Despite appearing on two seasons of “Survivor” every year since 2000, host Jeff Probst is still an enigma of sorts. He’s so openly excited talking about the show that questions about his personal life often fall on the wayside.
According to People, he was previously married to Shelly Wright, a psychotherapist, their five-year marriage ended a year after “Survivor” launched. However, most people are unaware that Lisa Ann Russell, whom he has been married to since 2011, was previously married to former teen idol Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Best known as Zack Morris from the series “Saved By The Bell,” Gosselaar’s poster was on many teenagers’ walls in the 1990s.
The Evolution of Russell & Probst’s Relationship
Amanda Edwards/Getty ImagesAccording to IMDb, Russell and Gosselaar met in 1993, having first met on the set of “Saved By The Bell: The College Years.” Three years later, they married. In 2004, they welcomed a son, Michael Charles, and in 2006, a daughter, Ava Lorenn, was born. Unfortunately, in June 2010, they announced that they’d split up. Two months later, Probst and Russell made their first appearance as a couple at the Emmy Awards.
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesAccording to Probst, he met Russell at a Christmas party hosted by “Survivor” creator Mark Burnett. Later, he told Larry King that it was “the craziest Christmas party I’ve ever been to.” Their marriage was announced by People on December 5, 2011. Probst and Russell didn’t have any kids of their own, but Probst has talked about how well their family works.
“They raised these two young kids, and they raised them with the kind of love that the kids, they see me — and he’s now remarried — and his wife, they just see us as two more parents,” he told Larry King.
Before Russell, Jeff Probst Found Love on ‘Survivor’
Outside of his marriage to Lisa Ann Russell, his most well-known relationship was with a former cast member. When he began dating “Survivor: Vanuatu” contestant Julie Berry shortly after the season ended, questions arose, with some claiming that the relationship had started while the show was still in progress.
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images“The funny thing was there was this perception we were flirting on the show,” he told People at the time. “And that was actually just fun stuff on the show. I didn’t really talk to Julie until long after the show was over.”
After filming ended, he admitted that he emailed Berry to say hi, and things progressed from there.
“Once we started spending some time together, I didn’t have any doubt,” he explained. “I didn’t have any doubt and all the questions about how you meet and any potential obstacles, they fade away like an old dry leaf.”
After dating for four years, he and Berry split up in 2008, In Touch reported.
