Reeling from the aftermath of his MAFS relationship with Jamie Marinos and his father’s ongoing cancer battle, Dave Hand isn’t any less determined – in fact, he’s even planning a big move abroad.

The Australian builder, known for his stint on Married At First Sight Australia, has opened up about adjusting to life in the limelight after his stint on the popular E4 series.

“It’s definitely a lot harder than I expected,” Dave admitted, reflecting on the whirlwind of fame that followed his reality TV journey. “You’re not only thrown into TV and popularity, it’s like a whole new world. Like learning to walk again.”

The sudden surge of attention caught Dave by surprise, as he navigates the newfound fame that comes with being a public figure. “It plays out in everything you do,” he shared. “You go out for coffee, you’re taking photos with somebody. Or you’re walking down the street and people are asking you for advice.”

While viewers admired his genuine approach on MAFS, likening him to a “gentle giant,” Dave was dealing with personal challenges off-screen, as his father Howard bravely fought cancer. “A lot of people connected with me through my dad’s sickness,” he revealed.

“Cancer is a hell of a disease and it’s an eye-opener because you don’t realise how many people are going through it. It’s really nice to hear people’s stories.”

Dave’s heartfelt connection with the audience has sparked a desire for more screen time, and he’s even contemplating a move to British shores. “I want to get to the UK, probably later in the year,” he expressed, eager to dive into the UK reality scene.

Dave Hand gained popularity on MAFS as he opened up about his father Howard’s cancer battle on the E4 show -Credit:Instagram
However, Dave, at 36, is no stranger to the mixed bag of reactions that come with reality fame, having tasted both the sweet highs and bitter lows of public scrutiny.

Dave has opened up about the harsh realities of dealing with trolls. “On one side, you’ve got really nice, heartwarming messages and on the other, you’ve got someone who’s so immature,” he reveals. “They choose to be mean rather than spread kindness and love. I don’t understand it.”

More upsetting than the trolls for Dave, though, is the off-screen drama among his MAFS co-stars. The latest series was fraught with conflict, notably Ryan Donnelly and Jacqui Burfoot’s feud that escalated into applications for restraining orders, as well as disputes among other stars.

“The cast members should be looking after one another after the show. And you have people acting ridiculously towards each other. It’s a damn shame,” he expresses with disappointment.

The off-air tension doesn’t end there for Dave, as his own run-ins with Adrian Araouzou have led to public backlash. “Adrian [Araouzou] said some things about me and he copped it from the public. I feel sorry for him,” he admits. “But in the meantime, he’s attacking me. This isn’t the way the group should be handling it. It’s quite scary.”

Since his split from MAFS bride Jamie Marinos, Dave has been focusing on his future – and making plans to move to the UK by the end of the year -Credit:@dth_9/Instagram
He laments the missed opportunity for solidarity among the cast, saying, “We should be backing each other at this time and we’ve dropped the ball completely. We could have been standing up to the bad comments together.”

Amidst the turmoil, Dave is focusing his attention toward his father’s health battle. “The tumours my dad had on the show had shrunk – but they’ve come back pretty quickly,” he shares. “He’s on a new drug trial now. Only 200 people in the world are on it. Dad says, ‘If I can help somebody, I’m going to give this a crack.’”.

Dave gets real about his dad’s health struggles, saying, “Dad’s been fighting it for five years and now it’s taken a toll on him. He’s a bit frail and now he’s got to go into battle again.”

When it comes to romance, Dave’s taking it slow, with his sights set on championing mental health: “Mental health issues and depression have been in my family, I’ve witnessed it, I’ve lived it,” he shares.

He continues, “But I’ve processed it, I deal with it and I know what works for me. I can help others with that. I want to get the message across that the sad days don’t stick. I’d like to be a role model for kids. I want to start a charity one day.”