You’ve got to hand it to Jarrod Woodgate, he’s a man completely unapologetic for loving Australia’s sweetheart.
Sadly, the 31-year-old didn’t get his fairytale ending on The Bachelorette Australia with Sophie Monk professing her love for Stu Laundy.
Now, Jarrod has had the night to sleep on what has been one of the most excruciating heartbreaks broadcast on national TV… And he tells us it still feels like absolute s—.
Now To Love caught up exclusively with Sophie Monk’s Bachelorette runner-up Jarrod Woodgate to debrief on his experience, why we shouldn’t be so quick to laugh about his pot plant and what he’s doing to heal his heart.
WATCH: The brutal moment Sophie ends it with Jarrod. Post continues!
Jarrod, 31, vineyard manager, VIC: runner-up
“I’ve had time to figure out where I’m at,” Jarrod tells us.
Jarrod we’re sending you a big hug! How are you doing the morning after the night before?
Look, I’m alright. Better now this morning. It’s been a little while so I’ve had time to figure out where I’m at.
Completely understandable! The last 12 hours must have been a bit of a blur! Where’s your head at now that everything is out in the open?
Everywhere I think. I basically want to be around family and friends. I just keep thinking what am I going to do next?
Jarrod, you’ve been so brave throughout this entire process. It must be really hard to share with the country how much you love Sophie, knowing the outcome. Could you take us back to that final rose ceremony?
Yeah. Walking up the sand to see Sophie there, I was very confident that I was going to be the guy that would be going home with Sophie at the end of the day.
I had put so much into it, and I’d fallen so deeply. I remember I was listening to the words of what Sophie was saying and it all sounded so perfect.
But she was looking down at the ground for a pause. And that’s when I knew a “but” was coming. I think at that point I paused and said one word.
It was, yeah [sighs]. I didn’t know what to say in that moment. Just… It hurt.
It was really, really so hard to be turned down in that way. It was all for good reasons and it was a good experience with Sophie but it was hard.
WATCH: Jarrod’s best moments. Post continues…
We’re always interested to know what happens afterwards – is there anyone available to help you? Did you turn to your family and friends for support?
Once the filming was done, I got to go home and be with my family – and they’ve been supporting me.
This round through, for last night’s episode, I had my best mate Chris and we were in a hotel room watching… And yeah [sighs]. Basically it was just as hard as it was when I was standing in front of Soph on that sand.
It brought up everything – the memories and that journey.
You’ve liked Sophie for a long time, calling her your crush… What is she to you now?
I still have a lot of love for Sophie. She’s a beautiful person inside and out. I fell in love with who she is and not what she is.
That will always be there [voice cracks].
I’m hoping to this day we will still be friends… For a very long time.
Were you able to talk to each other after that rose ceremony?
Ah, no. We hadn’t spoken since yesterday.
Right – so the photos of you and Sophie hugging that were published online, just hours before the show, that was the first time you’d had any contact with each other since Fiji?
Yes! That’s correct.
From the moment I walked off the island til yesterday – that was the first time we got to speak to each other.
I said hello to Sophie and she was just wishing me luck for the show and the rest of my journey.
The evening of the finale airing was the first time Sophie and Jarrod had spoken since that fateful day in Fiji. Sophie, Stu and Jarrod were all staying in the same hotel in Sydney and bumped into each other.
Did you know you were going to see her yesterday?
I had NO idea! No not all.
I didn’t know I was going to see Sophie but it was such a beautiful surprise.
So you were happy to see her again?
Yes I was! We just picked up from where we left off. We felt as comfortable with each other, like we did on the show.
Out of all the guys from this series, you’ve been so consistent with how much you love Sophie. The nation really began rallying around you after hometowns and last night #PutYourPotPlantOut started trending on Twitter. Is it nice to know that there are people supporting you through this heartbreak?
I think it is amazing the amount of people out there that follow and support me.
They actually see what I was trying to do and who I am as a person, rather than being perceived as the “stage-5 clinger.”
There was a lot involved with me trying to get Sophie’s attention and you need to work your heart out for it. You just can’t sit back.
Yeah, it’s nice! It’s good to see the pot plants are out there.
It’s nice to see there’s an Instagram, Twitter page for the pot plant. Ahh, Studio 10 gave me a pot plant [laughs]. It’s quite incredible, you do one thing and people don’t like it but when they see the outcome they love it!
At the end of the day, the show is about falling in love and you did that just that! You should be so proud.
Thank you so much. It was a tough journey, really rough! But it was worth it.
Sophie and Stu can now go public with their romance. Is that difficult for you?
I’m happy Sophie has found someone and that she’s happy.
That’s all I can think about. Yep, it’s the only way.
Seeing Sophie and seeing that smile on her face, yesterday – that was enough for me!
Once all the dust settles can you imagine being friends with Sophie and Stu – as a couple?
Definitely! I was hoping to go for a drink with them last night after the show, but I was knackered.
I was really tired from the day – I’d been travelling and there were interviews… Yeah.
“I think it is amazing the amount of people out there that follow and support me.”
What are your thoughts on claims Stu cheated on her – do you believe it?
Rumours are rumours.
You can’t believe it until you’ve spoken to the person.
People need to learn what they’ve seen of me and now, what they know of me… That’s the same case for Stu!
See who he is on TV and then you get to know him as a person – anything outside of that, you can’t believe it.
It’s pretty common for people to fall back in love with their exes. If Sophie ever approached you and said she had feelings for you, would you want to explore that or would you rather close this chapter?
Oh look I would never want close Sophie off at all.
I want us to continue to be friends and down the track if Soph and Stu don’t work out, I’ll always be there for Sophie.
But at the same time, I’m supportive of what they have now and I really hope they continue that for as long as they can.
“I want us to continue to be friends,” he tells us.
Was it easy to let your guard down and just love Sophie? Did you have to mentally prepare yourself?
Being there with the cameras and the other guys – you always have to remember you’re there for one person.
It’s what you have to focus on. Around the cameras, you just need to focus on your time with Sophie – because it’s going to be short and you want it to last as long as it can.
God [sighs] Sorry mental blank.
Don’t be! You’ve had a very heavy few days – would you like a moment?
It’s been full of ah [pauses] ups and downs. Yeah! Sorry, what did you ask? My head’s fried and going on a tangent.
Just whether it was hard to fall in love given the environment?
It is hard and I think that’s why people thought I was a bit full on.
It took some time for me to find a happy medium of who I want to be, who I needed to be, who I can be.
There’s a lot of personalities in the house and I just fought for what I wanted. It’s what I had to do.
“You always have to remember you’re there for one person.”
Good luck with the next chapter, Jarrod!
Sophie has defended you a lot, saying you’re not a stage five clinger. How nice is it to hear she has your back?
She didn’t have to talk about anyone and the fact that she took time away from talking about her and Stu and the other guys.
And she did focus on me which I think was such a beautiful thing.
It helped people realise that I’m not this weird guy, I’m just a really nice guy that’s devoted to her.
Sophie felt that and she wanted the audience to know that!
Were you happy with how you were portrayed on the show and is there anything you’d like to clear up?
Look, the way they’ve edited the show – they’ve shown a lot of me because I did a lot of things.
I think that’s why I came across too full on, but if you’re going to do stuff then you’re going to get Sophie’s attention – it will probably make it to the show.
But everything I did was for Sophie. Just yeah.
Once again I’ve got a mental blank.
No, you’ve been wonderful and so open and honest!
Yeah, I’m sorry I had moment and I just lost myself again!
