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From humble beginnings to the most successful dating show in the world, how Australia’s Farmer Wants a Wife created lasting love

Pierra WillixThe West Australian
The Australian dating show Farmer Wants a Wife is the most successful in the world creating lasting love matches.
Camera IconThe Australian dating show Farmer Wants a Wife is the most successful in the world creating lasting love matches. Credit: The West Australian

When Farmer Wants a Wife first hit our screens in 2007, we had yet to be exposed to trashy reality dating shows that would come to dominate in following years.

While we watched multiple women compete for the love of a man, the series was celebrated for its authenticity and lack of manufactured drama.

The show was a hit and audiences were obsessed with watching love develop in front of their eyes.

Based on a British format, the show followed several farmers being visited by women from the city willing to pack up their lives in the big smoke and move to the bush in the name of love.

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There were no extravagant dates or ceremonies, instead everyone on the show seemed sincere about their reasons for putting themselves in front of the cameras.

Far from the heavily made-up and overdressed people we see on dating shows today, the women of Farmer Wants a Wife were just concerned with meeting the potential loves of their lives.

“The girls and the farmers went on there to honestly and truly find love. We were literally in jeans and T-shirts. There were no ball gowns going on. There was no professional make-up. It was really natural and wholesome. What you saw on Farmer was what you got,” previous contestant Jo Fincham said.

It has become the most successful dating show in the world and has resulted in 99 marriages and 225 babies worldwide. In Australia alone, the series has resulted in nine marriages and 20 babies.

Later this month, and after eight years off air, it will return to our screens for its 10th season.

While audiences usually come to the end of many dating shows and put bets on just how long the couple will last out in the real world, the matches from previous seasons of Farmer Wants a Wife have managed to stand the test of time.

With audiences clearly craving more genuine television, all there is left to do is wait and see which, and how many, of the previously unlucky in love participants will succeed this time.

COUPLE ONE: Chris Newsome and Kim Tierney (Season 1, 2007)

Chris Newsome and Kim Tierney
Camera IconChris Newsome and Kim Tierney

When he appeared on the first season of Farmer Wants a Wife, 34-year-old Chris Newsome from Tamworth said he was looking for someone who could be a friend and could laugh at themselves- which he evidently found with Kim Tierney.

The Geelong-based disability worker was one of several women to visit the NSW farmer on his property and promptly caught his eye.

The first couple to marry from the series, their wedding was filmed for part of the second series, and in the years since they have had a daughter and son.

COUPLE TWO: Rob Hodges and Jo Fincham (Season 2, 2008)

Rob Hodges and Jo Fincham with their children Darcy, Maggie and Roy.
Camera IconRob Hodges and Jo Fincham with their children Darcy, Maggie and Roy.

While 42-year-old Rob was facing difficulties in running his farm in Mount Gambier in South Australia, he said the most difficult part was not having a partner to share his life with- that is until he signed up for the show and met his now-wife.

Melbourne newspaper photographer Jo, 12 years his junior, swapped her life in the city to move to the beef and sheep farm and the couple are now married with three kids-daughters Darcy and Maggie and a son, Roy.

In an interview last year, she revealed that she had a panic attack just before meeting her future husband for the first time but that he swept her off her feet.

Now going by her full name, Joanna posts about family life regularly on her Instagram account and her “fourth baby”- holistic health fitness centre The Nourish Nook.

While the family has had to battle the effects of drought, they have remained a strong unit and Joanna described them as an “old married couple” who annoyed each other every day but “adored each other at the same time”.

COUPLE THREE: Damian Atkins and Rachael Peynenborg (Season: 3, 2009)

Damian Atkins and Rachael Peynenborg
Camera IconDamian Atkins and Rachael Peynenborg

Tasmanian farmer Damian managed to convince his love interest to move off the mainland from her home in Melbourne- and with great success.

They are now married and have three kids.

COUPLE FOUR: Scott Warby and Clare Spark (Season 4, 2009)

Scott Warby & Clare Spark
Camera IconScott Warby & Clare Spark

Although they had to undertake a long-distance relationship for months after filming of the show ended, the NSW farmer and his now-wife found lasting love and now live in Mungindi, where they first met on Warby’s farm, and have two children.

Holding onto Clare’s engagement ring for nine months, Scott waited to propose until they were walking around the river in Brisbane on a romantic weekend away.

They married at their property in April 2011 and now have two kids.

COUPLE FIVE: Brad Crane and Stacie Marmion (Season 4, 2009)

Brad Crane & Stacie Marmion
Camera IconBrad Crane & Stacie Marmion

Another success story to come out of the fourth season of the show was sparks flying between Lithgow, NSW, farmer and his now-wife.

Just six months after meeting he proposed over fish and chips before they were married the next year.

They now have three daughters- Darcie, Bobbie and Frankie.

COUPLE SIX: Nathan McClymont and Amanda Ecker (Season 5, 2010)

Nathan McClymont and Amanda Ecker
Camera IconNathan McClymont and Amanda Ecker

While many couples on the show had to factor in living on opposite sides of the countries, WA pair Nathan and Amanda had an advantage in that they already lived in the same State.

They were engaged at the conclusion of the show and married in 2011 and have since welcomed three sons- Mason, Benny and Oscar, who was born in March this year.

While they initially lived on the cattle farm where they met in Wiluna, the couple relocated to Busselton five years ago.

COUPLE SEVEN: Frank Atherton and Tenille Jolly (Season 7, 2011)

Frank Atherton & Tenille Jolly
Camera IconFrank Atherton & Tenille Jolly

Former Perth girl Tenille quickly stole the heart of her now-husband from North Queensland grazier after they met during a five-minute speed date on the show, with an instant spark obvious.

They were engaged in 2013 and now have a son, Oliver.

COUPLE EIGHT: Sam Alford and Jodie Byrne (Season 8, 2012)

Sam Alford & Jodie Byrne
Camera IconSam Alford & Jodie Byrne

Kununurra cattleman and musterer found love with Sydney-based travel agent Jodie Byrne quickly.

Just three months after the show ended, Jodie moved WA and he proposed soon after.

They married in 2015 and now have one child- River.

COUPLE NINE: Nikko Lord and Jade Truman (Season 8, 2012)

Nikko Lord and Jade Truman.
Camera IconNikko Lord and Jade Truman. Credit: Facebook/Facebook

Queenslander farmer Nikko met his match when he was introduced to Jade.

They couple were married at North Stradbroke Island in 2017 and have two kids.

Far from the heavily made-up and overdressed scenes we see on dating shows today, the girls on previous seasons of Farmer Wants a Wife were more concerned with meeting the potential loves of their lives.

“The girls and the farmers went on there to honestly and truly find love. We were literally in jeans and t-shirts. There were no ball gowns going on. There was no professional makeup. It was really natural and wholesome. What you saw on Farmer was what you got,” Fincham said.

With audiences clearly craving more genuine television, all there is left to do is wait and see which, and how many, of the previously unlucky in love participants will succeed.

Farmer Wants a Wife premieres next Sunday at 7pm on Seven

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