A new bunch of Farmers are looking for love on Farmer Wants a Wife (FWAW) 2026, and host Natalie Gruzlewski is back to help guide them on their journey.
Beloved host Natalie took a hiatus from the series in 2023, but after returning in 2025, she’ll once again be back at the helm this year — and fans couldn’t be happier.
“Nat was the OG and cannot be replaced by anyone else. Her shoes are too big to fill,” one fan wrote on Instagram upon her return, while another commented: “Thank goodness wasn’t the same without Nat.”
Here’s more to know about FWAW 2026 host, Natalie.
Natalie Gruzlewski’s hosting history on Farmer Wants a Wife
Natalie first took on the role of FWAW host on Channel 9 in 2007 for Season 1 and stayed until Season 8 in 2012, when it was axed by the network. In 2016, Nine revived the series for another season, which was hosted by Sam McClymont. However, the reboot lasted just one season before being cancelled once again.
In 2019, it was reported that Channel 7 had commissioned Farmer Wants a Wife, and confirmed that Natalie was returning as the host for the first season at the network airing in 2020 — marking the 10th Australian season for the franchise.
Natalie remained as the sole host of FWAW until 2024, when Samantha Armytage was brought on and joined her in a co-hosting role. The same set-up was repeated in 2025 — but Samantha predominantly hosted the series.
Then, after Sam announced she was stepping away in 2024, Channel 7 confirmed Natalie would once again lead the charge for 2025.
Natalie’s life outside of Farmer Wants a Wife
When she’s not playing cupid for farmers, Natalie is living her best life with husband Jack Ryan and their gorgeous daughter, Olivia. The couple married in a private ceremony in 2012, shortly before welcoming their daughter in early 2013.
During her time as co-host of FWAW, Natalie said she was enjoying the balance between work and family time.
“I’m a mum and, like most mums, I spend much more of my time – more of my life – driving her around,” she previously told Courier Mail. “That’s definitely changed from when I first started on Farmer when I was travelling more for my career.”
Natalie told the publication that when FWAW first started, she had “no idea how successful it would be.”
“But with the beautiful love stories and the connections, it has always struck [a chord] with the viewers … while the authenticity of Farmer hasn’t changed, my life certainly has these days.”
Before her FWAW days, Natalie was already becoming a familiar face on Aussie screens. She began her career as a news reporter and weather presenter for the Nine Network, before going on to host the travel series Getaway. Between seasons, she’s also fronted shows like Nine’s When Love Comes to Town and Australia’s Mega Cruise Ship.
Why did Samantha Armytage leave Farmer Wants a Wife?
In August 2024, Samantha Armytage announced that she was leaving Channel 7 after 21 years at the network – which meant she was walking away from her role as host of FWAW.
“It’s a little sad and it’s bittersweet, but the time has come,” Samantha told Daily Telegraph of her decision to leave the network.
“I leave with lots of goodwill in my heart and excitement about the future,” she added. “I’m big on instinct. I listen to my instinct. I know when the time comes. I am proud of the fact that I back myself enough to say, ‘I’ve done what I can do here’ and I move on.”
The TV personality told the publication that she knew it was time for something new, and implied that Channel 7 weren’t giving her enough work outside of her FWAW hosting duties.
“I came to this decision on my own, it’s about what I want to do with my life…I had to sit with myself here and ask, ‘What does my next 5 to 10 years look like?’.
“I was happy to do more. Farmer takes up six months of the year, so I had the time to do more but that wasn’t to be,” she said.
An insider at Seven backed that sentiment, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that Sam decided to hang up her hat at Channel 7 because she wasn’t being offered more varied opportunities.
“Since Sam left Sunrise [in 2021] all they’ve really given her is Farmer,” the insider said. “She wants something gritty and real, not to be shafted into reality.
“Throughout her career, Sam’s travelled the world covering wars, natural disasters and the biggest stories of most people’s lifetimes and she misses the rush that comes with this and knowing she’s making a difference.”
Since wrapping up at Seven, Sam has gone on to host Channel 9’s The Golden Bachelor and has been filling in as host on the Today Show when panel members go on holiday.
Farmer Wants a Wife (FWAW) 2026 premieres on June 8 on Channel 7 and 7Plus.
Want to CHATTR with us? Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok for more entertainment news.
