Claire Saunders has revealed the reason why she and her partner Andrew Coleman suddenly called off their wedding.
The Farmer Looking for a Wife couple left fans shocked when they confirmed they had called time on their romance in July and would not be getting married in September.
Now Claire has shed light on their unexpected split and revealed they decided to go their separate ways after their relationship became strained.
The reality TV star explained that they both came under pressure when Andrew’s father became seriously ill, prompting Claire to cancel the wedding.
“I canceled the wedding in July, you can’t let someone marry you,” she said WHO.
‘He wanted some space so I went to Darwin for the dry season and then the wheels really fell off. We have no contact at all now, it was a terrible time.’
She shared her devastation over their divorce, admitting that the breakup wasn’t easy because she still “really loves Andrew.”
Many of their wedding guests still made the trip to Sydney despite the cancellation as they were unable to reimburse the flights, while Claire remained at her family home in Tasmania.
Claire Saunders has revealed the reason why she and her partner Andrew Coleman suddenly called off their wedding in July
‘[The guests] they all met at the airport. It was weird,” Claire said of her friends who still made the trip.
“I was home with the bridesmaid dresses and cowboy boots we bought, and then the wedding topper came in the mail.”
Claire and Andrew met during the 13th series of FWAW and confirmed their engagement in March this year, but canceled their wedding just months later.
Andrew broke his silence on their split and recently said he was ‘proud’ of them both, despite their relationship not working out.
“It was exciting and humbling, it reminded me how important love and connection are,” he said of his time on the Channel 7 reality TV show.
‘In the middle of all this, a special woman captured my heart, and we decided to give it a try.
‘We moved in together and dreamed of a future in which our love would grow next to the farm. It was fast, passionate and fun.”
Claire revealed they decided to go their separate ways after their relationship came under strain when Andrew’s father fell ill while she was sharing her heartbreak.
He continued, “But life had other plans. Despite all the love and effort we both have given, sometimes things just don’t work out.
“Living together brought its own challenges, and we realized that our paths were not meant to remain intertwined.
‘It’s sad that the relationship has ended, but I stand tall knowing that we gave it our all. While it didn’t get us where we hoped, it did help us grow.
“It’s been a huge expenditure of heart and soul. And while it is painful to walk away, we both came out stronger, wiser, better, more in tune with what really matters.”
“As I move forward, I choose to celebrate the love we shared, the lessons learned, and the strength gained. No regrets, just gratitude.”
The fan-favorite couple found love in the 2023 series when they left the show early to pursue a relationship together on Andrew’s farm in Narromine, NSW.