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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Nicole Franzel and Corey Brooks did not turn their Big Brother 18 showmance into a lasting relationship. In the interviews they gave right after the season, both pointed to uncertainty about pursuing it, and Corey specifically named timing and distance: they had both recently been single, and he lived in Dallas while she lived in Michigan. No source available reports a definitive private reason for the split, so the explanation below sticks to what each of them said on the record and what later entertainment coverage reported.
What the relationship was
Nicole and Corey were a showmance, a romance that develops inside the house and is understood to exist within the game. It was never reported as an established partnership that continued once the cameras stopped. That distinction matters, because much of the confusion around their story comes from treating the house connection as if it were a relationship that was already settled and then ended.
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What Corey Brooks said
In a September 22, 2016 email interview with Bustle, Corey addressed the relationship directly. He said that he and Nicole were both recently single, so “timing may be a little iffy.” He also said Nicole was someone he would date, but added “probably not right now.” Distance was the practical obstacle he named: Nicole lived in Michigan and he lived in Dallas.
What Nicole Franzel said
Nicole gave her reaction as the season’s winner in a September 22, 2016 interview with Big Brother Network. She said she had not had much opportunity to talk with Corey after the finale, and she was candid about not knowing where things stood: “I don’t know where him and I stand.” She described the bond between them as instant, and she predicted they would be best friends for life.
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A September 23, 2016 roundup of the season reported that both expressed interest in staying in touch and taking things slowly. Corey said he had not yet spent time with Nicole outside the house. Nicole said she would date him in the real world if he was open to it. Neither statement amounts to a commitment, and neither was a breakup announcement.
The factors reported, and how they differ
The public comments point to three separate issues, and they carry different weight:
- Timing. Corey said both were recently single and that this made the moment difficult. This is his stated reason.
- Distance. Corey named the Michigan–Dallas gap as an obstacle. This is also his stated reason, and the only practical barrier either of them described.
- Uncertainty. Nicole said she did not know where they stood, and both expressed a preference for taking things slowly. This describes their mindset immediately after the season rather than a specific cause.
Nicole’s comments about a lasting friendship are a separate thread. They describe how she framed the bond at the time. They do not explain why a romance did not begin, and they should not be read as evidence about what either of them privately decided.
What happened afterward
Later coverage adds context but does not explain the break in private terms.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors| Date | Source | What it reports |
|---|---|---|
| September 22, 2016 | Bustle email interview with Corey Brooks | Timing “may be a little iffy”; “probably not right now”; distance between Dallas and Michigan |
| September 22, 2016 | Big Brother Network winner interview with Nicole Franzel | Little chance to talk since the finale; “I don’t know where him and I stand”; bond described as instant |
| September 23, 2016 | Season roundup | Both interested in staying in touch and taking things slowly; Corey had not spent time with Nicole outside the house |
| September 2017 | Entertainment Tonight | Reported the showmance fizzled shortly after they left the house |
| September 8, 2017 | Entertainment Tonight interview with Victor Arroyo | Said he and Nicole stayed friends after the season and reconnected at the Big Brother 19 premiere |
| 2026 | Us Weekly timeline | Covers Nicole’s later relationship with Victor; does not address Corey or the reasons for her split from him |
The Victor Arroyo timeline is useful for ordering events, but it does not show that his relationship with Nicole caused the earlier one to end. Nicole and Corey’s situation was already uncertain in the weeks after the finale, and the reporting does not connect the two developments.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What is not established
No source reviewed reports a private conversation in which Nicole and Corey agreed to end things or explained why they did not pursue a relationship. The reasons available are the ones each stated publicly in 2016, and both were tentative. Anyone describing the split as a result of a single cause, such as Victor Arroyo, a specific argument, or one person losing interest, is going beyond what the record shows.
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What can be stated with confidence is narrower: the two were a Big Brother 18 showmance, they were uncertain about a relationship as the season ended, Corey pointed to timing and distance, and Nicole expected to remain friends with him.
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