Farmer Wants A Wife star Joe Bobbin has broken his silence following his split from Sarah Carey.
Speaking to Yahoo!, the farmer said: “The only comment I’ll make is you can’t force love.”
His comment comes after Sarah confirmed the news via a statement to her Instagram stories.
“I was really hoping to not have to do this as I’m a very private person, but it’s incredibly hard to heal whilst constantly receiving questions & comments about the status of my relationship,” she wrote, explaining that she and Joe separated a few weeks prior.
“This has been one of the hardest times of my life so I want to sincerely thank those who have sent kind messages checking in on me & for welcoming me into this community.
“It’s been difficult without my friends & family around me but the kindness that has been shown is something I’ll never forget.”
Sarah finished the statement by urging fans to respect her privacy.
“I understand there may be a lot of questions regarding why but at this time I’m not ready to talk about that as I’m still processing the information myself.”
Just three months earlier, Sarah had gushed about the farmer and her experience on the show.
“I met a wonderful man who has the biggest heart I’ve ever known,” she wrote on Instagram. “I’ve made friendships that I know will be life long. It doesn’t get much better than that.”
Gracious as ever, runner-up Keely commented: “Look at those big smiles. Love you girl.”
During the show, Joe was head over heels for Sarah – calling her “strong and determined”.
“We’ve had some tough times. I’ve sometimes felt that you’ve pulled away,” Joe said. “But I also know that you can be a shy person and take your time to get to know people.
“I also like that you challenge me. I don’t have all the answers for us, but I do see myself falling for you in the future. I want to tackle the future with you by my side, and us as a team.”
When he asked Sarah if she would join him on the farm, the 31-year-old replied “absolutely” and they sealed it with a kiss.
Sarah was tipped to be Joe’s pick early on, according to Sportsbet.
The pair grew a strong bond after Joe questioned why Sarah was initially reserved. When she opened up about her past relationship, Sarah and Joe grew stronger and she reassured the farmer she was very much interested in him.
Unlike Farmers Dean and Tom who were the first to choose their final women, or Bert who left the show solo, Joe kept his cards close to his chest throughout the journey.
“I met so many beautiful women and they were all so genuine and nice that there wasn’t anyone (who stood out),” the 33-year-old told our sister site TV WEEK.
“Every time I saw someone I’d be like ‘oh, they’re great,’ ‘wow she’s great too’,” he laughed.
However, the cattle and sheep farmer did admit there was a clear favourite in his second week.
“She really caught my attention and took my breath away a little bit,” the Bombala local said. “We had very similar senses of humor, she’s obviously a very beautiful girl, and I felt really comfortable and connected.”
Sarah, a livestock administrator from NSW, describes herself as “empathetic and compassionate”.
Speaking about Farmer Joe, Sarah confessed she was drawn to his “cheeky nature”.
“I never felt the urge to apply (to Farmer Wants A Wife) until I read about Joe,” she told Seven. “There is just something about him.
“Joe should know that I grew up on a cattle farm. I’ve got a glass half full outlook on life. I love trying new things and spend most of my time outside. I love adventure so let’s go horseback riding together.”
Ready for your own fairytale romance without the reality TV drama? Sign up for eharmony today!
