Kriti Mehrotra
If there’s one thing Netflix’s ‘Perfect Match‘ makes evident, it’s that romance can never be measured, rationalized, or timed owing to the simple fact the heart just wants what it wants. However, since communication, emotionality, trust, and vulnerability are necessary to any such relationship, the individuals involved do consistently need to make efforts if they wish to last. Amongst those to actually explore this rather intricate world of dating in season 2 of the original were Christine Obanor and Nigel Jones, only for them to end up walking away hand in hand.
Christine and Nigel Matched at the Very End
It was reportedly in the early summer of 2023 that ‘Too Hot to Handle‘ stars Christine Obanor (season 5) first came across Nigel Jones (season 4) during a friendly group dinner around his base in New York. The truth is they were both quite intrigued by one another at the time, yet they never pursued anything since they couldn’t really grasp a vibe and weren’t sure about any ongoing involvements. Therefore, it took them until they’d landed in Tulum, Mexico, for this reality dating series to truly get to know each other, and that too with the help of a couple of their fellow cast members.
Unfortunately, owing to the format of this show, Christine didn’t get a chance to step into the villa until the complete cast mixer rolled around in episode 8, so that’s where she again met Nigel. Though she did already have her eyes set on Kaz Bishop (‘Dated & Related‘) since they’d flirted the previous day during the crashed boy’s day out, just to still also be attracted to the former. It thus comes as no surprise that when she had to kiss someone upon losing a game, and Kaz wasn’t around, she strutted right up to the New Yorker to consensually, steamily lock lips with him.
Nevertheless, Christine ended the night as Kaz’s match while Nigel had to leave as a singleton, only for Tolú Ekundar (‘The Trust‘) and Chris Hahn (‘Dated and Related’) to set them up upon winning a compatibility challenge. A mere two days of the experiment were left when this duo finally got to be alone together, making the former act as soon as she realized he was more her type than her current match. It ultimately worked out since the former had also recognized he truly had deep feelings for his former match, Micah Lussier (‘Love is Blind‘ season 4), enabling them both to move on.
Christine and Nigel hence happily paired up, following which they made the most of their limited time in Tulum by exploring almost every aspect of their connection as well as compatibility. So, by the time of their final date — where they covered one another in paint and created art on a giant canvas — they were sure they wanted to continue their bond in the real world too. The level of intimacy plus vulnerability between them within such a short period was honestly a little surprising, yet it was also utterly genuine, which is why they were voted the Perfect Match in the end.
Christine and Nigel Are No Longer Together
“I do feel a connection here, and I do feel like we’re compatible,” Christine candidly said towards the end of their journey. “Our connection got closer every single date we got… I had an interest in Nigel [from that time in New York], so everything just kind of came around full circle, and here we are.” Her loving match, Nigel, then added, “She mirrors me with her humor, and that’s the number one way to get me. I love to laugh, and we’ve just had a good time… I feel like we’ve known each other for years, honestly… I’m willing to work this out. She’s special. I see it in our conversations, and it’s natural, and there’s no fighting it. I like what we got going on.”
The fact Christine and Nigel then got to go on an all-expense-paid trip to Thailand in early October 2023 thanks to their win actually furthered their bond to an unimaginable extent, with the former even stating it felt like she was finally with the man she’d manifested all her life. But alas, from what we can tell from their respective social media platforms as of writing, it doesn’t appear as if this duo was truly able to make their relationship work in the real world.
Neither Christine nor Nigel has confirmed or denied this until now, yet them not following one another on Instagram, his not tagging her in posts sharing behind-the-scenes moments, plus their lack of interaction via likes or comments are indications of their split. It’s actually possible their being long-distance caused an issue, especially as she’s a fashion model based in Los Angeles, California, whereas he’s a model, personal trainer, as well as a public figure in New York.
Christine Obanor is Thriving as a Fashion Model
While Christine’s love life hasn’t really blossomed in the long run despite her two reality show appearances, she appears glad that at least they’ve afforded her opportunities to build new connections. After all, those, combined with her prosperous ongoing career as a fashion model as well as a public figure, make it seem like she’s perfectly content with her life at the moment. In fact, this 27-year-old Los Angeles-based travel enthusiast has recently done shoots for some big-name brands such as Milk Makeup, Fashion Nova, and Giorgio Armani, all the while also partnering with a few other makeup plus fashion companies to attend various kinds of events.
Nigel Jones is a Personal Trainer and a Model
Quite like Christine, even Nigel has evidently not had the best of luck with romantic relationships, yet he too looks perfectly happy with where he stands today thanks to his success in other areas of life. That’s because he has a sound support system, some incredible friends — which actually includes most of his former cast members — as well as his professional career as a fitness enthusiast, model, plus public figure. It’s thus imperative to note he’s signed by State Management at the moment, with the help of whom he has landed opportunities like being on the cover of Kolor Magazine in November 2023 as a fashion model, which has only opened more doors for him. And then there’s the fact he’s a New York-based personal trainer with his own brand by the name of EuroFit.
Read More: Alara and Stevan: Are The Perfect Match Couple Still Together?
