Victor Arroyo was crowned America’s Favorite Player on Big Brother — a coveted title that James Huling was openly playing for — but he almost had something else that Huling wanted.
In a new video posted by Rob Has a Podcast , Victor told Big Brother Canada player Jordan Parhar that he had a brief “flirtmance” with James’ BB girlfriend, Natalie Negrotti, early on in the CBS summertime house. Looks like James wasn’t Natalie’s first choice, and although Big Brother fans are all about Jatalie now, it could have been Vatalie.
In the interview, Victor Arroyo confirmed that he had a short pre-showmance with Negrotti before the live feeds were turned on. Victor even took Natalie on a fancy faux dinner date in the Big Brother backyard (Corey Brooks was their waiter), but even live feed watchers missed most of the couple’s short relationship because it ended before the feeds were even turned on.
I’d totally be fine with Natalie’s anti-PDA stance w/ James if we hadn’t already seen her cuddling w/ Victor #BB18 pic.twitter.com/7AqED9iA7n
— Michelle (@MO_ZPP) September 4, 2016
Victor revealed that for the first four days in the Big Brother house he had a “flirtmance” with Natalie.
“It wasn’t really a showmance,” Arroyo said.
“We were hanging out a lot, cuddling, but no kissing or anything like that. Just very friendly… We did a little date thing, but I just didn’t think we were a match or compatible… I just let her know that we should stop this here and continue on as friends.”
While the romance wasn’t anything serious, Victor Arroyo admits that it might have been better if it had never happened at all because nothing came out of it. Three months later, Arroyo seems to be happy for Natalie and her BB18 soulmate, James, and he even hung out with them over the weekend at the Rodney Bowl in Boston.
In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter shortly after his first eviction from the Big Brother house, Arroyo addressed his early relationship with Negrotti, saying he just wasn’t feeling a connection with her.
“I just didn’t click with Natalie,” Victor told THR . “She is just not my type of girl. After that, I realized I’d rather have a bromance than a showmance. It is less stressful.”
Indeed, the feeling — or lack thereof — was mutual. According to Big Brother Access , after things ended between them, Nat was caught on the live feeds saying she had some regrets about getting involved with Victor. The former New York Jets cheerleader told Nicole Franzel that she regretted sharing a bed with Victor for those first few days in the house because he wasn’t her type. In the past, Negrotti has said that she doesn’t like guys with abs (El Fit Vic definitely has them) and that she avoids dating hot guys.
Victor Arroyo’s fizzled flirtmance likely fueled some of the tension between the two later in the game. After Victor was evicted, Natalie’s goodbye message to him included a warning that he should learn to be nicer to people, “especially women.”
In an email response to Bustle , Arroyo revealed that he was “very upset” by Negrotti’s comments.
“[I felt] very surprised, very offended,” Victor wrote. “My mom raised me right, I would never talk to women in a disrespectful way. I hope [Natalie] goes back to watch the show and realize that’s not the case… But if she feels that way, I do apologize.”
Still, things seem to be all good between Victor Arroyo and his four-day Big Brother cuddle partner now. And while James got the girl, Victor got the AFH title and a $25,000 check. Looks like all’s fair in love and Big Brother .
Take a look at the video below to see Victor Arroyo and Natalie butting heads in the Big Brother house.
[Featured Image by Victor Arroyo/ Instagram ]