Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott Say Quarantine Helped Strengthen Their Bond: 'I'll Hold onto This One'
Quarantine helped Zooey Deschanel and Jonathan Scott strengthen their budding relationship when the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Deschanel, 41, told PEOPLE at the Environmental Media Association Awards on Saturday that she "loved" being at home for an extended period of time in early 2020.
The Celebrity Dating Game host said it was "fun" to spend extra time with Scott and her two kids, Charlie Wolf and Elsie Otter, whom she shares with ex-husband Jacob Pechenik.
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"When COVID first started I was like, 'OK, we have trampoline time and movie time,'" the New Girl actress explained.
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Scott, 43, also enjoyed quarantine and learning about his new girlfriend's various talents. "Look at it this way, I'm stuck with someone who I'm madly in love with who's an amazing chef," the Property Brothers star told PEOPLE, noting Deschanel makes a risotto cake that's "to die for."
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"I don't know where this has been my whole life but it is amazing," he added.
Deschanel and Scott began dating in late 2019 after meeting on the set of Carpool Karaoke: The Series. The couple celebrated their two-year anniversary in August.
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On Saturday, Scott told PEOPLE that quarantine helped him realize just how much he truly loves Deschanel.
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"I discovered having been in other relationships in the past, this was the very first time I noticed that all of the love and effort and the things I was doing were being reciprocated," he said, "and I was like 'what?' So I think I'll hold onto this one."
In fact, Scott finds his girlfriend's kind heart particularly endearing. Early on in the relationship, Deschanel did something for the reality star's father that he will never forget.
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"When we first started dating and the first time she met my parents via Zoom, she found out what my dad's favorite song was, which is 'Danny Boy' because my dad is Scottish," Scott told PEOPLE.
"And she sang it on Zoom and I could see the tears welling up in my dad's eyes," he added, "and I knew she was in."
