Survivor star Wendell Holland responds to rumors about him allegedly cheating on former girlfriend with Dee Valladeres

The long-running CBS series Survivor has often been the talk of the town owing to its players' on- and off-screen romantic relationships. During a recent episode of the On Fire podcast, host Jeff Probst jokingly referred to it as the "most successful dating show" on television.

Dee Valladares, who won season 45 of the show, made headlines for her 'showmance' with Austin Li Coon. Dee and Austin maintained a low profile on their relationship following the season finale, despite the attention they received. However, rumors soon surfaced that the two had broken up, following Dee's alleged involvement with Wendell Holland, who won Survivor season 36.

Addressing these rumors, Holland took to X, claiming that he wanted his personal life to remain just that: personal. He also apologized to his former partner, Michele Fitzgerald, effectively confirming the rumors.

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Survivor's Wendell Holland reacts to allegations of an affair with Dee Valladares

Recent speculation suggests that Dee is involved in a romantic relationship with season 36 winner Wendell Holland, who is famed for dating another Survivor winner, Michele Fitzgerald.

The Survivor 36 winner has spoken out about recent relationship drama, addressing rumors of an affair with Survivor 45 winner Dee Valladares. Holland is known to share an 8-month-old baby, Wendell Carter Holland, with now ex-girlfriend Chelsea Brooks.

Brooks first hinted at suspected infidelity in their relationship via Instagram Story, uploading a cryptic photo showing a U-Haul truck and lines saying goodbye to "false promises," "fake potential," and "disrespect." The post left people guessing about Holland and Brooks' relationship:

"Goodbye to the false promises, the fake potential, the disrespect. Goodbye to trying to force someone to see my worth. And most painfully, goodbye to what I thought my life would be."

Holland was linked to Dee Valladares after he was alleged to have gifted her a bracelet spotted in her Instagram images, according to the online rumor mill. Gossip accounts like @BB_WhatNow reinforced the rumor, adding to the tension surrounding the reality TV star.

Holland addressed the matter on social media on January 5 in response to the rising rumors. In a since-deleted post on X, he recognized his separation from his girlfriend and showed regret, writing,

"Although I think people's private lives should remain private, I'll clear the air with a few facts. My gf and I broke up. I take responsibility for that. I'm sorry to her for all that has transpired. The person the internet keeps attaching me to deserves an apology from me as well. We got close at the end of November through December, and I was dishonest about my family life with her. I created a situation that was unfair to both parties and although I've apologized to both privately, I would like the community to know that I'm sorry as well. Thank you."

Wendell Holland's now deleted post. (Image via Twitter)

Holland opted to provide "a few facts" to help people understand the situation while retaining the significance of privacy in personal lives. He admitted to having a relationship with Valladares, saying they "got close at the end of November through December" and that he lied about his family life with her.

Recognizing the injustice to both individuals involved, he claimed that he had privately apologized to them and apologized to the community.

Holland expressed his remorse for the situation that had been created and thanked his audience for their patience. The tweet, which appears to have been deleted from his account, was his attempt to address the circulating accusations and provide an honest view of the difficulties of his personal life.

Holland also appears to have made his other social media accounts private, especially Instagram, following the controversy.