EXCLUSIVE: 2023 star Clare Hockings reveals what viewers don’t see on TV.

Farmer Wants A Wife’s Clare Hockings opens up about her experience on the reality show. Photo: Channel 7

It’s been two years since Australia watched Farmer Brad Jones and Clare Hockings fall in love on Farmer Wants A Wife and become one of reality show’s many success stories. The couple began living together in Cootamundra, NSW, shortly after filming wrapped, and welcomed their first child in December 2023.

While their love story played out like a fairytale, Clare has now admitted her experience on the show “wasn’t as easy and breezy” as it appeared on TV. The preschool teacher tells Yahoo Lifestyle that she was “so naive” when she signed up for the series and “definitely wasn’t prepared” for just how intense it would be.

“I genuinely had no idea what I was getting into. I didn’t realise the lack of control that I would have just in everyday life,” she shares. “Like, there are times when you go to events for two or three days, and the whole time you have to ask, ‘Can I go to the toilet? Can I eat something? Can I put a jumper on? Can I put a hat on?’. I just wasn’t prepared for that.”

Clare says she didn’t know anyone who had previously been on the show to ask for advice, and assumed the experience would be similar to what she’d seen in previous seasons.

“I thought I would go in, I would do a bit of farm work here and there – and I didn’t expect it to be a full day of cattle work, but I just thought it would be a bit more relaxed than what it was,” she details. “Because it does come across like that on TV, but it’s very structured and very controlled.”

Clare fell in love with Farmer Brad in season 13. Photo: Channel 7

Is Farmer Wants A Wife similar to MAFS?

Ever since the show was rebooted on Channel 7 in 2020, fans have compared Farmer Wants A Wife to Married At First Sight thanks to certain controversial storylines and scandalous moments.

Although Clare acknowledges Farmer Wants A Wife has become more drama-filled compared to earlier seasons, she doesn’t believe the shows are all that similar behind the scenes.

“From what I’ve heard, I don’t think it’s as bad as MAFS – yet,” she says. “I definitely think MAFS is more intense and a lot harder mentally to film as a contestant. But, in saying that, Farmer definitely has the potential to become even more dramatic.

“People keep saying that they they liked it when it was really wholesome and not about the drama and it was more about the actual farms and the girls having a go at doing farm work and watching someone slowly fall in love, rather than sort of bringing new girls in and making it kind of was competitive as it is.”

What do the 2025 farmers think about the drama?

Farmer Corey told Yahoo Lifestyle before the new season premiered that he went into the experience knowing that “every farm would have their own challenges and drama along the way”, but believes it’s “natural” rather than produced.

“There’s always going to be a little bit of drama, maybe a little bit of cattiness along the way and antagonism amongst the girls, because they’re all there and they’re all trying to compete for your attention,” he remarked.

“They all want you at the end of the day. So I think naturally, there is going to be a little bit of drama. But I think it’s all mainly natural drama and girls overthinking and getting in their heads and getting anxiety, things like that, when it comes to it.”

Meanwhile, Farmer Thomas said he was “pretty lucky” that his contestants got along during filming and developed strong friendships, so he didn’t experience any drama himself.

“I guess they didn’t want to do anything to upset the other ladies, so they were very respectful to each other,” he added. “I don’t know if they had some little meeting or code or something that they were going to go on, but I do respect them for playing true to themself and not trying to hurt someone for their own benefit.”