Mark and Phoebe fell in love 'reconnecting' after Survivor. Now, they're expecting a baby together.

Back in 2025, Australian Survivor winner Mark Wales sent reality TV fans into a spin by hard-launching a relationship with another legend of the game: Phoebe Timmins.

For the uninitiated, Mark first competed on Australian Survivor in 2017 before returning in 2022 to be crowned sole survivor. Phoebe got her Australian Survivor start back in 2016, and then returned to compete on Australian Survivor: All Stars in 2020.

So yeah, they're basically Survivor royalty. And they found love together!

In more happy news, the couple has just announced they're expecting their first child together in 2026.

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A post shared by Phoebe Timmins (@bephoe)

In a joint Instagram post, Phoebe and Mark posted a pic of the Survivor star's pregnant belly, captioned: "See you in the new year, little one."

The cute post was flooded by comments from their Survivor co-stars, including Brooke Jowett and Shonee Bowtell.

Back in April 2025, Mark first hard-launched their relationship on Instagram.

"I'm very, very lucky to have met someone who I really love," Mark wrote on Instagram.

"She is kind, honest, thoughtful, very smart, has a huge heart, is a great mother and an even better partner."

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A post shared by M A R K W A L E S (@mark.a.wales)

The post was flooded with comments, including a few from former Australian Survivor castaways sharing warm sentiments.

Lochlan Gilbert wrote "Aww two of the nicest people I know." Felicity Eggington added "So happy for you two." Janine Ellis commented "Congrats Mark. Everyone deserves love!"

The post featured several images of Mark and Phoebe together, alongside Phoebe's daughter, whose face was covered with a heart emoji.

Image: Instagram/@mark.a.wales.

Phoebe welcomed her first daughter in 2024 who, to be clear, she has confirmed to Mamamia is not Mark's child. Their romance only began after she was born.

"Mark and I were old acquaintances who reconnected through genuine friendship towards the end of last year [2024]. At the time, he was separated and single, and I was adjusting to life as a new mum, so romance was far from my mind," Phoebe told Mamamia in 2025.

"What grew between us happened slowly and naturally — over time, a more meaningful connection developed, which really caught me by surprise. It wasn't something either of us sought out, but it's turned into something really lovely."

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A post shared by Phoebe Timmins (@bephoe)

Mark and Phoebe have now been dating for over a year, and going public with their romance was not a decision that Phoebe took lightly.

"I live a fairly private life. Survivor was a significant part of my journey years ago, but life has moved forward in many ways since then," Phoebe said.

"I haven't ever seen myself as a public figure, so I didn't really think much of Mark sharing it. I simply haven't been very active on socials recently."

Phoebe's privacy is something that she especially values now that she's a mother.

"I'm a proud solo parent, and I've always chosen to protect my daughter's privacy — that won't change. She is the most important person in my life, and her story is hers to tell when and if she chooses," Phoebe said.

"Mark and I are dating and enjoy a special connection. While he's a wonderful support and shares a deep understanding of parenting, I've never had a co-parent and continue to raise my daughter independently."

Phoebe and Mark were previously in a long-distance relationship as her career had taken her to a work opportunity in Abu Dhabi, where she was residing.

Image: Instagram/@mark.a.wales.

"Right now, I'm focused on an exciting professional opportunity in the UAE and continuing to grow in this chapter of my life. Mark is incredibly supportive, and he visits when he can. We're enjoying the relationship for what it is," she said last year.

"People will always speculate, but this is really a simple story: Two people who'd known each other for years reconnected at a time when we were both single and open to something new. It's a happy, hopeful story, and we're both grateful for it."

She said the response to Mark's social media announcement "has been a little overwhelming," to take in — especially from invested Survivor fans.

"I still feel a strong bond with the Survivor community — it was a huge part of my life. That said, my focus now is on parenting and my career in Abu Dhabi. Life has evolved."

Watch the introduction package for Miles, the 2025 winner of Australian Survivor. Post continues after video.

A lot of the reaction online has centred on Mark and his ex-partner, Samantha Gash.

Mark and Sam first met as contestants on Australian Survivor in 2017. Their chemistry was clear to both viewers and fellow contestants, and while their 'power couple' alliance made them targets in the game, their relationship blossomed beyond the show.

In November 2017, Sam announced she was pregnant, and their son, Harry Locke Wales, was born in March 2018, becoming the first-ever Australian Survivor baby.

Mark and Sam tied the knot on 14 December 2019, almost exactly two years after they met on the show. While they never announced an official breakup, Mark and Sam stopped appearing on each other's Instagram pages in 2024, leading to fan speculation they had parted ways.

Phoebe maintains that she and Sam have remained amicable throughout. "Sam is a remarkable woman," she told us.

"There's only ever been mutual kindness between us, and that hasn't changed."

We previously reached out to Sam and Mark for comment.

This article was originally published on 9 May, 2025 and has since been updated with new information.

Feature image: Instagram/@bephoe.