \u2014 but it\u2019s even more difficult if you\u2019re one half of a showmance. However, that doesn\u2019t stop competitors, time and time again, from pairing up while in the house. \u201cThe secret no one knows about Big Brother \u2014 I think it\u2019s really a marriage [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
In addition to facing phobias, Derek and Claire\u2019s communication skills as a couple were put to the test during their time on the show<\/a>. Claire explained that trusting the other person to take control during stressful situations was difficult for the pair as they\u2019re \u201cboth confident people.\u201d<\/p>\nShe continued: \u201cWe both want to do all of it ourselves, but learning how to rely on the other person was what was key.\u201d<\/p>\n
Derek echoed his girlfriend\u2019s sentiments. \u201cThat is the thing that we had to overcome and that brought us closer together: \u2018How do we both feel our opinions, and then during the times when there may be separate opinions, how do we reconcile that to keep pushing forward and understand where the other person is coming from?\u2019\u201d he explained. \u201cSo, I think the [Amazing<\/em>] Race<\/em> was incredible. 20 years of relationship therapy.\u201d<\/p>\nThe duo have learned a lot from each other outside of their shared reality TV ventures<\/a>. Derek told Us<\/em> that Claire has shown him how to be more understanding of other people\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n
<\/div>\n Derek Xiao and Claire Rehfuss.<\/span> Sonja Flemming\/CBS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Claire did not partake in the tightrope aspect of the challenge as she was already forced to conquer her fear of heights<\/a> during a November 2022 episode of The Amazing Race<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201c[This challenge] was very similar to what I had to do in Ronda [Spain] when I had to cross the tightrope and I saw it and just [had] flashbacks,\u201d she explained. \u201cI was like, \u2018I\u2019ll stay on the ground. I\u2019m fine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n \t\t<\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\tIt\u2019s tough to win Big Brother without some sort of alliance \u2014 but it\u2019s even more difficult if you\u2019re one half of a showmance. However, that doesn\u2019t stop competitors, time and time again, from pairing up while in the house. \u201cThe secret no one knows about Big Brother \u2014 I think it\u2019s really a marriage [\u2026]\t\t<\/p>\n<\/div>\n In addition to facing phobias, Derek and Claire\u2019s communication skills as a couple were put to the test during their time on the show<\/a>. Claire explained that trusting the other person to take control during stressful situations was difficult for the pair as they\u2019re \u201cboth confident people.\u201d<\/p>\n She continued: \u201cWe both want to do all of it ourselves, but learning how to rely on the other person was what was key.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek echoed his girlfriend\u2019s sentiments. \u201cThat is the thing that we had to overcome and that brought us closer together: \u2018How do we both feel our opinions, and then during the times when there may be separate opinions, how do we reconcile that to keep pushing forward and understand where the other person is coming from?\u2019\u201d he explained. \u201cSo, I think the [Amazing<\/em>] Race<\/em> was incredible. 20 years of relationship therapy.\u201d<\/p>\n The duo have learned a lot from each other outside of their shared reality TV ventures<\/a>. Derek told Us<\/em> that Claire has shown him how to be more understanding of other people\u2019s feelings.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n\n\t\t\tRelated: <\/span>‘Big Brother’ Showmances Through the Years: Where Are They Now?<\/a>
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![\"Couples](\"https:\/\/www.usmagazine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/realitycouplelead.jpg?crop=0px%2C12px%2C2000px%2C1131px&resize=400%2C225&quality=40&strip=all\")
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