Farmer Wants a Wife is Back!

Reality TV - yes or no?

Advertised as the best dating show on television, Farmer Wants a Wife is back tonight for its 15^th series. That would appear to make it a smashing success as far as reality television shows go. And if you count the number of lasting relationships (7), marriages (11) and babies (27) over the years, it’s a thumbs-up for the statistics. And for a show that airs only once per year in the pursuit of love, that’s not bad.

Will you be tuning in? In general, I’m not a huge fan of reality shows (except perhaps Restoration Australia, another favourite), I’ve tried most of them over the years and for me, they just don’t stick. Rumour tells us that the shows are heavily scripted and oh, the drama! It makes for cringeworthy viewing. I’ve always treated Farmer a little differently, but I suspect I might be disappointed behind the scenes, but please, don’t burst my bubble! Past guests have stated it’s not all cute cows, hot cocoa and steaming spa baths. Nonetheless, on the surface it appears idyllic and so very wholesome! Real life farmers living in beautiful locations around Australia seek a wife. The farmers seem genuine and I think…largely they have been. The show falls down a little with the number of women vying for love and their motivations perhaps. Many a contestant hasn’t liked the reality of living on a working farm. The question always begs – why then did you apply?

So, it’s fair to say I will be tuning in tonight and this dating show remains a bit special to me. The settings of our glorious country are enough of a reason to watch, but occasionally, fire ignites and real love blossoms and that is pure magic (for the romantics amongst us).

I have loved the show so much, it inspired a novella of mine – Love on the Sweeping Plains and each season when the show rolls out, I remember my short and sweet book. The title is a reference to the Dorothea Mackellar poem, My Country, and featured in an anthology, but that’s a story for another day.

I had loads of fun making up my own country dating show and called it, Local Lads Looking for Love. The sisters of my poor hero applied on his behalf and my heroine is dragged onto the show to help out. But who does my hero choose?

If you love the show, check out my book:

Desperation drove Tori back to her home town, but that’s not why she stayed.

Vowing never to be hurt again, Tori Christensen flees home to Cedar Creek Plains and the loving grandmother who raised her, after the devastating end of her marriage.

Zac Coleman has lived in Cedar Creek Plains his whole life. His family operates the Coleman Cattle Station and Zac has a Vet practice in town. After a health scare, he’s given up on love. His sisters are keen to see him married with a family and sign him up for the reality country television show, Local Lads Looking for Love. He begrudgingly agrees to be the star of the show to keep his sisters off his back. And it’s good for the region, including Tori’s grandmother’s B&B.

Tori returns on the first day of filming, blundering into the show’s cameraman. Zac and Tori have history, but that was years ago. Now she’s a single mother and Zac is dating four women as the eligible bachelor.

Set on the sweeping outback plains of Queensland, will Tori and Zac get a second chance at love?

Love on the Sweeping Plains

If you tune in to the show, let me know what you think.

Leanne x