“Big Brother” season 26 runner-up Makensy Manbeck has officially announced that she and fellow cast member Matt Hardeman are no longer in a relationship. Posting on her Instagram story on October 17, 2025, Makensy asked for support during this difficult time in her life.
Makensy & Matt’s Love Story
CBSMakensy and Matt met when they were both cast on “Big Brother” season 26. They quickly developed a friendship in the house, and despite another cast member, Angela Murray, insisting the two would develop a showmance, Makensy wanted the relationship to remain platonic.
Matt was, unfortunately, the first person evicted from the “Big Brother” house, so he and Makensy didn’t have enough time to become an official showmance. Makensy made it all the way to the final two chairs, ultimately losing unanimously to Chelsie Baham.
Once both Makensy and Matt were finally out of the “Big Brother” house, they talked for hours, bonding over their shared faith, according to Us Weekly. Over time, the relationship went from platonic to romantic. They made the official announcement that they were dating in December, 2024.
Matt & Makensy’s Breakup
Fans started to question if this showmance was still together after noticing Matt and Makensy unfollowed each other on Instagram. Not long the rumors started swirling, Makensy gave fans the update they had been waiting for: she and Matt were no longer in a relationship.
In her Instagram story, Makensy clarified that neither she nor Matt cheated on the other person. She also admitted she still loves Matt and that he’s a “big part” of her life. She thanked her fans for their support over the past year, and encouraged everyone to “please be kind.”
Makensy acknowledged the breakup would be hard, saying, “This will be a long road of healing,” although she said she hoped to “stay present” with her followers through the process. Finally, Makensy thanked her fans for understanding and “always supporting” her.
Matt has yet to speak directly on the breakup.
Matt and Makensy aren’t the only recent “Big Brother” breakup; Claire Rehfuss and Derek Xiao also ended their relationship recently. They met during season 23 and were together for four years before breaking up.
Amidst the recent breakups, other “Big Brother” couples have shared happier news. “Big Brother” season 18’s Nicole Franzel and Victor Arroyo are expecting twins, and season 19’s Cody and Jessica Nickson just gave birth to their fifth daughter together.
