Survivor

Survivor fans may remember that two seasons ago, in China, there were two players who kept dodging romance rumors. Erik Huffman and Jaime Dugan first met when they were teamed up on the Zhan Hu tribe. While getting to know each other, they realized that they both were from South Carolina and grew up only 25 miles away from each other. The two became close and during the reunion, admitted to Jeff Probst that they were officially dating.  This week, they announced that they are now happily engaged and ready to spend the rest of their lives together.  Erik proposed to a very shocked Jaime in their home state and she happily said yes.  Today, Erik talked to BuddyTV in an exclusive interview, dishing on their relationship and their dream wedding!

The couple currently lives in Nashville but for the proposal, Erik flew her home to South Carolina.  He convinced her that the two were asked to do a photo shoot all over Charleston.  When they ended up in the Battery, Erik got down on one knew and proposed.  "A little over a year ago, I was convinced that I wouldn't find anyone. Then my life was turned upside down," he told BuddyTV today. "I went to China on a reality show and found the girl of my dreams."

Though the pair met on reality television, they were too focused on the game and that million dollar prize to be worried about striking up a romance.  "When we met on Survivor, we became really close and really good friends," Huffman said. "So it was obvious that we had a connection on the show, but we didn't start really officially really dating until we got back from China."  Though they weren't showmancing, the two did form a quick bond in the game that lasts to this day.  "We were on the same tribe, so we had to work together," he said.  "Going through an extreme environment and sharing that experience with someone creates an automatic bond."

The two came clean at the Survivor reunion but it wasn't an easy decision for the pair to admit that they were together.  "We weren't going to say anything about it," he admits. "We were scared at first because we wanted to protect the privacy of our relationship. But people started finding out, so we became more open about it. Then we were asked about our relationship directly on national TV. So what else can you do with that but tell the truth?"

Since neither Jaime nor Erik won the million dollars on Survivor, planning a big wedding in their hometown isn't exactly going to be easy.  The pair have entered a contest, the Charleston Wedding Giveaway, to win their dream wedding and fans can vote online for them.  "We'd appreciate all you reality fans to support a reality couple by voting for us," Huffman says. "Voting ends October 17, so vote every day till then."


- Gina Scarpa, BuddyTV Staff Writer
(Image courtesy of Erik Huffman & Jaime Dugan)