The Untold Truth Of 90 Day Fiance: Self-Quarantined

With millions of people self-quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic, television is changing in some profound ways. Who could have imagined Jimmy Fallon would be hosting The Tonight Show from a tent in his backyard, or that Saturday Night Live would present its first-ever remotely produced episode featuring cast members performing from their homes?

Another TV series that's adapting to the coronavirus pandemic is 90 Day Fiancé. In early April of 2020, TLC announced new spinoff 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined. According to a network press release, the five-episode series checks in on dozens of people who've been featured on the show over the years. "So many fans have been curious about how their favorite couples and individuals are holding up during the crisis, so we've asked them to self-film and share their lives in quarantine with all of us," said TLC president and general manager Howard Lee. "Their stories hold a lens to the world, from anxiety and cabin fever to laughter and inspiration."

There's a lot to learn about this unprecedented new entry joining the 90 Day Fiancé franchise, so prepare to discover the untold truth of 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined.

When production on TLC reality hits, such as My 600-Lb Life (via The Hollywood Reporter), ground to a halt as the coronavirus pandemic escalated, this presented TLC with a conundrum that also presented a unique opportunity. While 90 Day Fiancé and its various spinoffs could no longer be shot in a conventional manner, producers figured out a way to keep fans in the 90 Day Fiancé loop with a special Self-Quarantined edition. As TLC president and general manager Howard Lee told Variety, having the cast members communicate via video "is already in their DNA," given that they've been involved in long-distance relationships requiring remote communication. 

When it came to casting the new spinoff, Lee admitted that situations of past participants were all over the map. Some couples live together, while others have long since split up, and still others remain romantically together but physically apart. As a result, Lee explained, the goal was to take a deep dive through the show's history and focus on the personalities who most resonated with fans. "Who are we wanting to hear the latest news and updates from — who comes to top of mind for our audience?" he asked.

When TLC's announcement revealed the participants in 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined, fans recognized a lot of familiar names. In fact, there were more than 40 members plucked from the franchise's various shows, including such fan favorites as Pedro and Chantel Jimeno of The Family Chantel and Danielle Mullins, whose failed relationship with Tunisian beau Mohamed Jbali delivered some of the franchise's most explosive moments.

The list revealed in the initial announcement, noted network president and general manager Howard Lee, was a work in progress, as producers were still working on contacting even more cast members to confirm their participation. "This is just a sampling," Lee told Variety of the 40-plus names mentioned. "We're still working with many of them and trying to see who we can get."

While Self-Quarantined was envisioned as a one-off to respond to the physical restrictions imposed by the worldwide pandemic, Lee admitted he was keeping his options open. "Right now, I think this is a limited series event, a one-time only," Lee said. "If for some reason, this is popular, and the audience really loves it, I don't know — maybe there's more down the road!"

The series 90 Day Fiancé, like most reality TV shows, is filmed by a camera crew that follows the various cast members as they go throughout their daily lives. With social distancing recommendations in place due to the coronavirus pandemic, production on both scripted and unscripted TV series was halted to slow the spread of the virus, as noted by Insider. 

With camera crews no longer part of the equation, TLC president and general manager Howard Lee told Variety, the cast instead began recording themselves in late March, with confessional interviews with producers recorded via video chat. "Our crew is not near them physically at all," Lee confirmed, explaining the crew would instead assist the participants with the technical aspects "remotely."

According to Lee, the couples involved are "actually really enjoying it, being able to show a part of their lives at home," although he admitted 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined episodes won't look the way viewers have been used to seeing the main series and its spinoffs. "This series will look very hot-off-the-press — it will look like the paint has not dried," he said. "It will be messy!"

David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan are one of the still-together couples to be featured in 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined. In an interview with Access Hollywood ahead of the Self-Quarantined premiere, they revealed that television fame has made social distancing tricky whenever they need to leave their home. 

"One of the things that's difficult now is when we go out, people want to still come up to us, and forget about social distancing," said David, whose relationship with his Thailand-born bride was chronicled in 90 Day Fiancé. "Our human nature is to be obviously accommodating ... that's probably been the biggest thing, still trying to be friendly but not disrespectful."

As he explained, what viewers will see on Self-Quarantined will basically be "what we're going through right now ... still trying to live our life, the things that we have to do and things that we can't do." He added, "I think it's obviously something that most people can probably relate to."

While there has been some speculation about a baby boom (or more likely a baby blip) as couples self-quarantine together during the coronavirus pandemic, one couple who won't be welcoming a new arrival is 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined couple David Toborowsky and Annie Suwan.

"It would be awesome if we have [kids], but right now that's not going to be a serious conversation for us anymore," Annie told Us Weekly while promoting the Self-Quarantined spinoff. According to David, there's a very good medical reason why the couple won't be anticipating the pitter-patter of little feet. "If I did [have a child], we'd probably name him Jesus because I can't have children," he explained. "I would [need] a vasectomy reversal."

With both of them quarantined together, if Annie were to magically become pregnant during the course of the pandemic, David joked that the father would likely be "the guy from the pizza delivery or Amazon Prime while I'm asleep."

With most of the world housebound during the pandemic, not all 90 Day Fiancé alums are handling the situation the same way. For example, Nicole Nafzinger (who does not appear on TLC's initial list of participants but could potentially be involved in Self-Quarantined) made a bold move. Just as the worldwide pandemic was spreading to the U.S., In Touch reported that she flew to Morocco to be with her long-distance love Azan Tefou. The timing was not great; according to Us Weekly, she wound up getting stuck in Morocco after all travel in or out of the country was banned.

Meanwhile, Darcey Silva — who is confirmed to appear on 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined — spoke with Access Hollywood about how she thinks viewers will respond to the new at-home spinoff. "I think it's really going to be relatable for all the viewers, as we're all in the same boat," she said. "It'll kind of give everybody a glimpse of what our world is like and how we're dealing with everything ... learning how to understand what's happening with everybody."

Anny and Robert were introduced in the seventh season of 90 Day Fiancé, and they will be reappearing in the pandemic-spawned spinoff 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined. Before the premiere of Self-Quarantined, the couple had a big announcement to make. As People reported, they were expecting their first child together, with their pregnancy journey to be part of the new series.

"I feel so happy and fortunate to share the arrival of my baby — 'my gift from God.' The baby has not been born yet, and it's the most beautiful feeling that I have ever felt," Anny wrote in the caption of an Instagram post alongside a photo of her sonogram. "It fills me with joy to know that I'll have someone to fight for and give the best of myself to."

As fans of 90 Day Fiancé well know, this won't be Robert's first experience with fatherhood. As Entertainment Tonight reported, one episode documented the couple having an argument that ultimately revealed he is the father of five children with four different women; his baby with Anny will be his sixth.

Fan favorite Darcey Silva was among those announced to participate in 90 Day Fiancé: Self-Quarantined. Viewers first met the single mother of two when she and then-boyfriend Jesse Meester, who lived in the Netherlands, were featured on 90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days. Silva returned in a later season with a different partner, British beau Tom Brooks.

Silva spoke with Entertainment Tonight from her home in Connecticut while self-quarantining. She joked that all the time she's spent in long-distance relationships, with the majority of communication taking place not face-to-face but via FaceTime, has left her well prepared for dating remotely during the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, she had some advice to share. "You can communicate with your heart and voice, just know that communication is key in long-distance relationships and just be honest and open about what you do want in a relationship so you don't waste time," she explained.

She also offered encouragement to viewers during the coronavirus crisis. "Stay strong, stay empowered," she continued. "Never let anyone take your power away. Stay strong and be there for the ones you love the most."