Andrea Loraine Boehlke is an American television host, actress, and reality television star. She is best known for her appearances on CBS's Survivor series, and as a host of PEOPLE Now on People.com. She is also known for her work for CBS Local Sports and for being a host for the New Year's Eve countdown in Times Square.
Early life
Boehlke was born in West Bend, Wisconsin and raised on her family farm in Random Lake, Wisconsin. She is the daughter of Royal and Linda Boehlke. She has younger sisters Sabrina, Sharla and Jerilyn. She attended Random Lake High School and graduated fourth in her class. She was very active in high school sports: varsity basketball, volleyball, track and cross country. She was also very active in high school choir, musicals, FFA and 4-H, showing steers, pigs and horses at the county and state fair level. She went on to attend the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point where she graduated on the Dean's List with a BFA in Acting. She was also active in Student Television, which initially started her interest in television hosting. Upon graduation, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in the arts, where she currently resides.
Film and television career
She was hired to host the official Times Square Livestream of New Year's Eve, for the 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 New Year's Eve countdown. She has also made hosting appearances on MTV, HLN, The Better Show, among many online media outlets. She was on an episode of Blue Bloods with a non-speaking role, as well as several feature films. Currently, she is the daily host of People magazine's online showPEOPLE Now, an entertainment news-based show, filled with pop culture and celebrity interviews. She has interviewed some of Hollywood's elite on that show, such as Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Eddie Redmayne, Colin Farrell, Kristen Stewart, Scarlett Johansson, Olivia Munn, Jane Lynch, and Kevin Hart.
''Survivor''
In 2010, Boehlke was cast on the CBS show Survivor, after sending in an audition tape, as her family members were fans of the show, and her parents had both applied previously.
''Redemption Island''
Boehlke first competed on . Thanks to "Boston Rob" Mariano, her alliance controlled most of the game. Once her alliance eliminated all the members of the rival Zapatera tribe, the alliance was forced to turn on themselves. Boehlke became the first victim. She was sent to Redemption Island where she was the first female contestant to win a duel at Redemption Island and make it back into the game. However, when the intended target Ashley Underwood won immunity Boehlke's fate was sealed. She was voted out at the subsequent Tribal Council, thus permanently eliminating her from the game. She finished in fifth place and became the eighth member of the jury. She would vote for Mariano to win the season, which he would in an 8–1–0 vote over Phillip Sheppard and Natalie Tenerelli.
''Caramoan''
Boehlke was asked back to play as a "Favorite" on Season 26, , where she came in seventh place. On this season, Boehlke was recognized as one of the more strategically aggressive players, and credited for several moves in the game, while winning an individual immunity challenge and finding an idol. She also took advantage of her connections with Phillip Sheppard from Redemption Island, working closely with him until Sheppard's elimination early into the merge. However, Boehlke did not play her idol correctly, falsely presuming the others of being on board with her plan to blindside Brenda Lowe instead of original target Eddie Fox. Boehlke became the first female player to go home with an idol in her pocket. The season was won unanimously by her ally for most of the game, John Cochran, while another of her closest allies Dawn Meehan was also a finalist.
''Game Changers''
Boehlke was again asked back to compete on Season 34, ' which premiered March 8, 2017. She started on the Nuku tribe which won the first two challenges. She was switched to Tavua after the first tribe switch which won the next three challenges. She was switched back to Nuku after the second tribe switch. She attended her first Tribal Council on Day 16. At Tribal Council, she joined the majority in voting out Sandra Diaz-Twine. After the merge, Boehlke won two individual immunity challenges. On Day 29, she orchestrated the blindside of former ally Zeke Smith, who she felt had betrayed her by trying to get her voted out earlier. On Day 30, she passed the 100-days-played milestone; joining fellow Game Changers castaways Ozzy Lusth and Cirie Fields at 128 and 121 days, respectively; at the time Lusth held the longest playing career, until ', where Mariano topped the distinction with a play of 152 days spanning over five seasons, along with participating winning castaways Parvati Shallow, Tyson Apostol, Sandra Diaz-Twine, and Amber Brkish Mariano, and non-winners Amanda Kimmel ; and Rupert Boneham. On Day 33, she was voted out in eighth place—with her ally Fields orchestrating her blindside—becoming the sixth member of the jury. At the Final Tribal Council, she cast her vote for Sarah Lacina to win Sole Survivor, which she did in a 6-3-0 decision.
