Farmer Wants A Wife Australia is often thought of as the wholesome version of other reality TV juggernauts like MAFS and The Bachelor. However, not all is as it seems.
In a juicy crossover podcast episode between MAFS Funny’s Joshua Fox and Confessions of a Reality Star’s Tahlia Pritchard and Lachlan Guertin, the reality TV experts revealed what really goes on behind the scenes on FWAW.
Speaking to Ellen Dunger from last year’s season of Farmer Wants A Wife, Tahlia and Lachlan found out why the once wholesome show is slowly turning into the chaos of MAFS.
“Making a wholesome show more dramatic is just going to do more damage in the long run,” podcast host Tahlia said of the show’s increasing drama.
While most of us are aware of the producer tactics used on MAFS, Ellen revealed that similar tactics are used on FWAW – cultivating a highly emotional atmosphere for the women on the show.
“One day they grilled me dead set for 45 minutes straight and I was just balling my eyes out,” Ellen told the podcast. “They were like, why have all your relationships failed? Do you think you deserve love? Do you love yourself?”
“The next day I had a massive breakdown. I was so tired and then just emotionally you don’t realise how much talking about that sort of stuff actually takes out of you.”
That day, Ellen told producers she wasn’t ok and up to filming – but they made her do it anyway.
Another tactic producers would use on Farmer Wants A Wife, is isolating the women without phones, books, magazines or anything to keep them occupied.
Before leaving, Ellen revealed she was locked in a bedroom by producers who wouldn’t tell her what was going on. Later, finding out it was all part of her storyline with Todd the farmer.
“It’s kind of like they would lock you up to make you go crazy,” she said.
Farmer Wants a Wife contestant’s dismal pay
Not only are the conditions of being on the show dire, but the pay is even worse.
For the two and a half weeks Ellen was on FWAW, she revealed that the money she made “wouldn’t have even been $1000”.
What’s worse, is that not only are you not being paid much, but contestants also have to foot the bill for a lot of “out of pocket expenses”.
Simply buying a coffee in town is an out of pocket cost. Plus, all the outfits you’re expected to wear on the show.
Daisy Lamb from FWAW 2025 confirmed the low pay in an interview with Chattr, stating that: “The women going on the show are paid $80 a day for the days that we’re away. ”
According to Daisy, Channel Seven pays the Ladies 60 per cent of what they’re owed once filming wraps. The final 40 per cent isn’t paid out until the show has aired.
“They withhold that money as sort of like, it’s over your head, like if you keep your mouth shut [and] you protect the integrity of Farmer Wants A Wife,” she explains.
While the MAFS girls tend to reach out to dress companies before going on the show, that same culture doesn’t exist for the women on FWAW who have to supply their own dresses and outfits.
In the end, the women who go on Farmer Wants A Wife aren’t necessarily in it for an influencer career in the same way as MAFS contestants. However, with more dramatic storylines and villains – like we’ve seen with Clarette’s villain edit – it wouldn’t be a surprise if FWAW becomes just another MAFS reincarnate.
Listen to the full podcast episode here.
Farmer Wants a Wife airs on Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
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