‘I’M SO EMOTIONAL’
Farmer Wants a Wife’s Natalie Gruzlewski
Since stepping away from her busy television career in 2014 to focus on her family, Natalie Gruzlewski has been living quietly on the Gold Coast with her property developer husband, Jack Ray, and their daughter, Olivia, 7. But it would seem true love has coaxed Natalie, 43, back onto our screens. “Farmer Wants a Wife is such a special show,” Gruzlewski tells WHO. “If I was going to come back for anything in television, that was the show that would tempt me back.”
Welcome back Natalie. Can you tell us a bit about what you’ve been up to since we last saw you on TV?
I stepped away to focus on being a mum to Olivia. I’d worked pretty solidly for 15 years prior (Natalie started out on The Footy Show in 2002 and also worked on Getaway and Nine News Sydney.) She’s 7 now and it’s all gone by so quickly. During that time I’ve done the mum thing – helped out on school canteen duties, done reading groups and packed lunches, and I’ve loved it all – I love being a mum! – but it also felt like a good time to come back to some TV work. The call came at the perfect time. I’ve been working as an ambassador for travel website My Holiday Centre, too. It’s been really good to have that mix of things going on.
What is so special about Farmer?
It feels really genuine, like the farmers and the brides want to find lasting love. The show has an incredible track record too. We’re up to nine marriages and 20 babies on the Australian version of the show. I hope this season we can get our 10th engagement!
We can’t get enough of love on reality TV. Do you watch any of the other shows yourself?
I watched a bit of Married at First Sight in the early days but not really since then. I think Farmer is unique because our ‘stars’ aren’t looking for fame or Insta followers; they’re looking for love. I get so emotional during filming – they really put themselves out there.
Did it feel different hosting the show this time around?
A little bit. I worked on Farmer Wants a Wife between 2007 and 2012. Back then there was no Tinder and the farmers weren’t really into online dating. To be honest, they’re still not really across those things. Then you add in the fact that most of our farmers have been battling incredibly tough conditions, what with the drought and bushfires. It’s no wonder they’ve had little time for love.
Will your daughter watch the show?
She knows a bit about the TV work I’ve done but of course, I’m just ‘Mum’! I don’t think she’ll watch whole episodes of
Farmer because she’s a bit young – there’s a lot of kissing! Farmer Wants a Wife airs Sun., 7pm and Mon., 7.30pm on Seven.