Spoilers for Love Is Blind: UK episodes 1-9. Love is Blind has given fans of reality TV shows some truly dramatic love triangles, whether they've ended in puddles of tears, explosive fights, or even a baby. (Congrats, Bliss and Zack!). The inaugural season of Love Is Blind: UK has more complicated three-way romances than non-conflicted couplings, but none are more chaotic than the fire between Nicole Stevens, Sam Klein, and Benaiah. Nicole had to decide between the two men but found herself making an admitted mistake when she became engaged to Sam over Benaiah. The first batch of episodes (which were released on August 6) left viewers wondering whether Nicole would get a second chance. As we await the rest of the season, here's everything we know about Nicole and Benaiah's relationship, including whether she still has any unfinished business with Sam.
What happened between Nicole and Sam on 'Love is Blind: UK?'
Nicole, a 29-year-old head of brand and marketing, arrived on Love Is Blind: UK looking for a second chance at love. Per her Netflix bio, she focused on her career (and getting her MBA) after her first marriage ended, but she arrived on the show ready to find love again. She quickly made two strong connections in the pods, with 31-year-old product design manager Sam and 33-year-old structural landscaper Benaiah.
Sam is maybe the most intentional of all the men of this season: He wants to get married. In his first testimonial, he admits that he's spent a lot of time on his appearance ahead of his dream wedding, including months in the gym, a skincare routine, and a nose job. (Therapy is not mentioned.) He clicks the most with two women, Nicole, and 29-year-old mental health nurse Jasmine. In one telling moment early on with Jasmine, he admits that he feels people often only assume he wants a hook-up instead of a real relationship. Jasmine counters if that means he has "fuckboy energy," and he quickly responds, "No!"
At one point during the pods, both Nicole and Jasmine say that Sam tends to say the things they want to hear. Both of them hint that that's a red flag, especially since they're taking part in a process where vulnerability could lead to emotional manipulation. Jasmine even pushes back on this, and Sam's immediate response is to get defensive and shut down. Meanwhile, Nicole thinks that Sam is fun and she could see them "kicking it;" she also appreciates how consistent he is about how he feels.
In episode 2, Jasmine dumps Sam to prioritize her connection with her eventual fiancé Bobby. Sam does not react well—was that the first time a golden goblet has been thrown in the pods?—and the way he brings up Nicole when he returns to the men's quarters is another red flag. "I whittled it down to two amazing girls, and one’s gone," he says, before continuing. "So beggars can’t be choosers, eh?" From this moment, he is set on winning Nicole, though he does know that she also has another connection.
As we've seen throughout the first four episodes, Sam's behavior on Love Is Blind: UK is best described as determined and consistent. While Nicole isn't entirely sure how Benaiah feels about marriage (we'll break down their relationship shortly), Sam gives her his lucky bracelet and says he only wants to be with her. As proposal day approaches, it seems that Nicole values his consistency a lot. Even though Benaiah warns her that Sam may not have "genuine reasons" for coming on the show, she chooses to speak with Sam first on proposal day (if we can trust the editing). When she voices her concern in the pod, Sam assures her he's genuinely there for love, telling her to "trust him" over and over and eventually asking her to marry him. Nicole says yes, and in her tearful testimonial after, she says, "He said all the right things. I'm just going to have to trust that."
Sam and Nicole's in-person reveal is awkward. Like, not Irina-and-Zack awkward, but like, maybe one direct-to-camera glance away from Jimmy-and-Chelsea awkward. He keeps repeating the "trust me" thing over and over, and she appears to be a bit in shock. (She even tells him, "I'm in disbelief.") The ring gets a bit stuck in the box so Nicole takes it out herself and puts it on the left ring finger instead of the right. And then, Sam says, "I love you," and Nicole doesn't say it back. Nicole says in the confessional immediately after that she'll have to see what happens "in the real world," but as a crew member fixes her mic, she says to the crew, "I don't know what I've let myself into here. This is so dangerous territory."
The next time we see Nicole and Sam, they're not at a Corfu, Greece resort with the rest of the engaged couples. Instead, they're giving separate interviews in their apartments, explaining that they broke up offscreen. Sam only mentions her connection with another man, but Nicole points out that the ring kerfuffle was a sign in hindsight. “I’m clear about my emotions and we’re not flying to Greece," she says of herself and Sam, in a moment that would make Natalie and Deepti proud.
Despite the engagement chapter being closed, Sam and Nicole do reunite during the pod reunion party in episode 8. During their chat, Nicole admits that the feelings weren't there when they met in person and that they have different ways of showing affection. Both of them agree that there was a night after the pods when Nicole wanted to get physical and Sam turned her down. Nicole added that she felt a "genuine sort of care" was missing at that point and that it made her realize the pair were different. Sam accepts that, and he eventually accepts it when Nicole gives back his engagement ring and lucky bracelet. Of course, Sam being Sam, he also takes a swipe at Nicole's new fiancé, Benaiah, by informing him that Nicole had tried to sleep with Sam back then.
