Tucker Des Lauriers and Rubina Bernabe’s romance has come to an end.
After falling in love while competing on Big Brother season 26 in 2024, the reality TV couple announced their split via their respective Instagram broadcast channels on Tuesday, May 13. “There has been a lot going on lately and I wanted to finally address things. Rubina and I are taking a break,” Tucker, 31, informed his subscribers, per Parade. “It’s very sad but deep down we both know it is what’s best for both of us at this time.”
He continued, “I’ve loved and appreciated all the support from each and everyone of you and hope I can still have with you all moving forward. I appreciate your understanding as I navigate this privately.”
Rubina, 35, confirmed she and Tucker “are no longer together” in a statement of her own, adding, “Grateful to have met him & for the love we shared. Feeling grounded and focused on this next chapter of growth. We appreciate your support, your respect, and the space to move through this chapter privately. And a big thank you in advance for continuing to support me through every season.”
The couple’s breakup news comes one month after they attended Coachella 2025 together. “I DON’T CAREEEE, I LOVE ITTTT ???? @coachella,” Rubina captioned April 16 Instagram snaps of one of her music festival looks, including one pic of Tucker giving her a sweet kiss on the cheek.
Tucker shared more Coachella PDA pics via his own Instagram, writing in an April 15 post that he had fun at his “first ever Coachella” thanks to Rubina and their group of friends.
Last year, Tucker gushed about his romantic connection with Rubina after he was eliminated from the CBS reality competition series. “She is so unapologetically herself. I love watching her be her,” he exclusively told Us Weekly in August 2024. “She’s as loud as me, which is a very attractive personality trait to me. She’s a bundle of joy … but she can be very serious. She’s always been there for me when I needed somebody, regardless of how much I was trying to cover it up. She’s very empathetic and observant.”
That October, Rubina exclusively told Us that she thought the pair’s romance would last after the season’s end. “I am a little hopeful given that it’s been four years since I’ve been with anyone,” she told Us at the time. “And for it to happen on the show, as reluctantly as it did for me, I think that it makes sense we try to make it work outside.”
The pair shared a positive relationship update with Us in November 2024, stating that their relationship was “better than ever” post-Big Brother. “We actually like each other even more now,” Rubina quipped, while Tucker added, “Getting to see her and her friends and meet her family and just everything, it makes me like her even more.”
Though neither contestant won the season, Rubina told Us she felt like a winner because of her connection with Tucker. “I don’t know what other way I would have met him, but I feel like it was totally meant to be,” she said. “If there was anything that came from the show, it was us meeting each other. I feel like we win. We totally win.”
Tucker went on to note, “I’m thankful to be able to share such a crazy experience with her and now start to share the experiences we wanted. We’re the real winners. Sorry Chelsie [Baham].”
