Brendon & Rachel

For the other team in which Rachel ran the race, see Rachel & Elissa.

Brendon & Rachel
Team Profile
Born:	(1980-07-02) July 2, 1980 (Brendon) (1984-10-16) October 16, 1984 (Rachel)
Hometown:	Westwood, California (Season 20) Los Angeles, California (All-Stars)
Relation:	Engaged (Season 20) Newlyweds (All-Stars)
Occupation:	PhD Student (Brendon) Event Hostess/Actress/reality TV personality/Journalist/Owner of Adventures4pets.com (Rachel)
Hashtag:	#Brenchel
Legs Competed:	12
Legs Won:	0
Placement:	3rd
Average Position:	3.42
RoadblockCount:	Brendon: 6 Rachel: 6
CountriesRaced:
Legs Competed:	12
Legs Won:	3
Placement:	3rd
Average Position:	3.75
RoadblockCount:	Brendon: 7 Rachel: 6
CountriesRaced:

Brendon Josef Villegas and Rachel Eileen Reilly Villegas are a team of PhD Student & Event Hostess on The Amazing Race 20, and a team of Newlyweds on 2014 edition of The Amazing Race: All-Stars.

Immediately coming off of two stints on Big Brother, Brendon & Rachel again became magnets for conflict in The Amazing Race 20. The engaged couple frequently found themselves in explosive confrontations with Art & JJ and Vanessa & Ralph, who took a great disliking to them due to perceiving them as followers and weak personalities. When not clashing with other teams, Brendon & Rachel often bickered with each other, with their trademark arguing and emotional meltdowns from Big Brother again coming to the fore during the Race. Despite all this, they managed to make it to the final leg where, although initially fighting for the win, they made the fatal mistake of misreading a clue, dropping them out of contention, dooming them to a 3rd place finish.

Returning in All-Stars as newlyweds, Brendon & Rachel vowed to run a smarter race, making less mistakes and avoiding emotional breakdowns. This translated to greater success for them, as they won three legs and became the first team to make it to the final three twice. However, they once again made enemies when they used the U-Turn on Dave & Connor in an attempt to secure a first-place finish in the eighth leg. This turned the other teams against them and made them pariahs for the rest of the Race, though the newlyweds fought back with cutthroat tactics. Despite the seeming progress Brendon & Rachel had made since their previous time on the Race, they fell apart in the final two legs, reverting to their old selves that were sidetracked by bickering, emotional meltdowns, and avoidable mistakes. Although they had an advantage of being familiar with Las Vegas in the final leg, a bad taxi driver and several mistakes doomed them to once again finish in 3rd place.

