Holly Met Nathan’s Entire Family After They Left Too Hot To Handle

Spoilers ahead for the Too Hot To Handle Season 3 finale. Too Hot to Handle Season 3 includes plenty of daters unconcerned with breaking the rules, but none more so than models Holly Scarfone, 23, and Nathan Soan Mngomezulu, 24.

Upon arriving in the show’s private Turks and Caicos villa, the two were immediately smitten with each other, sharing their first kiss before even finding out that they were on Too Hot to Handle. (Contestants typically sign up for the series believing they’re on an entirely different dating show). Despite Lana’s watchful eye, Holly and Nathan continued to pursue a physical relationship, costing the group more and more money in each episode. Their rule breaks — which ranged from smaller transgressions like smooches to doing the deed in the fantasy room twice — ultimately lost them $90,000, more money than any other couple spent. But Holly tells Bustle she doesn’t regret it.

“I met someone that I really, really wanted to get to know and I felt like it would’ve been a disservice to myself and Nathan if we didn’t explore [our connection],” Holly says. “[We] just went for it.”

Through it all, the pair’s connection was repeatedly tested. As more contestants trickled in, Nathan was invited to go on two dates — one with newcomer Olga, the other with Brianna— making Holly feel insecure about where she stood with him. Then, after a series of thoughtless rule breaks, Nathan was sent home by Lana because he didn’t seem to be taking her lessons seriously.

In a new twist, he was given the chance to return, and he and Holly finally redeemed themselves and recovered the prize money they lost by proving they could spend one night in the fantasy room without any sexual activity. Before the season ended, they even professed their love for each other, though it was Beaux Raymond and Harry Johnson who won the show.

Holly — who’s based in Colorado — and Nathan — who’s from South Africa — continued their relationship after filming. Holly says they were “calling each other every day and FaceTiming” and that she even took a trip to see Nathan while he was in London. “I traveled all the way to the UK. I met his family, I met his dad, his sisters, his grandma,” she says. “We celebrated his grandma’s birthday together. It was incredible.” They also met up with castmate Olga Bednarska during Holly’s month-long trip.

Things went south when she returned home. “Nathan had plans to come see me in the U.S., but we ultimately decided to put a pin in our relationship,” Holly says, explaining that she was approaching graduation from the University of Colorado Boulder at the time and she and Nathan’s schedules were “messy.” She adds that visa issues due to the pandemic were “a nightmare.” “It was really starting to affect my mental health ... when you love someone so far away.”

Now, Holly says she and Nathan are on “incredible terms” and plan to reunite at some point. They’re also still communicative on Instagram, liking each other’s pictures and leaving flirty comments. On Holly’s Jan. 8 selfie, for example, Nathan commented three fire emojis, while Holly left a single fire emoji on Nathan’s post from last September.

“As of right now, we’re in different countries but that may change,” Holly says. “We’re both free spirits, so you never know!”