Natalie Gruzlewski helps break the love drought on Seven’s all-new Farmer Wants A Wife
Bush bachelors have been doing it tough as farmers face drought, fires and a pandemic. But Farmer Wants A Wife host Natalie Gruzlewski reveals who’s out to still find love.
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Natalie Gruzlewski loves playing cupid to the bush bachelors on Farmer Wants A Wife, but her role as host on the new Seven reality series goes well beyond matchmaker.
Besides coaxing a few bashful types to make their moves on the original dating show, the former Getaway presenter has to play camp counsellor as soon as those stage lights and cameras blaze into action.
For suitors who have spent large parts of their lives isolated on remote properties, sharing only the company of their parents, perhaps a few siblings and a herd of cattle or sheep, walking onto the TV set for the first time makes for an almighty culture shock, Gruzlewski tells The BINGE Guide.
“Harry was the first farmer to walk on set and he whispered to me: ‘it’s like walking into a slaughterhouse,’” she recalls, with a laugh.
“I was trying to calm his nerves and the others, but pretty soon they find their feet and it’s on with the show.”
While shows like The Bachelor and the more manipulative Married At First Sight manufacture the drama and cast for chaos, Farmer has prided itself on handing over the reigns to the five men brave enough to search for love, with the whole country watching on.
Once the farmers were chosen, their profiles were posted online and open to applications; with the men whittling the thousands of lonely hearts down to just eight each.
In the first episode, each farmer is introduced to his chosen ones, and given a day to get to know them all, before making the difficult decision to send four home.
While there are those who are quick to tears, when the sparks fly it makes for magical TV.
“There are so many dating shows these days but Farmer was one of the originals and its heartwarming stuff,” she says.
“It’s exciting and the results have been amazing … nine marriages and 20 kids and counting.”
The lucky five offer different life experiences and a variety of prospects ahead.
Farmer Alex, 29, is this year’s self-confessed “love virgin” – struggling to find a better half as he works the family sheep and cattle farm in Cunnamulla, south west Queensland.
Seemingly the shy type, he comes out of his shell when he takes his first potential bride home and she proves Lady Luck – breaking the drought and bring the rains with her.
Farmer Harry, 29, has the ladies swooning straight up, showing his soft side when one woman’s nerves get the better of her and she burst into tears at the sight of him.
The grapes, cotton and sheep farmer from Goolgowi, NSW, is quick to talk about his feelings and make all those around him feel comfortable.
He’s also a natural comic, telling producers he “would love to have kids but I don’t want to rush the fun part of trying first.”
Farmer Neil, 43, a merino sheep farmer from Crookwell, NSW, has three kids, aged 14-17, from his first marriage, and has made it clear he’s not keen to have any more; but doesn’t mind if his new partner comes to the relationship with her own family.
His maturity sees him send one woman home quite soon into the series, knowing they are better off friends than lovers.
Farmer Nick is one of the dream dates this series, tempting his would-be wives to his vineyard in the picturesque town of Deviot, in Tasmania.
The 44-year-old lived in Los Angeles for 27 years, as evidenced in his hybrid accent, but has planted roots back here – building a log cabin for romantic nights ahead.
Farmer Sam is this year’s youngest bachelor, at 28, and has his Italian mother cook for his first date back on the family’s tropical fruit farm in Innisfail.
Citing his interests as tractors and farming, he might be in for the greatest education when the city girls come to town.
* Farmer Wants A Wife is on Seven from July 26.
WHERE LOVE LIVES – how the show’s farmers found their wives
SEASON 1
Chris Newsome and Kim Tierney
CUPID struck in the very first season, when Tamworth farmer, Chris set his sights on romancing Kim, who had given up on finding the man of her dreams. They married on air in season two, and their first pregnancy was announced at the end of series three. They are the proud parents of a daughter and son.
SEASON 2
Rob Hodges and Jo Fincham
CITY girl Jo, a Melbourne newspaper photographer, was bowled over by Rob, and fell equally in love with the lifestyle on his beef and sheep farm in Mount Gambier. Still going strong, they are married and now have two daughters.
SEASON 3
Damian Atkins and Rachael Peynenborg
AS soon as the cameras stopped rolling, it was on for young and old between Tassie farmer, Damian and his girl from Frankston. The couple aren’t married, but have cemented their commitment together by welcoming two children.
SEASON 4
Brad Crane and Stacie Marmion
JUST reading Bathurst girl Stacie’s online profile was enough to hook Lithgow cattle farmer Brad, who fell head over heels before a single scene had been filmed. He proposed on the eve of his 30th birthday. They are now married with three children: Darcie, Bobbie and Frankie.
Scott Warby and Clare Spark
SPARKS flew between sheep and crop farmer Scott and Brisbane-based Clare, with the couple spending every weekend together as soon as the cameras stopped rolling. Nine months later, he popped the question and they married at their Mungindi property. They have one child.
SEASON 5
Nathan McClymont and Amanda Ecker
NATHAN — who lived on a 1.4 million acre cattle station in WA’s north — proposed on the series finale of season five. Happily, he got a ‘yes’ from the girl from Rockingham, WA, inviting Natalie Gruzlewski, who attended the nuptials outside Perth. They have one child.
SEASON 7
Frank Atherton and Tenille Jolly
ALL it took was a five-minute speed date for North Queensland grazier Frank and Perth girl Tenielle to make a quick match. The romance blossomed over the series, until Farmer Frank popped the question on Valentine’s Day, 2013 on his Hughenden property.
SEASON 8
Nikko Lord and Jade Truman
FARMER Nikko brought city girl Jade back to his family’s Queensland farm, where they have made a go of the beef and hay business. The couple were wed at North Stradbroke Island in 2017 and have two sons, who share their parents’ love of the bush and yoga.
Sam Alford and Jodie Byrne
TRAVEL agent Jodie followed her heart from the south-western Sydney suburb of Harrington Park near Camden, to fall in love with and marry musterer Sam in his home town of Kununurra, WA. They have one child.
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