Profile

Retrieved from CBS.com

The Amazing Race 20 The Amazing Race: All-Stars Brendon Age: 31 Hometown: Westwood, California Connection to Teammate: Engaged Current Occupation: Ph.D. student at UCLA Describe what you do: Cancer research via Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Imaging. I am investigating biological mechanisms in the human brain that may aid in preventing neurodegenerative disease; also involved in proliferation of various types of cancer. How will these skills help you win The Race? I am a logical thinker and believe I am fairly proficient at cartography. Three words to describe you: Fun, competitive and intellectual. Favorite hobbies: Running, reading and swimming. What famous person reminds you of yourself? Stephen Colbert What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Scarlett Johansson What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? Working on my PhD. in Biomedical Physics. What scares you most about traveling? Nothing. What excites you most about traveling? Exploring new places with the love of my life. Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? I am impatient. Pet peeve about your teammate: She's short with me and often doesn't want to listen to me. What country and place would you most like to visit and why? South America, because they are Latin and I feel like I share similarities with them, culturally. What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I hope we are able to enjoy the small moments and not forget to stop and smell the proverbial roses. Rachel Age: 27 Hometown: Westwood, California Connection to Teammate: Engaged Current Occupation: Event Hostess Describe what you do: Just got off "Big Brother." How will these skills help you win The Race? We're very competitive. Brendon and I work very well together: fast, strong, smart. If we can survive "Big Brother," we can do anything. Three words to describe you: Fun, bubbly and effervescent. Favorite hobbies: Working out, making clothes with glitter and hiking with my dog. What famous person reminds you of yourself? Lucy from "I Love Lucy." What famous person reminds you of your teammate? Ricki from "I Love Lucy." He's a fiery Hispanic and I'm the ditsy, flighty redhead. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? My B.S. Chem degree. I worked really hard. My magazine cover with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith. Winning "Big Brother." What scares you most about traveling? I love it. What excites you most about traveling? Meeting new people, experiencing new cultures and seeing the world. Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together? Brendon is impatient. Pet peeve about your teammate: Impatience. He's always rushing me. What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Africa on a Safari. I'd love to go to Egypt and Kenya. What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? Traveling around the world, bonding, falling deeper in love and working together as a couple. Brendon Name: Brendon Villegas Age: 33 Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif. Previous Seasons: Season 20 Current occupation: PhD student in biomedical physics at UCLA Describe what you do: Currently, I am examining post-mortem brain tissue from Alzheimer's disease patients in an effort to correlate the pathology we saw using Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging while the patient was still living with the disease. The field itself is tough, since so many individuals have or will have family members that will experience some form of dementia. In my lab at UCLA, we strive to find a biomarker that might be an early indicator at the onset of Alzheimer's disease, in which case we might be able to stop the disease before it heavily progresses. Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: Not reading a clue properly and heading to the wrong location in the final leg. Most memorable moment from your first Race: Taking a beautiful detour through the Ngorogoro crater in Tanzania and happening upon a pair of twin baby elephants. One of the baby elephants trumpeted as they walked around our safari jeep. It was one of those moments that we will remember for as long as we are alive. Favorite place you visited on your first season: Tanzania, Africa. Why do you want to run the Race again? To win the $1 million so I can buy my beautiful wife a house and also we can… wait for it… have a baby!!! We live in Los Angeles, so this is pretty much what it costs! How have you changed since the last time you competed? I am married to Rachel and I would like to think that our relationship has grown considerably and we won't be (knock on wood) arguing nearly as much during the Race! What are you passionate about? My family and my future children with Rachel. After racing around the world, you quickly realize how much money and possessions can never replace the people you have in your life. I am passionate about my science and trying to do something that will have a positive impact on the world. People would be surprised to learn: I was a competitive spelling bee kid when I was younger, and I absolutely hated it! I would sit at my house and read thousands and thousands of words and learn their root meanings. I enjoyed learning the words, but hated the competition itself. It is so nerve-racking for a child! Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: Making sure we are passing the reigns to one another when the time is appropriate and not fighting each other over small things. Pet peeve about your teammate: Not listening to me. Just kidding! Rachel is an amazing racer and I am lucky to have her as my best friend and partner. Sometimes Rachel and I will both be too anxious in a task and rush, rather than making sure we are doing it correctly. So it is more of a team pet peeve! What country and place would you most like to visit and why? Africa is somewhere we will always want to go back and visit. What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? Get to make some more memories with my beautiful wife and have a baby after winning the million dollars! Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: We are going to make sure we read our clues carefully and make detour decisions more carefully. Rachel Name: Rachel Reilly Age: 30 Hometown: Los Angeles, Calif. Previous Seasons: Season 20 Current occupation: Actress, reality TV personality, journalist and owner of Adventures4pets.com Describe what you do: I compete in reality shows including The Amazing Race and Big Brother, as well as filming other reality lifestyle shows. Most people don't make a habit of doing competitive reality shows, but I keep getting asked back—obviously because I am so entertaining! I train for the shows mentally and physically for hours a day!!! I am going for the title of competitive reality TV tri-athlete, which means I will obviously have to compete on another CBS reality show. Biggest mistake you made in your previous season: That would be trying to take a cab ride to Hawaii Pacific University. I really just wanted to spend more time in Hawaii, and knew if we won I wouldn't get asked back for another season… so it was a win win! Most memorable moment from your first Race: The African Safari with my hubby. The romance and splendor of the birth in the African savannah; seeing the little baby twin elephants; witnessing baboons carrying their new born children; and romantic dinners at the end of every leg. Also, trying beers in every country we visited! Favorite place you visited on your first season: Every place was amazing; it's hard to pick just one! That's like asking if I would rather play Big Brother or The Amazing Race again! Why do you want to run the Race again? My motivation to run the Race again stemmed from my deep need to compete on reality TV. I think that America, and the world, needed to watch another season of #Brenchel going at it! I have to give the fans what they ask for and they really wanted us back. Oh, and Brendon promised me if we win I can have a Brenchel baby!!!!! How have you changed since the last time you competed? I think I am the same, just more awesome and experienced!! We also got married, so that probably made a difference. What are you passionate about? Other than being passionate about the hubs... I am passionate about sharing my life with America. Brendon and I fell in love while you were watching, we had our first kiss while you waited to see if we would get voted out of the house, we won money to start a family while you cheered us on, we traveled around the world on an adventure of a life time while you laughed at my tears, we got married and you shed tears with your besties. I love the entertainment industry; from competing on reality TV shows to filming my day to day life and making good TV. People would be surprised to learn: I am an artist and headband designer! You can buy my designs online. I also paint glass! Biggest challenge you and your teammate will face on The Race together: Brendon and I just love each other too much and we always think the other one is right so it's hard to make a decision. Pet peeve about your teammate: My lil' bookie has no flaws; he's perfect in every way! What country and place would you most like to visit and why? I would like to scuba dive with sharks in the Pacific. You haven't lived until you've swam with sharks! What do you hope to accomplish by running The Race (other than winning one million bucks)? I would like to have a Race baby, that way when we win the Race and have a baby we can tell them a really cool story about how they came into our lil' #brenchel family! Any strategic changes you will make heading into this Race: I won't make any changes, since I am so competitive and have never been eliminated. Brendon and I want to have the record of the team never being eliminated… and winning The Amazing Race 24!!!

