Five new farmers are looking for love on Farmer Wants A Wife, and 2025 star Jack Lonie has some words of wisdom for them.
Dairy farmer Jack, from Tasmania, found love with Sarah Linklater on the Channel Seven show, and a year on, he’s got a warning for this year’s crop of farmers.
In a video message shared exclusively with New Idea, Jack admits he wishes that he had listened more to the advice from his fellow farmers.
Jack was in a unique position as a late arrival on screen last year, and the other farmers gave him plenty of advice about dealing with the public reaction, but he didn’t listen!
“I certainly got some good information and advice from those farmers,” he says.
“I remember Corey gave me a ring when it was all going to air, and obviously, he’d been on air before I started, and he said to me, ‘Just don’t go online’. I should have taken his advice.”
“So I’m telling you farmers, you won’t listen, and you’ll have to tell the next farmers, and they won’t listen! Honestly, if you can muster the strength, just don’t look at the comments!”
His partner, Sarah, was quick to agree with him, giving the same advice to the women on the show.
“It’s hard to stay offline, but you’ll be thankful that you did at the end,” she adds.
“Those people, they don’t know you, it’s just their opinion, and it doesn’t make up any part of your life.”
Sarah also urged the cast to lean on the friendships they made during filming, saying they became her support system when she watched her own scenes air, particularly when they played out differently from how she remembered.
“The friendships you make along the way are really important,” she explains.
“They do become your support system during airing because they know what you’re going through and what you’re thinking.”
“As you watch each episode, it doesn’t really matter if it’s not as you remember it; the context isn’t always going to be there, but just lean on each other and have a really good time while you can.”
While many people might think the show is more stressful for the farmers, Jack warns that it’s just as intense for the women, given that they have to live in a stranger’s house!
“They’re in a stranger’s house, basically,” he says. “They’ve just rocked up here from different parts of Australia, or the world, and if you can make their stay as comfortable as possible, I think that makes a massive difference.”
As the 2026 series comes to air, Jack also reminds all the cast to enjoy the once-in-a-lifetime experience while it lasts.
“One of the biggest things I did when I was going on that journey was to make a conscious decision to enjoy everything that comes along,” he adds.
“Don’t go into it worrying about how stressful it’s going to be; take it for what it is. It’s a very different experience and something you’ll only get to do once, but it’s certainly worthwhile if you come at it from the right perspective.”
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