CARMEN’S HAPPY EVER AFTER!
Jimmysays theLword
Carmen Stimpson and James “Jimmy” Hardy’s whirlwind TV romance is now entering a blissfully happy new chapter – they’ve not only moved in together, but they’ve finally said the “L” word!
While Jimmy, 29, made it clear on the show he wasn’t ready to say he loved Carmen, it was only a few weeks after filming their vow renewal that he let it slip.
Carmen, 25, laughs, “Jimmy said it first, after all that! It happened when he’d gone back down to Christchurch and I’d been in Auckland, so we hadn’t seen each other for two weeks, which felt like two years for us.”
Jimmy chimes in, “I just blurted it out and now here we are!”
The pastry chef didn’t have to think long before she packed up her life in the City of Sails for the Garden City to live with her hubby. Conveniently for Carmen, her workplace Moustache Milk and Cookie Bar is opening up in two new locations in Christchurch, so she had a job to go to.
She explains, “I’ve moved around a lot in my life, but I’ve never really moved for a man before. I’m so happy to be here.”
The couple are still looking for a place to call home and in the meantime have been living with Jimmy’s parents.
“It’s nice for me because I get to spend time with Jimmy’s family and get to know them more,” tells Carmen. “Sometimes I like hanging out with them more than Jimmy – just kidding!”
As much as they love to joke, when it comes to talking about their feelings for each other, these two lovebirds are dead serious.
“I couldn’t ask for much more, I’m very lucky,” smiles Jimmy.
Carmen adds, “We both went on to this show with not very high hopes because there’s a track record of only one couple per season actually working out. But that’s just made us even more grateful for what we have.”
The couple say a second wedding ceremony is definitely on the cards in the future, as well as a pet for their new home.
“Jimmy told me I could get a dog!” exclaims Carmen.
“It’s better than a kid!” laughs Jimmy, adding, “We both want to have children in the future, but we’re not getting too carried away yet.”
For now, the couple are simply happy exploring their relationship away from the cameras.