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Farmer Wants a Wife… but does he want diversity too?

Six white straight blokes in a Seven dating show is not a sign of progress.

Seven has revealed six men looking for a partner in the upcoming revival of The Farmer Wants a Wife.

Given we’re in a drought it’s a feat to find farms in NSW and Queensland (plus Victoria and Tasmania) that will be worth showcasing, and I have no doubt it can still acknowledge how tough things are in rural communities.

But should we be concerned at the lack of diversity amongst this principal cast?

Five straight white guys in a dating show is arguably a step backwards from 2016 when Nine managed to include a female farmer from South Australia. Even the casting notice failed to offer an option for same sex partners. Did Seven not get the memo that same-sex marriage was voted by a majority of Australians?

Seven is also a signatory to the Screen Diversity and Inclusion Network Charter which seeks to provide equal opportunities “irrespective of their gender, age, race, sexual orientation, intersex status, nationality, religion, disability or geographic location.”

Reality TV is usually far more diverse than other genres -even’s Seven recent The Proposal had same sex and ethnic diversity. Farmer is a show which actually failed in its last outing, so if we are going to revive heritage brands, shouldn’t we be finding new reasons to justify its return?

Here’s more info on the six blokes for 2020:

Farmer Alex (pictured top)
Age: 28
Location: Cunnamulla, QLD
Type of farm: Sheep, Cattle
Height: 180cm
About me: I’m an energetic larrikin who enjoys being outside. A very loyal friend and brother who enjoys learning new things.
What sort of woman are you looking for? Someone I have a lot in common with and I could see as my best friend. I certainly want to find her attractive, but what I really want is someone who shares my interests, is levelheaded and is fun with a great sense of humour.
What values are you looking for in a partner? I am fiercely loyal to my loved ones and I hope I can find a partner who feels the same. I’m also an adventurous soul and need someone who is willing to go on adventures with me.

Farmer Harry
Age: 28
Location: Goolgowi, NSW
Type of farm: Grapes, Cotton, Sheep
Height: 183cm
About me: I’m a small-town country boy with a big heart and a lot of love to give, who enjoys the simple life of working on the farm.
What sort of woman are you looking for? I’m looking for someone who is easy going, loves a laugh and is not afraid to have a go at new things. She needs to be able to hold her own but also be able to support me, as I will her.
What values are you looking for in a partner? Trust is without a doubt the biggest thing for me. Loyalty is also important, as well as a passion for enjoying life, not just living it.

Farmer Jack
Age: 27
Location: Harrow, VIC
Type of farm: Merino Sheep
Height: 195cm
About me: I am energetic, fun and enthusiastic. I have a great love for life and above all, I love an adventure.
What sort of woman are you looking for? An empathetic and kindhearted soul who has the same passion to learn, discover and travel as I do.
What values are you looking for in a partner? I am looking for kindness, generosity and enthusiasm in a partner.

Farmer Neil
Age: 42
Location: Crookwell, NSW
Type of farm: Merino Sheep
Height: 178cm
About me: I’m a fun, fit, happy and healthy farmer and father of three.
What sort of woman are you looking for? If there is a woman who is still reading this and is not totally put off, there is a reasonable chance we will get on. I hope there is a spark, also known as the feeling, also known as the vibe. It can’t be faked, and it never lies.
What values are you looking for in a partner? Be honest, be a team player, be family orientated, be active and be ready…

Farmer Nick
Age: 44
Location: Deviot, TAS
Type of farm: Vineyard
Height: 183cm
About me: I’m the type of guy that shows up on the scene and gets the seven digits, you know the routine… I’m also the type of guy who answers questions with LL Cool J lyrics!
What sort of woman are you looking for? An independent woman with a bunch of stuff going on. I like a woman who is happy to do her own thing and someone who plans to follow her dreams.
What values are you looking for in a partner? I like honesty, I like drive and I like commitment. I find it attractive when someone finishes what they start. I like an adventurous woman too.

