Wes and Johanna Were Once the Golden Couple on 'The Challenge'

In the 36 seasons of The Challenge, there have been dozens of showmance couples who have hooked up, made alliances together, and, in some cases, have even gotten married.

The series originally centered around alums from The Real World and Road Rules as they competed for cash prizes while living together. 

Newer engaged Challenge couples include Zach Nichols and Jenna Compono, and Jordan Wiseley and Tori Deal; the latter of which announced their breakup in November of 2020.

Before those pairs ever even met (or appeared on a reality series), Wes Bergmann and Johanna Botta were considered to be one of the most darling duos on the show.

The couple first met on the 2005 season of The Real World, which took place in Austin. They got engaged, and they later appeared on The Challenge: Fresh Meat together. Wes soon made a career for himself as a Challenge victor, and his status with Johanna changed. 

While some viewers got to see Wes and Johanna's romance play out for several seasons in real time on The Real World and The Challenge, many are just getting introduced to the duo. Netflix added two popular seasons of the show in December of 2020: Inferno II and The Duel, which Wes appeared on.

In the premiere episode of The Duel, which originally aired in 2006, Wes shares that he is still dating Johanna. 

"Everybody always asks me, first question, 'Are you and Johanna still together?' And the answer is yes," Wes said on the first episode of The Duel. "I'm trying to win this money for us to start a life together, get married, and have little Weses running around."

Johanna and Wes dated for three years after their original Real World stint. They bought a home together, and they got engaged. 

But their relationship didn't last, and Johanna revealed that she had split from Wes in the reunion special for The Gauntlet III in 2008. She was one of the winners of that season, but she lost out when it came to love.

Though their romantic bond didn't last, their shared love for competing on The Challenge did. The exes continued appearing on the show, and Johanna's stint on The Island (Season 16), had a lasting impact.

After her split from Wes, Johanna ended up having a fling with his close friend and former competitor, Kenny Santucci, on The Island.

Johanna, Wes, and Kenny all subsequently appeared on The Ruins (Season 18) together. 

Wes shared that Johanna's romance with Kenny closed the door on any potential reconciliation or friendship that they could have. His rivalry with Kenny almost got physical several times. 

Things between Wes and Johanna turned sour for quite some time, but the two have since moved on, and they've kept their relationships off of reality TV.

While some fans hoped that Wes and Johanna were the real deal on The Challenge, a lot has changed since their public breakup in 2008.

Johanna got married in 2014 to Willem Marx, whose ex is reportedly none other than Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

Willem and Johanna are the parents of a son named Diego, who was born on Dec. 23, 2015. 

The 37-year-old's last appearance on The Challenge was in The Ruins. Following her time on the MTV competition show, Johanna hosted 1st Look, Refreshing Faith, and The Challenge: After Show.

Johanna now resides in England with her family. 

Wes, on the other hand, has been married to lifestyle and fitness blogger Amanda Hornick since 2018. The couple lives in Kansas City together.

The infamous ginger has continued competing on The Challenge, and he's currently a cast member on Season 36.

Two seasons of The Challenge are available to stream on Netflix: Inferno II and The Duel. 

Season 36 of the show airs on Wednesdays at 9 p.m. on MTV.