‘I was scared to message her’: The Inspired Unemployed comedian on his model girlfriend

Matt Ford is a comedian best known for being half of The Inspired Unemployed duo. The 29-year-old recently made headlines for a prank involving three high-profile feminists. Ahead, he shares his memories of growing up close to his grandmothers, his relationship with his sister, and meeting his model girlfriend, Sarah Ellen.

My maternal grandmother, Dawnie, lived in Berry, NSW, where she raised 12 children and went to church every Sunday. She was community-minded and always loving towards us. When Dawnie was almost blind but didn’t want to go to a nursing home, my mum, Bernadette, moved into the granny flat behind her house to take care of her.

I moved in with Mum for a while when I was 20, and saw more of Dawnie as a result. I would chat to her every night and she’d spill her wisdom and ask me why I wanted to travel – hinting that there’s nowhere better in the world than the town we were living in! She might have lost her sight, but her mind was still sharp. She passed away five years ago, aged in her late 80s.

My paternal grandmother goes by the nickname Bub. She lives in Gerringong, NSW, has nine children and loves making meatloaf on Wednesdays. We lived a block away from her when we were growing up and would always run to her house – we’d play cards together when I was younger. Walking into her home is like entering a museum – she has old photos on her walls and trophies from all the grandkids and loves taking me on a trip down memory lane.

As a child, I was the biggest mummy’s boy. I hated going to preschool and always wanted to hang out with her. Mum used to go to the gym and I’d sit in the corner and watch her. I feel like she struggles now that I’ve grown-up! I was a little koala who clung to her all the time.

‘My mum is very embarrassing – everywhere she goes she shows people our videos. To say she is proud of me is an understatement.’

MATT FORD

Mum is the one who always said, “Do what you want in life – you only get one shot at it.” When everybody else was telling me to get an apprenticeship, she supported my desire to do other things - like leave carpentry to travel with [comedy partner] Jack Steele. I am lucky to have her in my corner. She is also very embarrassing – everywhere she goes she shows people our videos. To say she is proud of me is an understatement.

My sister, Abbey, is two-and-a-half years older than me. She was like my security guard at high school. [Laughs] She taught me how to treat women, seeing her as a teenager and learning from her experiences. She is still a mentor, very honest and open with her feelings with me, like having a best friend and sister in one.

I was 15 when my parents split up. The whole family went through a hard time at that point. Mum had to be strong, and it was her decision to break up. It taught me a lesson that no matter how hard life gets, you have to know how to prioritise yourself. In the end, that helps everyone.

I didn’t have many girlfriends and didn’t have a serious girlfriend until I travelled through France in 2019. I fell quickly in love, extended my trip so we could hang out a bit longer, and went to the UK with her while she enrolled in university. It felt so big at the time, but it was a quick romance in hindsight.

Clare Winterbourn started managing The Inspired Unemployed in 2019, when we only had 10,000 followers. She got in touch via Instagram with a job offer. We met at a cafe in Melbourne and knew she was good for us – she taught us about social media and is funny, wild and our protector. We call her Clare Bear.

I am now in a relationship with model and actress Sarah Ellen. I’ve always had a crush on her and admired her from a distance and we’d been friendly at events. I was scared to message her but wanted to take her on a date. I didn’t know if she felt the same, so I wasn’t sure what to do. Jack and my friend Tessa encouraged me to message her in November 2023. We caught up for dinner and got on so well. It felt right. I adore her – she’s the best.

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