Fans are used to seeing Australian Ninja Warrior’s dream duo, Ben Polson and Olivia Vivian, dominate the show’s intense obstacle course. But in an exclusive photo shoot with New Idea, the lovebirds have ditched their activewear for a glamorous date-night look.
The pair, who met while filming the show almost four years ago, are more loved-up than ever. And Ben admits he still can’t fathom that he found true love on his quest to conquer Mount Midoriyama.
Watch: Ninja Warrior’s Olivia Vivian does Warped Wall backflip
The pair, who met while filming the show almost four years ago, are more loved-up than ever. And Ben admits he still can’t fathom that he found true love on his quest to conquer Mount Midoriyama.
“You don’t go on a TV show like Ninja Warrior expecting to find love,” he tells New Idea. “It really shows that you find love in the most unpredictable places.”
Together, Ben, 28, and Olivia, 31, have achieved remarkable feats on the show. Last year, he walked away as the winner, while she became the first woman to conquer the Warped Wall in Season 2.
So fans could be forgiven for thinking that the pair spend all their time together training for the show. But, the couple insists that couldn’t be further from the truth.
“We do have the bond of Ninja, but outside of that we don’t talk about the show all that much,” says Ben. “We are just normal people – actually, we’re a bunch of weirdos.”
Olivia shares the sentiment, adding: “We are just two goofballs. Ben makes me smile and laugh every day of the year. I am so grateful that Ninja brought us together – it changed my life.”
While the pair sported their finest suits and gowns for the shoot, they did admit that a typical date night for them usually involves something a little more casual.
“I think a fun date for us would be going and doing an escape room, then going out for dinner somewhere and getting a hotel and relaxing, because we live with three other people, so it kind of gives us time to ourselves,” says Ben.
However, Olivia admits that her hunky beau definitely knows how to dial up the romance for their dates.
“One night Ben set up a little deck on top of these monkey bars and surprised me with a cheese board and some wine. We had an amazing view of the stars, and I thought that was so cool,” she adds.
Clearly head over heels for one another, Ben admits that he is starting to feel the pressure to propose.
“Naturally after three years, these things have been discussed,” says Ben, while Olivia remains tight-lipped.
“We are building in a very positive direction but, yeah, I am also aware it has been three years now and time is ticking. I’m feeling the pressure.”
In the meantime, the couple are once again competing on the current season of Ninja Warrior, meaning that they will be going head-to-head against one another.
“We are both extremely competitive and want to beat each other, but we know how hard we both train for it, so we support one another whether it’s a triumph or you’re going in the drink,” says Olivia.
Ben adds, with a laugh: “It does hurt a little bit when I see you make it farther on the course than I do.”
As the returning winner, Ben revealed that he is feeling a lot of pressure from the public, adding that he thinks they might not actually be cheering for him this time.
“I mainly feel more pressure from other people this year, but I felt more pressure from myself last year,” he says.“More people will be watching me this year, but I also think there’s more Australians wanting me to fail as it’s always the Australian way to go for the underdog.”
As for Olivia, she’s hoping to earn the winner’s title in the future.
“I still want to be the first female to win the show,” she says. “It’s hard because I am on the same course as these men who, anatomy-wise, have that power and strength, so I have to believe in myself and find my own way to get to the end and finish the course.”
Read more in New Idea, on sale now.
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