Expedition X’s hosts have both been married to their respective partners since before they even signed on to do the show.
Expedition X has now officially concluded its sixth season on the air. And though few shows on television can brag that they have exceeded 40 episodes, it does not look like Expedition X (or the show’s hosts) plan on slowing down their mystery-solving mission anytime soon.
Where the original Expedition Unknown propelled the expert adventurer and explorer, Josh Gates to reality television fame, Expedition X’s success has done the same for its hosts – the host and writer, Jessica “Jess” Chobot and the biologist, Phil Torres, who have already cemented themselves as firm fan-favorites in the franchise.
Jessica Chobot and Phil Torres’s relationship is purely platonic
Jess and Phil have been taking Expedition X fans on a journey through the mysteries of space, time and beyond ever since the pilot episode of the show.
And between all of the cryptid-investigating, ghost-hunting and monster-tracking that they have undertaken throughout the show’s last six seasons, these co-hosts have built up incredible on-screen rapport.
However, while fans often wonder whether this chemistry extends beyond the cameras – both Jess and Phil are in committed relationships with other people.
And though both of the show’s hosts have admitted that they have a deep emotional connection to each other, and they certainly spend a lot of time together on set, it seems like there is nothing romantic between them.
Putting it all into perspective
Not only are the two hosts of Expedition X not married in real life, but both Jess and Phil had married their respective partners well before the show had even started airing. This relative timeline of events can be summarized as follows:
| Date | Event |
| February 18, 2012 | Jess marries her long-term partner, Blair Herter |
| September 23, 2018 | Phil Torres marries his long-term partner, Silja Danielsen Torres |
| February 12, 2020 | Expedition X airs its premiere episode on Discovery Channel |
About Jessica Chobot’s real-life husband
While Jess may have an incredible rapport with her Expedition X co-host in front of the cameras, she has actually been married to her husband for over a decade, behind the scenes. Jess got engaged to Blair Herter in 2011, and the couple officially tied the knot in 2012.
Much like Jess, Blair is most well-known for his work in television. This includes shows such as Road Rules: The Quest, Real World/Road Rules Challenge, Attack of the Show!, X-Play and American Ninja Warrior.
However, Blair has moved on from the television industry and now works in an executive position with the professional e-sports organization, Team Liquid.
Jess and Blair welcomed a son, named Emerson, in 2013 and although she has been hard at work filming for Expedition X since the show started airing in 2020, her recent Instagram posts show that she still makes time for her family when she is home in the Netherlands.
About Phil Torres’s real-life wife
Phil has also been married to his wife, Silja Danielsen Torres, since 2018, though the couple has known each other for much longer than that. They reportedly met through a mutual friend back in 2014.
Silja is not entirely shy in front of the camera, and has made a living as a digital creator and model. Silja is also the founder of a baking company called Mormor’s, which specializes in Scandinavian-inspired small-batch, naturally leavened goods.
Phil and Silja welcomed their daughter, Atlis Bjear Torres, in 2020 and from the looks of Silja’s Instagram page, they love spending time together as a family in nature.
This love for the great outdoors is reflected in all Phil and Silja’s choices and the home they purchased in 2020, which “sits on a half-acre of certified wildlife habitat.”
Jessica and Phil’s amazing on-screen chemistry
Although Jess and Phil are not married to each other – they are the perfect, textbook example of a work-wife and a work-husband.
Phil even recently thanked Jess for the memories that they have been able to make whilst filming Expedition X, in a May 2023 Instagram post, in which he said, “Honestly I can tell you some of what we experienced are truly moments I’ll never forget— incredible people, history, wildlife (Phil- of course!) and encounters (Jess- of course!).”
Jess later shared a similar sentiment about her Expedition X co-host in a comment under this post, in which she not only thanked Phil for being by her side on the show, but also gave his family a shoutout, stating “We make an amazing team!!! So proud and happy to work together. Have a safe trip home and tell Silja & Atlis I said HI!”
