Where are they now? Meet SA’s former reality stars, including House Rules’ James ‘Harry’ Harris, Stacey Hampton and Pete Mann
From bust-ups to babies and business bliss, SA’s TV stars of the past share how their lives played out after the cameras stopped rolling.
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Former House Rules contestant James ‘Harry’ Harris says the reality renovation series contributed to his split with ex-wife and series co-star Kate Whiting.
The pair featured on the 2017 season of Seven’s popular show, finishing runner-up to Aaron and Daniella Winter, who took home the $200,000 first prize.
Just months later, Harry and Kate broke-up after nine years of marriage, and Harry said the pressures of starring on House Rules “definitely” played a part.
“House Rules was an unbelievable experience but … was it worth breaking up your family? That is the big question,” said Harry, 38, now a successful home builder.
“Is it worth putting your family in jeopardy? That’s what you’ve got to weigh up because it’s a tough environment. The situations you get put in. They manipulate you to fire up … if you’re not really solid (as a couple) then it’s definitely fraught with danger.
“I constantly get asked, would you do it again? I don’t know, probably not. It’s not worth it, in hindsight.”
But Harry, who also starred on The Bachelorette in 2020, said he’s “moved on” since the split and the former couple are on good terms as they co-parent their son, Xavier, 9.
“We get on very well. Xavier has turned out to be a genuine, good boy and that’s a credit to Kate and I for working together and putting him first,” he said.
As for Kate, the model has found love again and is set to marry Alex Cathro this year. The couple also welcomed baby girl Sofia just over a year ago.
Three years after House Rules, Harry was back in the limelight as a contestant on 2020 season of The Bachelorette. He didn’t find romance but enjoyed the experience.
“Bachelor was epic. I got out of Adelaide, and met some new mates. I keep in touch with a fair few of them. It was wicked,” he said.
While Harry remains happily single – for now – his business, Harris Building and Construction, is going from strength to strength.
Launched five years ago, the company does high-end residential work and is keeping him very busy.
“Life’s good. I’m doing some big jobs at the moment, that’s really taken over my life and obviously also being a dad – juggling the two is tough,” he said.
“Xavier always comes first but the business is going well too.”
And Harry hasn’t ruled out a return to reality TV, if the right opportunity came along.
“I want to market myself as ‘third time lucky’ for either Survivor or something like that,” he said with a laugh.
Harry’s one of several former reality TV stars from Adelaide who have made their mark after leaving the spotlight.
Here’s everything you ever wanted to know about some of your old TV favourites and what they are up to now.
Nadia Stamp
Married At First Sight, 2017
Do you remember when our Nadia was on Married At First Sight back in 2017 and the bloke she was “hitched” to had a go at her for having all these little jobs but no big career?
Well, the Adelaide beauty is having the last laugh.
Since leaving MAFS and what’s-his-name behind, Nadia found true love with her fiance cricketer Glen Talarico, moved to Geelong to be with him and became mum to the couple’s baby girl Gigi.
She also nailed it in the business world.
During Covid Nadia and her bestie Natalia Kajkic started up their own biz – DIY nail kits called DIPD, which, as the name suggests, use dip powder – like SNS.
It was a venture that started out of necessity, salons being shut during the pandemic and all.
DIPD, which launches new colours regularly, turned over a massive $3m in its first three years.
“We were the first to develop this concept in Australia and DIPD is still going strong and growing and I am balancing that with ‘mum life’ with a toddler – she’s very active,” Nadia says, adding: “We’ve just bought a house which is a bit exciting.”
FYI, Nadia and Natalia have also launched a second line The Daily Brush, which “literally glides through knots like butter”.
You go, girl!
Stacey Hampton
Married At First Sight, 2020
The glamorous reality bride has had a couple of brushes with the law – and faced personal tragedy – since starring on the controversial Channel 9 dating show.
In May 2020, Stacey admitted she breached the state’s border restrictions during the pandemic, when police alleged she should have been in self-isolation but left Adelaide.
She was eventually spared a conviction and fined $1000 by a magistrate in June 2021, who ordered her to pay nearly $700 in additional court fees. She had two other charges dropped.
More recently, the law graduate is pursuing legal action after her home was searched by federal police in September last year, in relation to an ATO review, a year after the death of her children’s bikie father.
Stacey, who has not been accused of wrongdoing or charged, has claimed the operation was an “abuse of power” that left her son Kosta, 8, “shaken up”.
In documents filed to the Federal Court of Australia, she said the search was in relation to an Australian Tax Office review she is currently undergoing.
But she said it came as her children Kosta and youngest son Kruz, 6, were mourning the anniversary of the death of their father, Rebels bikie boss Shane Smith. He was killed in a motorbike crash on September 14, 2022.
Work wise, Stacey’s LinkedIn says she is studying to become a nurse while she also runs a successful OnlyFans account.
Jesse Konstantinoff
Married At First Sight, 2017
South Australia’s first contestant on Nine’s controversial reality show was matched with Perth twin Michelle Marsh – but the pair split in the final episode of the season.
Nice guy Jesse went back to work at the family’s stall, McMahon’s Fruit and Veg, at the Adelaide Central Market before making the move to Melbourne in 2019.
