A lot happened in the Farmer Wants A Wife season premiere, but the most dramatic moment was undoubtedly Bene fainting. The 31-year-old Queenslander was there for farmer Jason, and when he named the women he was taking back to his dairy farm in Coolabunia and she wasn’t among them, she fell to the floor.
Bene tells TV WEEK that it had taken months to get to that point, from applying and being interviewed to organising childcare for her five-year-old daughter.
“And then as soon as he picked the fifth girl and I realised that I wasn’t going back to the farm, I think the adrenaline took over, hit me like a freight train,” she says. “I just remember grabbing poor Brittany’s arm, and then, next thing I know, I was on the ground. So it was embarrassing, to say the least. But I guess that’s what happens when you get rejected on national television!
“And it’s hot, you’re standing under the lights… My Spanx were probably cutting off circulation to my brain!”
Bene, who works in customer service, was attracted to farmer Jason as soon as she saw his picture.
“He’s obviously physically very attractive,” she says. “Love the beard. Big fan of the beard.
“And he’s got such big family values, which really aligns with myself, he’s really down-to-earth… just exactly the sort of guy I was looking for when I was deciding to re-enter the dating scene, which I decided to do on national television.”
The Farmer speed date was Bene’s first date in more than 10 years, and she says she enjoyed the time she spent with Jason, although she wouldn’t say there was a spark between them.
“But I was definitely hopeful,” she adds. “And I enjoyed our date. I was really looking forward to the opportunity to get to know him more.”
After Bene fainted, and recovered, and did her last on-camera interview, Jason came out to see her.
“He just wanted to check in again, which I think just goes to show, even without cameras on, he’s so genuine and authentic. What you see is what you get with him.”
Bene doesn’t regret going on Farmer Wants A Wife.
“While I didn’t get my husband, I definitely got a lot more confidence in myself and some really beautiful friendships. So no regrets at all.”
Although she hasn’t been on any dates since her speed date with Jason, she says it’s on her “to-do list”.
“Now I’m like, ‘Well, if I can do [Farmer], I can go to the pub and meet a boy for a beer. It’s not that scary. At least no one’s filming it!’”
Check out Farmer Wants A Wife on Mondays and Tuesdays at 7.30pm and Sundays at 7pm on Channel Seven or on 7plus.
