Katie Johnstone became a national sweetheart from the moment Australia was introduced to her on Married at First Sight.
Sick of being disappointed and rejected, she went on the show in the hopes of finding someone kind and honest, who wanted a family and knew how to communicate.
Despite leaving the experiment devastated and without a relationship, she opened up about how she is doing after her time on the show ended in an interview with A Current Affair that was broadcast on February 10.
What has Katie said about her experience on MAFS?
“I am more than OK. I was strong before, frustrated during, and even better now,” she told A Current Affair, adding that she was not ready to step into the dating world just yet.
“I really want to focus on finding stability, building the foundation, and filling up my self-love cup again and I’ll explore that possibility later.”
Originally matched with primary school teacher Tim, the CEO was hopeful on their wedding day. But that all came crashing down when he confessed on their wedding night he did not feel a spark.
Things went from bad to worse on their honeymoon and came crashing down when Tim was accused of gaslighting his bride during the first dinner party.
It all came to a head when he returned to Melbourne and did not move into the apartment with her.
“I feel sorry for the guy,” the Queenslander told A Current Affair.
“I hope he learns and I hope he heals, and I hope he can be better for the next woman, man, who enters his life.”
What else has Katie said about her journey after MAFS?
Since her time on the show, the bubbly bride has featured in an empowering photoshoot with Studio Republic.
The business revealed in an Instagram post in January that it has been connected to the bride “over the years”.
In a video of her photoshoot, Katie said it took her a long time to feel good in her skin.
“I want to be all of me 100 percent. Doing things like this helps bring that out in you. And all in all, I like what I see,” she said.
” I like my curves, I like my stretch marks, I like the saggy bits, the lumpy bits, the good bits, I love it all.”
“The only person that I want to manifest love for is myself right now. I feel like if your cup’s full, then it can overflow you.”
Along with personal growth and development, she is also focusing on her business.
After challenges from the pandemic, her business was eventually placed into liquidation and it meant she lost everything.
“I’ve decided to do a payment plan because I am really still very much committed to, even though nothing was my fault, committed to seeing that through and getting everyone’s super out to them still,” she continued to A Current Affair.
Despite the setback, she is now running an enterprise with successful restaurants in Queensland, which give back to others.
During her introduction on the reality show, she said profits were allocated to issues such as emergency housing.
