It’s been 16 years since Amber Mariano last played Survivor, but she couldn’t resist the opportunity to return for season 40, which features a cast of former winners playing against each other. Unfortunately, Amber had a huge target on her back coming into the game, considering her husband, Rob Mariano, is also a contestant. So, she was voted off the island during the show’s Feb. 12 premiere. However, her time in Fiji has not come to an end, as she now resides on the Edge of Extinction, and will eventually have a chance to fight her way back into the game. PLUS, she can score advantages on the Edge that may help Rob, who is still in the game. Here’s more to know about Amber:
1. When did she previously play ‘Survivor’? Amber first played Survivor during the show’s most viewed season — season two, Survivor: The Australian Outback. She was just 22 years old at the time (2001), and emerged as a fan-favorite. Amber came in sixth place. She returned for the show’s eighth season, Survivor: All-Stars. She formed a tight alliance with Rob, who did anything and everything he could — no matter how much backstabbing it took — to make sure that he and Amber were the final two. Amber was criticized for riding Rob’s coattails to the end, but Rob also received backlash for his villainous gameplay. At the final tribal council, Amber won the game with a 4-3 vote.
2. She has a family with Rob. Rob and Amber got engaged during the live reunion show of Survivor: All-Stars, proving that their love was real and not just part of their gameplay. The lovebirds tied the knot in the Bahamas in 2005, and are now the proud parents of four adorable daughters: Lucia, born July 2009, Carina, born Dec. 2010, Iabetta, born May 2012 and Adelina, born June 2014.
3. She also appeared on ‘The Amazing Race.’ As an engaged couple, Rob and Amber competed on season 7 of The Amazing Race, which was also on CBS. They finished in second place. As newlyweds, Rob and Amber returned for The Amazing Race All-Stars during season 11. They started out strong with three first place finishes, but were eliminated during the fourth week of competition and came in 8th place.
4. She finished college before appearing on ‘Survivor.’ In 2000, Amber graduated from Westminster College in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications and a minor in Speech Communications.
5. She also appeared on another reality show with Rob. Rob & Amber: Against the Odds aired on the Fox Reality Channel in 2007. The show followed the couple as Rob trained to be a professional poker player in Las Vegas.