For viewers watching the Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 reunion special, business manager Poppy Victoria and Queensland dairy farmer Jason Tessmann presented a united front.
Standing side-by-side in front of host Nat Gruzlewski, the 31-year-old beauty appeared fully committed to her 37-year-old farmer.
However, beneath the glossy exterior, the romance was already fracturing.
In an exclusive interview with New Idea, Poppy has come forward to tell her side of the story—explaining why she made the difficult decision to end things over the phone, addressing the controversy surrounding her stance on children, and setting the record straight about her feelings for Jason’s family.
“It Was As Simple As A Phone Call”: Why Poppy Pulled The Plug
While Jason claims the relationship evaporated mere days after the January reunion shoot, Poppy maintains a very different perspective on their post-show timeline—insisting that she gave the relationship every possible chance to work before calling it quits.
Explaining how her romantic feelings gradually diminished once they stepped outside the controlled environment of production, Poppy confessed:
“It was just differences in – I didn’t feel that attraction as much as I thought I might have or hoped, I think.
I didn’t want to string anybody along.
I spent time getting to know him through the show and afterwards, and I just felt he wasn’t sort of my kind of person I could see long-term, despite giving it lots of time and lots of chances.”
Rather than dragging out an unfulfilling dynamic or staying together for media clout, Poppy decided that honesty was the only respectful path forward:
“It was as simple as a phone call.
I called him, and I just spoke openly to him that I wasn’t feeling the way that I wanted to feel by that time, by those few months after getting to know him, and I didn’t think it would be fair to continue when I just wasn’t feeling that way.”
Summer Days & Meeting Jason’s Children
Addressing claims that she walked away without considering Jason’s family, Poppy looks back on her time with his children with genuine warmth.
Following the end of filming in late 2025, Poppy hosted Jason and his kids over the summer holidays, creating fond memories together away from television cameras.
Reflecting on their real-world quality time, Poppy shared:
“Not long after filming, he came my way and spent some time over summer, swimming and meeting the kids and getting to know them and just really enjoying that time together.
We spent a lot of time together. It was lucky we could both take that time to get to know each other in real life.”
Although the romantic spark ultimately fizzled out for her, Poppy insists that her time with Jason’s children was spent with complete sincerity and that she holds nothing but fond memories of their summer together.
Proud To Represent Childfree Women On National TV
One of the most talked-about storylines of Farmer Wants A Wife 2026 was Poppy’s firm decision not to have children of her own—a stance that sparked endless debate online given Jason’s desire for a large family.
While viewers assumed their opposing family goals caused the split, Poppy echoes Jason’s sentiment that children were never the breaking point.
More importantly, she expresses immense pride in standing her ground on national television, offering representation for women who choose a childfree life.
“I was really proud to represent that because it’s more so going that way now with people not wanting children.
Just because you don’t want children, it doesn’t necessarily mean you dislike children, or you aren’t worthy of love or finding somebody, so I was really glad I could go on there, and I stood by what I said the entire time.”
No Regrets & A Permanent Exit From Reality TV
Since making the final phone call to end their relationship, Poppy reveals that her contact with Jason has been minimal—exchanging only a text or two when the season began airing and when the final decisions were broadcast to Australia.
Unlike Jason, who hasn’t ruled out returning to reality television in the future, Poppy firmly states that her time in the spotlight is officially over.
However, she walks away from the Farmer Wants A Wife experience with her head held high and nothing but respect for the Queensland farmer:
“I have really fond memories of being on the show.
I’m so grateful for the experience.
I’m also so grateful that I shared that experience with Jason.
I think he is a beautiful man, and I was just really glad to have been able to do that experience with him…
I wouldn’t want to change anything, even though it didn’t work out.”