For Married At First Sight‘s Brook Crompton, the past year has been nothing short of life-changing.
After a whirlwind stint on MAFS, the 27-year-old Gold Coast-based model has emerged with something far more enduring than reality TV fame – a rekindled love, a Christmas Day engagement, and a baby on the way.
“It honestly feels like everything has fallen into place,” Brook exclusively tells Woman’s Day.
“This is everything I’ve ever wanted – to be with a partner who supports me and loves me for me.”
BACK WITH HER EX
Brook reunited with her former partner Harry, 28, around two weeks after she left the MAFS experiment in August last year when her disastrous TV marriage to Chris Nield imploded in the second week due to an off-screen “incident”.
“Yeah, I came crawling back,” admits Harry, who works as a builder on the Gold Coast. “I missed her a little too much.”
“But he had to put in the hard yards, because he broke up with me,” laughs Brook. “But no, really we were both like, ‘OK, if it didn’t work back then, what are we going to do to make it work now?’” she says. “But Harry invited me away to the Maldives a couple of weeks later for a surfing trip with his family friends and that just cemented things for me.
“We just had the most beautiful time. We were better than we had ever been.”
While Brook opened up on MAFS about her experiences with cheating exes, she’s quick to reiterate that the reasoning behind her and Harry’s initial breakup, which occurred three months before production began last year, was just down to timing and bad communication.
“There wasn’t infidelity – Harry would never. It wasn’t a toxic ending or anything. He was just so busy with work,” says Brook.
“We weren’t communicating that well, either,” says Harry. “I just wasn’t prioritising our love, I guess.”
Fearing she’d hurt Harry’s feelings, Brook was transparent about going on the show, and Harry only wanted the best for her.
“I didn’t necessarily want her to go on the show, but I didn’t want to stop her,” he says.
Contrary to some false reports, Brook insists she was never in touch with Harry while she was in the experiment, but during her time on the show she certainly thought of him.
“I guess it made me realise how amazing Harry is. He’s nothing like that person I married on MAFS,” says Brook.
“He’d never fat-shame a woman or speak about anyone badly. He sees the beauty in everyone. I’ve actually never been with someone that speaks about women that poorly. So right from the get-go, I was like, ‘This person is not for me.’ It was very much like, I’ve been paired with this person for TV ratings.
“But I can’t regret it, because I honestly believe that if we hadn’t had that time apart, Harry and I genuinely would never have gotten back together.”
A SURPRISE PREGNANCY…
It was around November when the couple were settling into their renewed lives together that Brook had a vivid dream that would ultimately change their lives forever.
“I had a dream that I was pregnant,” says Brook. “I woke up and thought, ‘That was crazy,’ but I did a pregnancy test… and it was positive!” In disbelief, the couple went on to do several more tests, all of which said the same thing.
“We just couldn’t believe it,” says Brook, adding that the news felt even more surreal given that “two separate psychics also told us we’d have a baby together.”
“I didn’t believe it at the time…but I definitely do now,” adds Harry. “Although I always thought she would be the mother of my children,” he smiles, “I just didn’t know when.”
Just when Brook thought the year couldn’t deliver any other surprises, Harry had one more up his sleeve.
…AND A RING!
On Christmas Day, while holidaying in Aspen, Colorado, Harry proposed.
“I planned it a fair way back – pretty much as soon as we got back from the Maldives,” he reveals.
“I genuinely wasn’t expecting it,” adds Brook. “I thought maybe he’d propose after we had the baby.” Instead, Harry led her out for a walk – blindfolded. “My mascara was running down my face,” Brook laughs. “It was so beautiful. So special. He hid it so well.”
For Brook, the proposal was a moment that perfectly captured how far they’d come. “It’s been such a big year – reconnecting, the pregnancy, everything,” she reflects. “I just wasn’t expecting an engagement as well. But it was perfect.”
WHAT’S NEXT FOR BROOK?
Now living together and preparing to welcome their first child mid-year – the first of what Brook hopes will be a “tribe” – the couple’s focus is firmly on their growing family, and clearly not on MAFS… or Chris Nield.
“I was only on the show for two weeks, we didn’t even kiss!” Brook laughs, adding that Harry has nil interest about her time on Australia’s biggest reality show. “I haven’t even watched a single episode,” admits Harry. “I don’t think it’s very real to be honest.”
“We also don’t have time for the drama, we have bigger fish to fry,” adds Brook.
“We’ve got a whole life ahead of us now. We’re engaged, we’ve got a bubba on the way. We’ve got everything we’ve always wanted!”
You can watch MAFS on Nine or 9Now.
To see all of the amazing pics from our exclusive shoot, pick up a copy of Woman’s Day magazine. On stands Monday.