The Amazing Race 20

Race History

Brendon & Rachel's Race History
Episode	Leg	Destination(s)	Detour Choice (underlined)	Roadblock Performer	Placement	Notes
1	1	United States → Argentina	No Detour	Brendon	2 of 11
2	2	Argentina	Boil My Water / Light My Fire	Rachel	4 of 10
3	3	Argentina → Paraguay	Stacked Up / Strung Out	Rachel	2 of 9
4	4	Paraguay → Italy	Clean That Statue / Name That Salami	Rachel	6 of 8
5	5	Italy → Austria → Germany	Fairy Tale / Champion Male	Brendon	5 of 8
6	6	Germany → Azerbaijan	Apples / Oil	Brendon	4 of 7
7	7	Azerbaijan → Tanzania	Marksmanship / Courtship	No Roadblock	4 of 6
8	8	Tanzania	Water Supply / Air Supply	Rachel	4 of 6⊃⋐
9	9	Tanzania → India	Cricket / Clutch It	Rachel	2 of 5
10	10	India	Pachyderm / Pack a Box	Brendon	2 of 5
11	11	India → Japan	Bingo Shout-Out / Photo Cut-Out	Brendon	3 of 4
	12	Japan → United States	No Detour	Brendon	3 of 3	[1]
				Rachel
				Average	3.42
Legend:      The team finished in first place      The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race      The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg      The team that won The Amazing Race      The team that crossed the Finish Line second      The team that crossed the Finish Line third ► The team used the Fast Forward pass ϵ The team used the Express Pass somewhere during the leg ⊂ The team used the U-Turn ⊃ Recipient of the U-Turn ⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist
Notes: 1: Leg 12 had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.

The Amazing Race: All-Stars

Race History

Brendon & Rachel's Race History
Episode	Leg	Destination(s)	Detour Choice (underlined)	Roadblock Performer	Placement	Notes
1	1	United States → China	No Detour	Brendon	2 of 11
2	2	China	Featherball / China Cup	Brendon	1 of 10
3	3	China → Malaysia	River Delivery / Run Through the Jungle	Rachel	8 of 9
4	4	Malaysia	Mix Master / Master Mix	Rachel	8 of 8
5	5	Malaysia → Sri Lanka	Fishing Pole / Spin Control	Brendon	7 of 8
6	6	Sri Lanka	Trunk / Sheets	Rachel	5 of 7
7	7	Sri Lanka → Italy	Gladiator / Charioteer	Brendon	1 of 7
8	8	Italy	Donkey Run / Donkey Build	Rachel	1 of 6⊂
9	9	Italy → Switzerland	No Detour	Brendon	4 of 5
10	10	Switzerland → Spain	Spanish Steps / Running with the Ballz	Rachel	2 of 5
11	11	Spain → United Kingdom	Shoot It / Boot It	Brendon	3 of 4
12	12	United Kingdom → United States	No Detour	Rachel	3 of 3	[2]
				Brendon
				Average	3.75
Legend:      The team finished in first place      The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race      The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg      The team that won The Amazing Race      The team that crossed the Finish Line second      The team that crossed the Finish Line third ϵ The team used the Express Pass somewhere during the leg ⊂ The team used the U-Turn ⊃ Recipient of the U-Turn ⋐ The team that used the second slot of the "Double U-Turn" ⋑ Recipient of a second U-Turn due to the "Double U-Turn" twist
Notes: 2: Leg 12 had two Roadblocks and no Detour. The team member who sat out the first Roadblock was required to perform the second one.