For anyone curious, Sam shared his side of the story in an Instagram Stories Q&A on August 11, per Us Weekly. In response to questions, he alluded that the show's editing made him the "villain," calling his depiction as not genuine "TV gold." He wrote, “The show was intense and high-pressure, and the editing hasn’t really worked in my favor. But my connection with Nicole in the pods was genuine and she’s an amazing person.”
What happened between Nicole and Benaiah on 'Love is Blind: UK?'
Nicole's connection with Benaiah got very spiritual very quickly. The two nature lovers bonded over their values involving "conscious living" and "mind-body-spirit." Nicole admires that Benaiah has been traveling the world for a decade, couch-surfing, and cultivating his freelance career wherever he takes it. (Benaiah admits he's technically "homeless," although it seems as though he's more of a nomad.) Benaiah's also very open about where he's at mentally; he mentions his difficult childhood and the fact that he hasn't dated since 2012, but he says that he's done a lot of work to love himself. (Therapy also isn't mentioned, but it's heavily alluded that mental health is important to him.)
Nicole admits that her connection with Benaiah is more about deep understanding, while Benaiah says that Nicole fills his heart with happiness and positivity. However, Benaiah isn't the one to move too quickly. When she asks where he's at with the possibility of marriage, he admits that he's imagined a future with her, but he's not at the stage of giving "assurances" at that time. This, compared with Sam and the lucky bracelet, makes her confused about the strength of these relationships.
Based on the edit, Benaiah becomes concerned about Nicole and Sam's connection when he hears Sam chatting about Nicole's possible physical appearance with some of the other men. (Honestly, I'm still a bit confused by the whole exchange, but it's very Shake-coded.) Benaiah chats with his buddy Steven about feeling conflicted, saying that there have been "question marks" about Sam's "authenticity and genuine reasons" for being there (none of which we see in the first four episodes). Benaiah decides to warn Nicole and uses the exact "genuine reasons" verbiage, but he seems conflicted the entire time because he doesn't want to "sabotage" another one of her connections.
Nicole is rocked by this information, but, per the edit, she decides to question Sam about it before talking to Benaiah again. This is also the conversation where she and Sam get engaged, so by the time Benaiah is speaking to her on proposal day, ready to make that commitment, she's already said yes to Sam. Benaiah is gutted, and he mentions that he thought their relationship was building to a really good place.
The second batch of episodes, released on August 14, starts right back up with Nicole waiting in a restaurant in England as Benaiah makes his way to their reunion spot. "I just want him to know that I really care about him, and I just want to be with him," she says before he arrives. The couple are immediately delighted and giddy around each other, and they don't stop holding hands as Nicole explains where she is at with Benaiah seeming hesitant in the pods. In response, Benaiah admits that he had shut himself off, adding, "I've lost you once, I don't want to lose you again." He proposes, and she says yes!
With the quick reunion, Nicole and Benaiah even have time to join the other couples on vacation in Corfu, Greece. We don't see much of Nicole and Benaiah alone (besides one or two private chats), but it's adorable how excited the other cast members are to see them, especially their respective pod besties Sabrina and Stephen. Nicole and Benaiah are happy and lovely throughout the trip, and they also both admit that they feel a physical chemistry as well as an emotional connection.
Once they arrive back in London, Nicole and Benaiah grow closer as they live together and meet each other's loved ones. Nicole's parents appear to hit it off with Benaiah, and they share caring advice regarding their possible marriage. After the dinner, Nicole says she'd be "devastated" if they didn't work out. However, they do face a trial when Sam reenters the picture, despite Benaiah preferring to never see him again. Sam's "derogatory comments about intimacy" angers Benaiah, but Nicole quickly shuts it down, saying that Sam isn't relevant at all to their life and future together.
Another "make-or-break" moment comes when meeting Benaiah's mother and sister, as they saw how heartbroken Benaiah was when he and Nicole initially broke up. His mother is initially very apprehensive of Nicole but the women come to understand what happened after Nicole explains her side. Benaiah's mother gives him a "110 percent" seal of approval, but his sister raises some concerns about his nomadic lifestyle, which leads Nicole to question again whether they're ready for marriage. We'll have to wait until the August 21 finale to see if love truly conquers all for these two.
Are Nicole and Benaiah still together after 'Love is Blind: UK?'
The teaser for the final two episodes of Love is Blind: UK hints that Nicole and Benaiah will still have a choice to make on their wedding day. Or at least Nicole will; in one clip, Benaiah says, "I know my answer. I don't know hers." This is followed by Nicole admitting that she's "in two minds" about the day. So yeah, a stressful time ahead.
In the meantime, there are some social media clues to sort through. Nicole and Benaiah don't currently follow each other even though they both follow other members of the cast, which could either be due to personal decisions or the show's attempt at avoiding spoilers. The finale cannot come faster.
