Fox Orders ‘Farmer Wants A Wife’ Reality Dating Series Based on International Format
Fox has given a series order to “Farmer Wants a Wife,” a dating series based on an unscripted format developed by Fremantle. The series will follow farmers across the nation looking for love with someone who will embrace their remote country lifestyle. They will be matched with single women who’ve given up on dating in big cities and are looking for a true connection with a farmer.
The news came ahead of the network’s presentation at the Television Critics Association’s virtual summer 2022 press tour.
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The original “Farmer Wants a Wife” debuted in 20018 on the U.K.’s ITV, though different versions have aired in 32 countries including Australia, France and even the U.S. for a short run on the CW in 2008.
“This is a very different format in that the contestants put themselves forward to be with these individuals. It’s tailored for for each farmer, and we know that the women are interested in them specifically,” Fox Alternative Entertainment president Rob Wade said in an interview with Variety. Some previous versions of the show have had open casting calls, where women could apply online to be matched with certain farmers.
“But what I love about it most is that it’s been around for a while — it’s got a phenomenal track record internationally,” Wade continued. Fox calls the format “the world’s most successful dating show,” as it has resulted in 180 marriages.
Wade also finds the series to be a timely addition to Fox’s unscripted slate in response to a current boom of nostalgia in pop culture.
“At the moment, people are drawn to nostalgic things. The homestead farm is at the very fabric of America, and I think it’s under threat,” Wade says. “These farmers need to find girlfriends or wives, and at this point, some of them are living 400 or 500 miles away from their nearest Tinder match. People have moved to the cities, and that’s obviously left the countryside in a precarious place in terms of jobs and so on.”
Wade says the network also values the format’s potential for spinoffs, such as bringing in male contestants to date female farmers, or centering a show around an occupation other than farming.
Eureka Productions, which is backed by Fremantle, serves as the studio, with executive producers including Paul Franklin, Chris Culvenor, Eden Gaha and David Tibballs.
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