"Secretly in Love": Survivor 45's Austin Li Coon has one priority on CBS show

CBS’s Survivor 45 is about to come to an end with the season finale set to be aired on December 20, 2023. Only five of the 18 contestants remain and they only have one challenge to face before the winner of Survivor 45 is announced.

Austin Li Coon and Dee Valladares formed one of the most obvious couples on the show. They had the ability to coordinate and be on the same page under pressure and were fan favorites well before the penultimate episode. Before the December 6, 2023, episode, the two were interviewed by Entertainment Weekly. During the same, they detailed the bond they shared. The interview came after Kendra McQuarrie had claimed that she felt the two were already in love.

“I’m kind of nervous about the Austin and Dee thing. I think they’re secretly in love, which I love. And I want them to get married after,” Kendra claimed.

However, Austin and Dee hit back at the rumors and seemed to have completely different takes on falling in love on the show. While Austin seemed to be interested in finding love, Dee seemingly felt that showmances were a "red flag," according to their interview with Entertainment Weekly.

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Austin Li Coon wanted to find love on Survivor 45, unlike partner Dee Valladeres

Survivor 45's Austin Lee Coon and Dee Valladeres have had the ability to have each other's backs throughout the challenges and even during the show. As mentioned earlier, while the two did become fan favorites, Austin was a little more popular among the female followers of the show.

After viewers saw their chemistry, began to speculate about the two being in a relationship. During their aforementioned interview with Entertainment Weekly, Austin and Dee touched upon the subject and debunked a few rumors.

Austin told the publication that he simply wanted to find love on the show and even referred to a previous season when two people had fallen in love.

“One of my favorite moments on Survivor was the whole All-Stars thing. I love that. Maybe one day, I'll find my Amber on the island," Austin said

Austin was referencing Boston Rob and Amber, who found love on the Survivor series. Li Coon admitted that one of the reasons he came on the show was to find a life partner.

However, Dee did not have the same opinion and even claimed that she believed showmances were a huge red flag. She even went on to say that it was something she wanted to avoid during her stay on Survivor 45.

"Before coming out here, one of the things I said was like, 'No showmances.' Number one red flag," Dee claimed.

While Austin confessed that he was looking for love, his partner didn't seem to have the same opinion. Dee went on to concede that she was still hoping to make friends on the show and wanted connections she would be able to take back.

Regardless, it is clear that the dynamic duo does not have a relationship brewing as things stand. The two are fond of each other which is apparent due to the kind of support they have given each other. However, that is unlikely to evolve into a romantic connection, simply because Dee seems determined to only return with friends, from Survivor 45.

The finale of the season will be aired on CBS on December 20, which will also include the announcement of the season winner.