The finale of Farmer Wants A Wife was supposed to be a happy time for Farmer Joe and his chosen love Sarah Carey but it has turned into a very difficult, emotional time for the couple.
Far from being one of the happiest days of her life, Sarah says the reaction to the finale made it “one of the hardest times”.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Farmer Joe confesses his love to Sarah Carey.
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The 31-year-old has opened up to 7NEWS.com.au, urging social media users to “be kind” and allow the couple space to navigate the next chapter in their relationship.
“I was quite emotional and upset, there was a fair bit of trolling,” Sarah said.
“So that was probably one of the hardest times of my life, if I’m honest.
“I got to the end of it and quite honestly I was crying on the phone to Joe.”
Sarah said she was “so upset” at some viewers’ reaction to Farmer Joe choosing her in the final episode of the reality TV dating show.
She said people even stopped her in the streets to remark: “I am surprised he chose you.”
To make matters worse, rumours surfaced the couple had split after FWAW fans noted she did not attend the wedding of Joe’s good friends and former FWAW couple, Andrew and Jess.
Sarah says she was advised not to attend the wedding because it might have spoiled the ending for fans.
“They (producers) didn’t want to give away the ending — which is totally understandable,” she said.
“It was always known that whoever ended up with Joe was not allowed to go because they didn’t know timeframes (for the series to air) yet.”
At the “last minute” she said she was told she could attend the wedding — but she had just accepted a new job near Joe’s farm in Bombala, NSW.
“It’s not a good look on your first week of work asking to take time off,” she said.
“I would have loved to have gone but it was too last-minute.”
Watching the series as it aired, Sarah says she saw a more “serious portrayal” of herself and wonders if that is why some fans didn’t connect with her.
“I’m not mad about how I was portrayed or anything,” she said.
“I’m being called moody and sulky … and awful things that isn’t really who I am.”
Sarah says she did “struggle with the cameras” and got “quite anxious” being filmed, something she thinks came across in the show.
“I think not having gone through that before … Joe and I are quite sensitive people so it rocked us both,” she said.
Sarah is now trying to focus on her new relationship with Joe, after such an unusual beginning.
She also revealed Joe struggled with telling Keeley he was not going to choose her.
“You’re hurting someone at the end of the day, Joe doesn’t like letting people down and it gets to Joe more than others,” she said.
“So I think he was quite upset he had hurt Keeley.
“But we’re trying to turn down the noise and focus on the happy messages.”
Life after Farmer Wants A Wife
Sarah now splits her time between Joe’s farm and her home in Queensland, where her beloved dog still lives.
“Joe and I are trying to navigate our new relationship, it’s all so new,” she said.
However, she is over the moon to share her new position working on the Snowy Hydro Project, a short commute from Joe’s farm.
With no regrets over the experience — after all, it led her to Joe and some friends for life — Sarah urges people to “lead with kindness”.
To see more of Sarah and Joe’s new relationship, watch the Farmer Wants A Wife reunion on Channel 7 and 7plus at 8.30pm AEST.