Post-Race

• Brendon & Rachel appeared on The Price is Right episode that aired on May 16, 2012, and presented the second showcase.
• Brendon & Rachel got married on September 8, 2012.
• Brendon & Rachel announced that they were having a baby on the September 16, 2015 episode of Big Brother 17.
  • Rachel gave birth to the couple's first child, a daughter named Adora Borealis Villegas, on April 8, 2016.
• Rachel competed on a Big Brother Primetime special of The Price is Right that aired on May 24, 2016, during her pregnancy. Rachel helped her partner, Lisa, win $3,000 in cash in their pricing game. However, Rachel and Lisa were unable to make it to the Showcase.
• Rachel appeared in the premiere of the US version of Celebrity Big Brother as a part of an opening act.
• Brendon & Rachel appeared on the fifth episode of Celebrity Fear Factor. They competed against Big Brother houseguests Cody Calafiore and Zach Rance, along with Survivor castaways Abi-Maria Gomes and Sierra Dawn Thomas, and Caleb Reynolds and his brother Blake.
  • Although they competed on both, Brendon & Rachel represented Big Brother, with no mention of their time on The Amazing Race.
• Rachel gave birth to the couple's second child, a son named Adler Mateo Villegas, on November 11, 2020.
• In 2022, Rachel competed on an episode of Snake in the Grass, alongside CBS alumni Cirie Fields, Janelle Pierzina, and Stephenie LaGrossa.
• In 2023, Rachel competed on the first season of The Traitors. As a Faithful, she was wrongly suspected of being a Traitor and banished in Episode 8, finishing in 8th place.

Trivia

• Brendon & Rachel are the first returning team to never be eliminated, and the second and third people to complete the Race twice (after Eric Sanchez). They would be followed by Colin & Christie and Tyler & Korey.
  • Among the seven people to complete the race twice, Brendon is one of two to not have competed on The Amazing Race 31, along with Eric Sanchez.
• Brendon & Rachel are the first romantic team to reach the final three twice, and as well in their second season.
• They are the second reality show team to cross the Finish Line, following Rob & Amber, and followed by Cody & Jessica and Derek & Claire.
• Fifth of six teams to finish in the same position twice, 3rd place (with Oswald & Danny (4th), Kent & Vyxsin (5th), Margie & Luke (8th), Leo & Jamal (4th), and Becca & Floyd (5th)).
• Rachel would later race in The Amazing Race 31 with her sister Elissa Slater.

External links

• Brendon's Wikipedia page: Brendon Villegas

• Rachel's Wikipedia page: Rachel Reilly

• Brendon Villegas - Big Brother Wiki
• Rachel Reilly - Big Brother Wiki

Interviews

Season 20

• Catriona Wightman (05/08/2012): "'Amazing Race' Brendon, Rachel Q&A: 'Thank God for waterproof mascara'"
• Joyce Eng at TV Guide (05/09/2012): "Amazing Race's Brendon and Rachel: Vanessa Is Mean Just to Be Mean"
• Gina at Reality Wanted (05/09/2012): "The Amazing Race 20: Exclusive Interview with Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly"
• Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (05/2012): "Exclusive: Rachel Reilly, Brendon Villegas talk 'Amazing Race'" (Parts 1 and 2)

All-Stars

• Joyce Eng at TV Guide (01/26/2014): "Excited" to Return for Amazing Race All-Stars"
• Joyce Eng at TV Guide (05/21/2014): "Amazing Race's Brendon and Rachel: We Don't Regret U-Turning Dave and Connor:
• Elizabeth Kwiatkowski at Reality TV World (05/2014): "Exclusive: Brendon Villegas and Rachel Reilly talk 'The Amazing Race: All-Stars'" (Parts 1 and 2)

Social Media

• Brendon's Facebook: /bjvillegas

• Rachel's Facebook: /rachel.e.reilly

• Brendon's Instagram: /brendonvbb12

• Rachel's Instagram: /rachelereillyvillegas

• Brendon's X profile: @brendonvbb12

• Rachel's X profile: @RachelEReilly

• Rachel's Website: https://rachelsreality.com