He struggled initially to find his feet but after the pandemic, he found his calling, working in safety on the Metro Tunnels, one of the city’s biggest rail projects.
“Eventually life started changing for me and I finally got the job I moved here for,” he tells The Advertiser.
On the personal front, Jesse, 38, says he’s still happily single and a regular on Melbourne’s social circuit with his fellow MAFS contestant, Nick Murphy.
“There’s been a couple of failed relationships and now I’m just living life,” he says.
“Even all these years after the show, I’m still good mates with Mish (Michelle) and Shaz (her twin), and Nick’s still one of my best mates.”
Paddy Colliar
The Bachelorette, 2018
It’s been an eventful couple of years for the popular personal trainer, who starred on the 2018 season and then later returned for the show’s spin-off series, Bachelor in Paradise.
In August, 2021, Paddy was stabbed in the back after going to the aid of a woman at a party in Para Hills West. He was working as a topless waiter at the 60th birthday party.
“I felt this little jab in my stomach, I didn’t think anything of it, the adrenaline was pretty high,” Paddy said at the time.
He was treated at the scene on the night and taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital with a minor wound.
The suspect was charged and is waiting to face an Adelaide court.
Paddy has since recovered from the incident.
Elise Kosmina, nee Stacy
The Bachelor, 2017
Adelaide’s former Hockeyroo missed out on the heart of Bachelor Matty J but it didn’t take long for her to find her own love story.
The following year, she started dating Justin Kosmina, the son of former Adelaide United coach John, after meeting through friends at a local pub.
“Who knew that after going on a reality show you would then meet the one in the most organic way possible?” she said.
The couple haven’t looked back, tying the knot in Palm Beach in 2021, and last year, they welcomed their first child, baby boy Leo John Kosmina, who is now nine months old.
“While we live in Sydney, we are planning a return to South Australia as we both love it so much and miss our families,” Elise tells The Advertiser.
Elise has also turned home renovator, joining forces with her mum to restore an architecturally-designed beach house in Encounter Bay. It’s now been transformed into a luxurious four-bedroom family home called Wistow House, which is available to rent on Airbnb.
Reflecting on her reality show past, Elise said it feels like a “lifetime” ago.
“It was a wild ride and now feels like a distant dream … but a fun one to reflect on and remember all the wild things that happened during those few months,” she said.
“Everything happens for a reason and I’ve ended up exactly where I should be.”
Vlad Lalic
Please Marry My Boy, 2012
You might remember Vlad, who appeared on Seven’s short-lived series about four Australian mothers attempting find a bride for their sons, each of whom have been unlucky in love.
It didn’t work out for Vlad and Andrea – his mum Milena’s choice on the show – but about four years later, a “super like” swipe right on Tinder changed his life forever.
Vlad matched with Liz and after four years together, including several trips overseas, he popped the big question at the end of 2020.
The happy couple tied the knot in 2022 and in July last year, they welcomed baby daughter Alexandra, who has “made their lives even better”.
A huge music fan, Vlad has also started a hobby Instagram page called Vlad’s Vintage, where he posts all of his rock T-shirts and random music/pop culture interests.
Adam Ludewig
The Voice Australia, 2020
The young singer from Two Wells has turned his life around in recent months, after last year revealing he’d given up a secret $800-a-week marijuana addiction which almost cost him his music career and affected his mental health.
Adam was just 16 when he starred on the reality talent show, wowing the judges with his powerful voice and impressive mullet.
In August 2023, he announced on social media that he’d finally kicked his drug habit after admitting he’d been using for almost four years “all day every day”.
Ludewig said he started using marijuana just prior to his appearance on The Voice, but it escalated as he tried to deal with his growing fame post-television.
“Once I came off the Voice, I was using it a bit … I was thrown into fame and it was overwhelming for me,” he said.
It cost him friendships, his music manager and he struggled with his mental health.
But he’s now recovered and working as a traffic controller, while still working on his music including a new album.
“I’m in the middle of my biggest achievement of my music career so far, an album which will be out this year. I’m determined,” Adam tells The Advertiser.
And Adam has a special message for his patient fans.
“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. I hope you’re all ready for this year for me to amaze you with new music, “he said.
“I have two years to catch up on but this album will make up for it.”
Pete Mann
The Bachelorette, 2020
When Pete Mann decided to make his big debut on the small screen it was a little awkward. The Bachelorette aired on Network 10, which also happened to be the employer of Pete’s then rather recent ex-wife Kate Freebairn – who was presenting the weather, and is now the weekday newsreader. But it all went pretty well … Pete was Becky Miles’s pick in the finale. Actually, make that, it all went pretty well, until it wasn’t. Pete broke up with Becky three days after filming wrapped because it was “the right thing to do” and it really was.
Fast forward to now and Pete has put all The Bachelorette drama, and being a bachelor, behind him.
He’s been running marathons for charity and fun, and he has well and truly settled down with “the one”.
“I’m a happy family man with two young kids – Gigi, two, and Marlow, six months, and a beautiful partner Rachel (Evans),” Pete proudly tells us.
The founder of Octeine Coffee, which he sold about a year ago, Pete is still working for the business as a consultant, along with McLaren Vale Coffee Co.
“I spend more of my time working with Rachel and her business Hygge Studio,” he says, referring to the luxe event and lifestyle company.
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