Farmer Sam
Age: 27
Location: Innisfail, QLD
Type of farm: Tropical Fruit
Height: 178cm
About me: I’m a fun, loving and caring person with a heart of gold and a pretty dry sense of humour. I love to be outdoors and am very family orientated.
What sort of woman are you looking for? A woman with a big heart, who is caring and supportive and can have a bit of fun.
What values are you looking for in a partner? Someone who is trustworthy, loyal and kind with a good sense of humour and can handle lots of Italian food.

Australia’s most successful relationship show Farmer Wants A Wife returns in 2020 and today, the new crop of Aussie farmers ready to find their soulmate have been revealed.

These hopeful single blokes will put it all on the line as they search for “the one” – a life partner with whom they can share their hearts and their love of their land.

History bodes well for these new farmers seeking a forever – Farmer Wants A Wife has created more happily-ever-afters than any other dating show, with nine marriages and 19 babies in Australia (with another on the way) and 147 marriages and 280 babies worldwide.

Singles can apply at  www.farmerwantsawife.com.au

18 Responses

  1. *sigh* Not *another* dating show – is there no imagination any more? Churn out the same old same old in a slightly different format. Just another Batchelor(ette), Married at first sight et al. For a dating show, have a look at Dating on the Spectrum. Brutal honesty and none of this manufactured/scripted nonsense these show put out.

    All I can say is thank god for Foxtel and streaming services to provide real choice.

  2. Simply don’t care as long as diversity is shown on TV ….. it does not have to be in every show … as previously stated do all farmers come from a diverse background …… we could argue why don’t they have farmers with a ‘disability’

  3. In regards to having diverse multicultural farmers on the show, there are not many ethnic farmers, though in some rural localities they are prominent. Most small rural towns only have a handful of people from ethnic backgrounds and many of them work in the health, education, pharmacies and retail sector rather than on the farms. It’s not like the big cities where there are prominent multicultural populations. But about half or above half of the population is female, so there should be no excuse for balance of gender unless it depends on the type of applicants that are applying for casting too.

  4. Hey David one of these farmers is European. Farmer Sam says he’s “full Sicilian” in his answers. And it looks like his big Italian family in his video.

  5. Maybe he has a certain type! Why put people that he wouldn’t normally go for and let them be humiliated on national TV.

    A shame to think that being male and white makes you a target. Nobody cares except lefties who promote diversity but within their own circles don’t live to their exact preaching.

  6. How many single gay farmers are there and how many single male farmers are there that aren’t white?
    Those numbers would be small, I also wonder how many single gay farmers would want to be on national television given that being gay in some rural areas may still have a stigma attached to it.

    Diversity is great, but when applicable.

    1. I’m pretty sure NSW and Vic, in particular, have plenty of farmers with European backgrounds for example. There are also Indigenous farmers, women farmers etc. 60 Mins has a disabled farmer this Sunday. If you don’t offer a casting field for some of these you are already limiting options.

      1. Well we don’t know who actually applied to be on the show. I would assume Seven probably wants to keep it simple for a first run (for them) and see how it goes.

        I also never said every farmer was a white male, just a large majority would likely fit that description.

      2. You just claimed that Seven was wrong, and going in the opposite direction to enlightened progress, by casting only people with a European background. Now your want more European backgrounds? Are their good and evil European backgrounds?

        As well as cane farmer whose the child of Sicilian/Australian cane farmers, what about the British/Australian? Or the self-described citizen of the world with dual citizenship? They have tried to avoid casting 6 stereotypical cockies.

        The average age of small farmers is older than that of the ABC audience. And most of their children move to regional or capital cities. The number of farmers of eligible age, who inherited their parents farm, who want a wife, and would like to date on national TV, is going to be fairly small. I doubt Seven was deluged with applications from telegenic farmers with nice landholdings. It’s not surprising that the…

        1. All of one cultural background doesn’t reflect the faces we see in the street or census results, plus ethnicity is only one aspect of diversity. As indicated we had female farmers in 2016. Usually in these cases casting is a mix of open call / production actively seeking. Producers attempted to broaden the application fields but got knocked back by network.

    2. That’s not really the point. I am sure in the thousands of applications received some would have been gay and from other ethnic groups. It’s lazy on Seven’s part to not actively seek out such people and have them join the show. With the downturn in people watching TV they should be doing all they can to encourage more people to watch. I

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