Nursing a heavily-bandaged right hand, Farmer Wants a Wife star Joe Bobbin was in Canberra this week, finally able to reveal he has found love on the show.
The 34-year-old farmer from Bombala has been allowed to say he does choose between the last two women on the farm - Sarah the 31-year-old livestock administrator from NSW or Keely the 28-year-old resort office administrator from Queensland.
The lucky lady will be revealed in the show's finale next week.
'DEFINITELY BITTERSWEET'
He and his now girlfriend have had to hide their relationship from the world since filming ended last December - a whole nearly six months ago.
"The final decision was really emotional," he said, over a cappuccino at Teddy Picker's cafe in Campbell.
"You're saying goodbye to one person which is quite sad and then you're welcoming someone else into your life.
"It was definitely bittersweet, especially in a situation like that where the person you are sort of breaking up with, I guess, has done nothing wrong. They're really a great person. To be honest, I could see them being a great partner for myself or for anyone.
"But at the end of the day, I've got to stay true to myself and what I was looking for. I finished with a smile on my face and I've still got it, so it's all good."
Joe has been spending more time in Canberra of late, receiving treatment for his right thumb which he broke in a recent game of footy for the Bombala Blue Heelers.
He went out and mustered some cattle afterwards before realising he probably should see medical attention. He recently had surgery at the Canberra Hospital - and found a few Farmer Wants a Wife fans there as well.
LIFE OFF THE FARM HAS CHANGED A LOT
"My life hasn't changed that much on the farm - it's get to work, do all that kind of stuff. But as soon as I venture out - it's changed a lot. Getting selfies with people and things like that," he said, with a laugh.
"I had surgery the other day and I was all gowned up ready for surgery and people in the waiting room were getting photos with me. People were saying little cheeky things like, 'Oh, who did you pick?' when I was sort of coming out of my anaesthetic.
"It's been funny, it's been good. I've enjoyed it, it's been great and I've been able to showcase the local area."
Joe was persuaded to go on the show by his friend, Delegate sheep farmer Andrew Guthrie who was on the 2021 season of Farmer Wants a Wife and his now-wife Jess Nathan who he met on the show.
"She kept tagging me on Farmer Wants a Wife things until [the producers] said, 'Jess from last season keeps tagging you, would you like to do it?'," he said.
"Timing's everything and it just felt right. I guess because I know people who have done it and had great success and they're happily married and they're friends of mine so I thought, 'If it can work for them, it can work for anyone'."
WATCHING THE SHOW WITH FAMILY - AWKS!
Joe, whose mum, sister and grandmother live in Canberra (grandmother is well-known women's advocate Marie Coleman), is also a former Canberra Raiders junior.
He says watching the show back has been awkward at times.
"The first few episodes I was too nervous to even watch it as it came on, so I'd watch it on catch-up," he said.
"Since then, I've watched it with family members. I watched one episode where I actually get completely nude - the painting scene - with my grandmother and my mum. So that got kind of awkward.
"But it was all in the name of the art, so that's okay.
"But, yeah, honestly watching the show back, there's lots of moments that I'm really proud of and which I like and lots of moments which I felt uncomfortable about, but that's the whole experience and there's definitely moments that have put pressure on our relationship as well, so it's all working through that.
"It makes you stronger, makes us better, brings us closer. But, yeah, it's definitely been an experience watching it back."
'I'M REALLY GLAD I DID IT'
Joe was glad he went on the show, even though at times he was made to do things he was not entirely comfortable doing.
"I'm definitely happy I had the experience and I did it," he said.
"With anything in life there's ups and downs and it's a bit of a rollercoaster, but, you know, at the end of the day I can look back on the memory fondly and really proud of what I did and how I went about it, how I conducted myself.
"So, yeah, I'm really glad I did it."
- The Farmer Wants A Wife finale airs Monday and Tuesday on Channel 7 and 7plus
