Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts Spill Major Tea on E!'s Hot Goss and Reality TV

Inside the steamy rise of Hot Goss!: Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts spill on their instant chemistry, dream guests, and why reality TV is anything but a guilty pleasure.

Steam filled the room, the chemistry was instant, and the tea kept coming. E! Entertainment’s Hot Goss! hosts Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts caught up with The Reality Rundown correspondent Corinne Johnson for a candid conversation about the sauna-set series that has quickly become one of reality TV’s most entertaining new watches. Between laughs, hot takes, and plenty of behind-the-scenes insight, the pair opened up about how the unconventional show came together, the audition process that landed them the gig, and why their natural dynamic has become such a major part of its appeal.

While the concept may sound wild on paper, Hot Goss! works because of the easy banter between its two hosts. Lonnie joked that he often brings the passion while Eyal balances things out, though the roles can switch depending on the day. Eyal explained, “I think the saying is really true, it’s not what you say but how you say it. So we’re never really limited on what we can or can’t ask someone. We get a feel of the conversation, we get a feel of how comfortable our guests are in the sauna so we get around to asking them questions that we maybe didn’t start with and they realize we’re not coming after them, it’s just we want to ask what people want to know. And we’re in a position to ask you about it from a genuine place.”

Eyal Booker and Lonnie Marts Already Know Their Dream Guests

When asked who they would most want sweating it out in the sauna, both had answers ready. Lonnie said, “I would like to have Will Smith in the sauna on the show,” while adding that off the show he would love to run into President Obama and chat it up with him, even potentially asking for a third term.

Eyal said he wants someone who is at the forefront of the news at the moment like Timothée Chalamet orJustin Bieber after his amazing set post Coachella 2026. Off camera, however, he wants Benny Blanco because “he just seems like a super chill guy who has really great energy and seems like a really authentic person.”

Reality TV Is Not a Guilty Pleasure

The topic then turned to reality television and the long-running idea that it is somehow a guilty pleasure. It’s no secret that when celebrity interviews are conducted, the number one question they’re being asked is “what’s your guilty pleasure?” Eyal pushed back on that label, saying, “Sadly, people view it as this dumb-downed version of something that we are watching and they don’t really regard it that highly. When in reality it’s just nice to watch something entertaining that allows you to relax and just turn the switch off.”

Lonnie added, “What makes reality TV so good is that we’re getting to watch a social experiment, that you get to watch unfold over and over again.” It is exactly why the genre

continues to thrive. Whether it is strategy, romance, conflict, or chaos, audiences love watching how people react under pressure.

As for what shows are currently dominating the space, both quickly pointed to The Traitors and Love Island as two of the biggest forces right now. They also praised the recent season of The Traitors, specifically discussing Rob Rausch’s winning game and how intentional his strategy felt compared to players who simply react moment to moment. Lonnie said, “Rob went in there with a game plan and I thought it was quite interesting because other people kind of just make a decision by decision so it leaves you wondering what is the right way to do it.”

Eyal also revealed he recently attended a Traitors-themed birthday dinner where he was secretly assigned the role of traitor. He laughed while admitting, “I’m a terrible traitor, I gave too much and I think it was also because I was like the only one from a reality background so everyone was like obviously it’s you.”

Eyal Booker Has No Plans to Return to Love Island

Eyal, who first rose to fame through Love Island, was also asked whether he would ever consider returning to the franchise in another country or version of the show. His answer was immediate. “No, I’m 30 and I’m just at a different point in my life. I’m just at a different dating point in my life and Love Island showed me a lot about who I was at 22 but I’m really grateful for everything that happened in and because of the show but I’d love to remain on the hosting side of things.”

He added that he would even turn down NBC’s The Bachelor. Lonnie also admitted that he almost had an opportunity to go on Love Island, but knowing his family would be watching made him think twice. Dating shows may not be in the cards right now, though both agreed competition-based shows would be a different story entirely.

Booker Gets Honest About Unwell Winter Games

The conversation also touched on Eyal’s appearance in Unwell Winter Games, Alex Cooper’s YouTube reality competition series featuring influencers and reality stars. Booker praised the casting and said he had a great experience overall, though he admitted he initially expected something much more intense.

“I was ready to run a marathon over a mountain through the snow but when I saw the cast and the first challenge, I realized this wasn’t going to be as intense as I thought it would be.”

When asked about Huda Mustafa and whether they bonded over being on Love Island, Eyal did not sugarcoat their dynamic. “She wasn’t the most friendly towards me, she came for

me in the roast which was fine but when the cameras stop rolling you expect someone to be like ‘Oh you know we were just bantering and joking’ and there was none of that, she barely acknowledged my existence. We’re just not the same kind of people and navigate things differently.”

Eyal and Lonnie’s Futures Are Just Heating Up

Before wrapping, the trio also touched on the latest Summer House drama involving Ciara Miller, West Wilson, and Amanda Batula, with everyone landing on Team Ciara. Eyal also made the point that Ciara deserved a conversation when Amanda and West first started liking each other.

As for what comes next, both hosts are focused on seeing Hot Goss! continue to grow with bigger guests, more unexpected conversations, and a wider range of personalities stepping into the sauna. Lonnie said, “I love getting people together and I love creating these dynamics, poking and prodding but also facilitating because it’s really fun,” while sharing that hosting a game show would be a dream next step.

Eyal, meanwhile, plans to continue growing in entertainment while building his men’s haircare brand, Wavy. If this interview proved anything, it is that Eyal and Lonnie have the charisma, chemistry, and humor to become one of entertainment’s next standout hosting duos, and Hot Goss! may only be getting started.

If you want to watch the full interview and catch every moment of what the three of us talked about, head over to our YouTube channel, The Reality Rundown, and tune in.