Claire Saunders has revealed the reason why she and her partner Andrew Coleman suddenly called off their wedding.
The Farmer Wants A Wife couple left fans shocked when they confirmed they had ended their romance in July and wouldn’t be marrying in September.
Now Claire has shed light on their unexpected break-up, and revealed they decided to go their separate ways after their relationship came under strain.
The reality TV star explained they were both put under stress when Andrew’s father became seriously ill.
‘I cancelled the wedding in July, you can’t make someone marry you,’ she told Who.
‘He wanted some space so I went to Darwin for the dry season and the wheels really fell off after that. We’re not in contact now at all, it’s been a terrible time.’
She shared her devastation over their separation and admitted the break-up hasn’t been easy because she still ‘really loves’ Andrew.
Many of their wedding guests still made the trip to Sydney despite the cancellation because they couldn’t refund the flights, while Claire remained at her family home in Tasmania.
‘[The guests] all bumped into each other at the airport. It was weird,’ Claire said of her friends still making the journey.
‘I was at home with the bridesmaids’ dresses and the cowboy boots we’d bought and then the wedding topper turned up in the post.’
Claire and Andrew met on the 13th series of FWAW and confirmed their engagement in March of this year, but called off their wedding just months later.
Breaking his silence on their split, Andrew recently said he was ‘proud’ of them both despite their relationship not working out.
‘It was exciting and humbling, reminding me of how important love and connection are’ he said of his time on the Channel 7 reality TV show.
‘Amidst it all, one extraordinary woman captured my heart, and we decided to give it a shot.
‘We moved in together, dreaming of a future where our love would grown alongside the farm. It was fast-paced, passionate and fun.’
He continued: ‘But life had other plans. Despite all the love and effort we both gave, sometimes things just don’t work out.
‘Living together brought its own challenges, and we realised our paths weren’t meant to stay intertwined.
‘It’s sad the relationship ended, but I stand tall knowing we gave it our all. Though it didn’t lead us where we hoped, it helped us grow.
‘Its been a huge outlay of heart and soul. And while it’s painful to walk away, we’ve both emerged stronger, wiser, and more attuned to what really matters.’
‘As I move forward, I’m choosing to celebrate the love we shared, the lessons learned, and the strength gained. No regrets, just gratitude.’
The fan-favourite couple found love on the 2023 series when they famously left the show early to pursue a relationship together on Andrew’s farm in Narromine, NSW.