Amazing Race's Jeff and Jordan: We Fought A Lot

While many Amazing Race contestants wait months — sometimes years — to get selected for the globe-trotting reality series, Big Brother sweethearts Jeff Schroeder, 31, and Jordan Lloyd, 23, only had to wait days. "Just a couple days after Big Brother ended, production came up to us and asked if we were interested in doing Amazing Race," Jordan, who won Big Brother 11 last summer (Jeff won fan favorite), told TVGuide.com. "We didn't hesitate. We were like, 'Yeah, we'll do it!' I don't really travel that much, and I know that I probably would never go to another country by myself, so I knew it would be something fun to do." See what else we can expect from the couple this season, and what it will take for them to do another show. The Amazing Race 16 premieres Sunday at 8/7c.
TVGuide.com: You started dating while you were on Big Brother. Were you worried about how the Race would affect your relationship?
Jeff: Meeting right before it, I don't think it affected anything. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing when they asked us. We just got off of Big Brother and that was a whole whirlwind, but it was definitely a good decision.

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TVGuide.com: Teams tend to fight a lot on the Race. Did you have that problem?
Jeff: [Laughs] There was definitely a lot more bickering on the Race than there was on Big Brother, just because that it's a more stressful show. Big Brother — you're laying around in the yard all day by the pool. It gets stressful once or twice a week. On Amazing Race, you're stressed out the whole time, so obviously there's going to be more bickering and more arguing. But in the long run, it brought us closer together instead of tearing us apart.Jordan: You're going to see some bickering! Jeff throws some jabs here and there. There were times I wanted to shoot him so bad and times where he wanted to strangle me, but we got through it.TVGuide.com: Are you worried about how you might come across or be edited here?
Jordan: I thought we acted exactly the same as we did on Big Brother. The only thing is we bickered more, but I don't think we'll look any different.Jeff: I think we'll look a little different. We'll look a little bit more normal. I think we came off almost too normal on Big Brother because we got along so well, so this will bring us back to reality. Every couple fights, so it makes us more normal in the end.TVGuide.com: Big Brother is a mental game, and Amazing Race is more physical. How did you approach it?
Jeff: We approached it as just be ourselves, do our best, and hope for the best. Have no regrets, you know? I can't get into specifics, but certain tasks, I was very proud of Jordan. As much as we bicker, there were times I was extremely proud of Jordan and we really got along. I think the hardest thing for me was getting over me and Jordan working together in a stressful situation. I don't think any task was harder than that.Jordan: Yeah, we learned we can never do business together!

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TVGuide.com: Did the other contestants know who you were, and did they hold that against you?
Jordan: I think, like, one or two knew who we were. I don't think anybody else did, or if they did, they didn't say anything until the Race started. Then they were like, "Oh, you were on Big Brother?" And we were like, "Yeah."Jeff: I think, early on, I don't know what it was because I can't speak for other people if they held a grudge or were jealous, but it seemed like other teams weren't working with us. However, maybe that was just in my head. I don't know what their thinking was, but I felt that way. As teams got to know us, I think they were more willing to work with us. I think, early on, it was tough for them to be friends with us.TVGuide.com: Are you still dating long-distance?
Jordan: Yeah, we just got Skype, so it's easier to talk to each other.Jeff: I think this is the longest it's been that we haven't been together. We were with each other all the time, obviously through Big Brother and Amazing Race. Almost every other weekend, if not every weekend, we were together since we met on Big Brother. It kind of sucks, but it's kind of good right now because we're getting back to our old lives. Settle out from the shows and get back into the groove. Then we'll take it from there.

Check out photos from The Amazing Race 16

TVGuide.com: What would you do with the $1 million?
Jordan: Probably get a beach house. I love being at the beach. That's really it. I don't know. After Big Brother, I got to buy a townhouse, so I'd want a little vacation house too, because I'm only three hours from Myrtle Beach.Jeff: Strangely enough, I'd probably do a little more traveling myself. On the show, when you're racing, you don't get the chance to stop and really absorb the culture, so I'd definitely want to travel more.TVGuide.com: You've been on Big Brother, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Amazing Race. Are you taking over CBS shows?
Jordan: [Laughs] No. I think this is the last reality show I want to do.Jeff: So if someone right now got on the phone and said, "Jeff and Jordan, you can have your own show on CBS," you'd say "Nah, probably not"?Jordan: Well, if it was me and you, I'd probably do it, but not something else. We're a package deal!