Matt Blankinship and Frannie Marin.Photo: Robert Voets/CBS (2)Matt BlankinshipandFrannie Marinhave taken their on-screen alliance off-screen!TheSurvivorplayers are officially dating, Blankinship revealed this week, in an interview withEntertainment Weekly.“We’re still dating,” he told the outlet, confirming their relationship. “We’re still going strong.“Of course, Blankinship and Marin’s romance should come as no surprise toSurvivorviewers. The couple met as contestants on season 44 of the competition survival reality show — currently airing on CBS — and immediately hit it off.Though they each admitted to crushing on the other in confessionals, they prioritized gameplay over love, keeping things friendly as to not be seen as a power couple in the game.“I think of myself as a very logical, smart guy,” he said. “The one thing you come intoSurvivorand not do, is get into a showmance ‘cause it’s a terrible strategy.“Survivor.Robert Voets/CBSThat didn’t stop Blankinship from being targeted. He was voted out of the game on Wednesday’s episode, his fellow players noting how much of a threat he and Marin were together as a pair. Marin is still active in the competition, vying for the title of sole survivor.After both returned from Fiji, Blankinship and Martin followed through with their desires. “Obviously, there is so much chemistry there. We’re two dorky magnets,” Blankinship toldEW. “We couldn’t stay away from each other. And we knew the whole time. … We literally couldn’t help it.“Looking back, Blankinship said that despite his exit, he doesn’t think his bond with Marin cost him the whole thing.“Me and Fran were not that subtle on Soka beach. It was very clear. But we did actually kind of turn it down and come to our senses, right?” he saisd Our heads were in the clouds for a bit. We tightened it up. I don’t think that the bond between me and Fran was so obvious to everyone else.“RELATED VIDEO:SurvivorWinner Donates Entire Million Dollar Prize to Veterans: ‘I Am Very Fortunate’Ultimately, Blankinship had no regrets, and is gratefulSurvivorbrought him and Marin together.“It’s the last thing I expected,” he toldEW. “You prepare for this game, but you could never prepare for that, right? One of the things I told myself going out there was to just sort of embrace whatever the experience had for me. Go out there with an open mind and just let myself feel the things I was feeling and express them and let myself be whatever, whoever I am in that moment.““For me, that connection is so strong,” Blankinship raved. “That relationship with me and Frannie is so beautiful and so pure. It would be a disservice to me and a disservice to her to not allow that to flourish, regardless of game, you know?Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I’m the real winner ofSurvivor44,” he said.

Matt Blankinship and Frannie Marin.Photo: Robert Voets/CBS (2)

Matt Blankinship and Frannie Marin from SURVIVOR Season 44

Matt BlankinshipandFrannie Marinhave taken their on-screen alliance off-screen!TheSurvivorplayers are officially dating, Blankinship revealed this week, in an interview withEntertainment Weekly.“We’re still dating,” he told the outlet, confirming their relationship. “We’re still going strong.“Of course, Blankinship and Marin’s romance should come as no surprise toSurvivorviewers. The couple met as contestants on season 44 of the competition survival reality show — currently airing on CBS — and immediately hit it off.Though they each admitted to crushing on the other in confessionals, they prioritized gameplay over love, keeping things friendly as to not be seen as a power couple in the game.“I think of myself as a very logical, smart guy,” he said. “The one thing you come intoSurvivorand not do, is get into a showmance ‘cause it’s a terrible strategy.“Survivor.Robert Voets/CBSThat didn’t stop Blankinship from being targeted. He was voted out of the game on Wednesday’s episode, his fellow players noting how much of a threat he and Marin were together as a pair. Marin is still active in the competition, vying for the title of sole survivor.After both returned from Fiji, Blankinship and Martin followed through with their desires. “Obviously, there is so much chemistry there. We’re two dorky magnets,” Blankinship toldEW. “We couldn’t stay away from each other. And we knew the whole time. … We literally couldn’t help it.“Looking back, Blankinship said that despite his exit, he doesn’t think his bond with Marin cost him the whole thing.“Me and Fran were not that subtle on Soka beach. It was very clear. But we did actually kind of turn it down and come to our senses, right?” he saisd Our heads were in the clouds for a bit. We tightened it up. I don’t think that the bond between me and Fran was so obvious to everyone else.“RELATED VIDEO:SurvivorWinner Donates Entire Million Dollar Prize to Veterans: ‘I Am Very Fortunate’Ultimately, Blankinship had no regrets, and is gratefulSurvivorbrought him and Marin together.“It’s the last thing I expected,” he toldEW. “You prepare for this game, but you could never prepare for that, right? One of the things I told myself going out there was to just sort of embrace whatever the experience had for me. Go out there with an open mind and just let myself feel the things I was feeling and express them and let myself be whatever, whoever I am in that moment.““For me, that connection is so strong,” Blankinship raved. “That relationship with me and Frannie is so beautiful and so pure. It would be a disservice to me and a disservice to her to not allow that to flourish, regardless of game, you know?Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“I’m the real winner ofSurvivor44,” he said.

Matt BlankinshipandFrannie Marinhave taken their on-screen alliance off-screen!

TheSurvivorplayers are officially dating, Blankinship revealed this week, in an interview withEntertainment Weekly.

“We’re still dating,” he told the outlet, confirming their relationship. “We’re still going strong.”

Of course, Blankinship and Marin’s romance should come as no surprise toSurvivorviewers. The couple met as contestants on season 44 of the competition survival reality show — currently airing on CBS — and immediately hit it off.

Though they each admitted to crushing on the other in confessionals, they prioritized gameplay over love, keeping things friendly as to not be seen as a power couple in the game.

“I think of myself as a very logical, smart guy,” he said. “The one thing you come intoSurvivorand not do, is get into a showmance ‘cause it’s a terrible strategy.”

Survivor.Robert Voets/CBS

Frannie Marin, Danny Massa, and Matt Blankinship

That didn’t stop Blankinship from being targeted. He was voted out of the game on Wednesday’s episode, his fellow players noting how much of a threat he and Marin were together as a pair. Marin is still active in the competition, vying for the title of sole survivor.

After both returned from Fiji, Blankinship and Martin followed through with their desires. “Obviously, there is so much chemistry there. We’re two dorky magnets,” Blankinship toldEW. “We couldn’t stay away from each other. And we knew the whole time. … We literally couldn’t help it.”

Looking back, Blankinship said that despite his exit, he doesn’t think his bond with Marin cost him the whole thing.

“Me and Fran were not that subtle on Soka beach. It was very clear. But we did actually kind of turn it down and come to our senses, right?” he saisd Our heads were in the clouds for a bit. We tightened it up. I don’t think that the bond between me and Fran was so obvious to everyone else.”

RELATED VIDEO:SurvivorWinner Donates Entire Million Dollar Prize to Veterans: ‘I Am Very Fortunate’

Ultimately, Blankinship had no regrets, and is gratefulSurvivorbrought him and Marin together.

“It’s the last thing I expected,” he toldEW. “You prepare for this game, but you could never prepare for that, right? One of the things I told myself going out there was to just sort of embrace whatever the experience had for me. Go out there with an open mind and just let myself feel the things I was feeling and express them and let myself be whatever, whoever I am in that moment.”

“For me, that connection is so strong,” Blankinship raved. “That relationship with me and Frannie is so beautiful and so pure. It would be a disservice to me and a disservice to her to not allow that to flourish, regardless of game, you know?

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“I’m the real winner ofSurvivor44,” he said.

source: people.com