‘I’ve finally found my forever.’

Jarrod Woodgate first captivated Australia’s attention on The Bachelorette Australia in 2017, where he was the runner-up in the race to win Sophie Monk’s heart.

And now, eight years later, the 39-year-old tells Woman’s Day he’s finally found his happily ever after with his newly minted fiancee Kristy Love, who he proposed to in April.

“Kristy and I first met when her mum tried to set us up at a concert, and we liked each other, but we weren’t mentally ready for a relationship at the time,” he shared.

“When we were finally ready, we somehow reconnected at a party and just knew we’d have a great life together.”

All Loved-Up

In 2021, Jarrod bravely admitted that he “wasn’t mentally fit” while on The Bachelorette, and revealed he’d been diagnosed with PTSD, depression and anxiety after being discharged from the army.

“I’d spent 12 years in the army, so when I was discharged, I was struggling to readjust to civilian life in Melbourne, so I decided to come up to Darwin for a holiday and fell in love with the place,” Jarrod said.

Now calling the Top End home, the reality TV star-turned-radio presenter says he and Kristy, along with their three dogs, are looking forward to settling down together.

“We don’t plan on leaving Darwin anytime soon, and if we were to have kids, we’ll potentially have them up here too,” he said.
Jarrod with The Bachelorette, Sophie Monk in 2017. (Credit: 10 Publicity )
“We’ve got a lot going on in our lives, but between work and renovating our house, it all feels so normal and exciting to be doing it together.”

But before they start planning their dream wedding, Jarrod and Kristy will be joining the Push Up Challenge this June to raise awareness for better mental health support.

Over 23 days, they’ll each do 3214 push-ups, which represents the Australian lives lost to suicide in 2023.

“My mental health has gone from very low to very high since moving to Darwin because I’ve got the right team, good family and friends and Kristy beside me,” Jarrod shared.

“Having their support network has made everything a lot easier.”

While he’ll never appear on a dating show again, Jarrod admitted he’d enjoy I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! But at the moment, he’s happy living the quiet life with his dance teacher fiancée.

“I’m all loved-up now, so I’m set and satisfied,” he laughed. “It’s taken me nearly 40 years, but I’ve found my forever!”