Sam Frost has struggled with life in the limelight over the years after soaring to fame as the bubbly blonde who won – and quickly lost – Blake Garvey’s heart on The Bachelor in 2014.
The 32-year-old Home and Away actress was left shattered after he proposed to her in front of the nation, only to dump her shortly afterwards and date second runner-up Louise Pillidge instead.
But that was just the beginning of Sam’s heartache.
Over the years the reality star’s name has shot to headlines – often for the wrong reasons – many of which have taken a toll on her mental health.
The price of fame: Here, we look at a timeline of Sam Frost’s struggle with fame – from four public break-ups, to an ex’s cocaine scandal and her controversial views on the Covid-19 vaccine that went viral
Here, we look at a timeline of Sam Frost’s struggle with fame – from four public break-ups, to an ex’s cocaine scandal and her controversial views on the Covid-19 vaccine that went viral.
2014: Sam Frost appears on The Bachelor
At just 25 years old, Sam Frost was crowned the winner of The Bachelorette in 2014 – with auctioneer Blake Garvey even getting down on one knee to propose to her during the final episode.
Champion: At just 25 years old, Sam Frost was crowned the winner of The Bachelorette in 2014 – with auctioneer Blake Garvey even getting down on one knee to propose to her during the bombshell final episode
However, the elated bride-to-be was soon left in the lurch after her fiancé decided to drop her in favour of starting up a relationship with second runner-up Louise Pillidge.
Even a year later in 2015 Sam was still devastated over what happened, as she told Famous magazine: ‘I still feel quite numb about him – and the whole situation.
‘I really lost myself for two or three months after Blake – I completely shut the world out – and at times I didn’t even recognise myself.’
Heartache: However, the elated bride-to-be was soon left in the lurch after her fiancé decided to drop her in favour of staring up a relationship with second runner-up Louise Pillidge shortly after
In October 2014 – the same month that the season finale aired – Sam revealed she had lost ’10kg’ she claims to have put on while appearing on the series.
She told Daily Mail Australia at the time: ‘I was 52kg going into the house and I think I’ve lost all the weight that I gained now.’
She added that she had been the victim of faceless fat shaming comments left on the show’s website by viewers.
Back for more: In 2015, Sam Frost was announced as Australia’s first Bachelorette following her bitter split from Garvey
‘It was brutal,’ she said.
‘People were like “Sam’s gotten fat!” and it’s like, I already know – you don’t have to tell me.’
In 2015, Sam Frost was announced as Australia’s first Bachelorette following her bitter split from Garvey. She went on to find love with Sasha Mielczarek, after choosing him as her winner on the series.
2015: Sam is hired as Sydney’s 2Day FM with Rove McManus
New project: Following her successful stint on The Bachelorette, Sam was hired as a radio host alongside Rove McManus on 2Day FM’s breakfast show in November 2015. However, the show was moved to a later slot due to low ratings, and the show was eventually axed in June 2017
Following her successful stint on The Bachelorette, Sam was hired as a radio host alongside Rove McManus on 2Day FM’s breakfast show in November 2015.
At the time, Sam was elated with the gig as she exclaimed: ‘I’m so excited to be joining Rove on 2DayFM.
‘He already makes me laugh so much, and is probably the only man, other than Sash, that I’m willing to get out of bed at 4am for.’
However, the show wasn’t received as well as hoped – and after poor ratings, the pair were moved to a nightly show in January 2017 from 7pm-8pm across the network.
Sadly, in June 2017, the show was cancelled completely by the Southern Cross Austereo network after just six months.
In an interview with Nova 100 in January 2018, Sam revealed her departure from the Hit Network was a ‘ruthless’ experience.
She told Chrissy, Sam and Browny she only found out she’d lost her job by reading about it online.
‘I found out my show was axed via News.com,’ Sam claimed.
‘I was like, “Nah, it’s just some rumours”. And then I was like, “Oh, it’s a statement from my boss”.
Negativity: In June 2016, Sam had revealed that she had been having suicidal thoughts after bullying from cruel online trolls about her radio show, and had been undergoing therapy. She said she leaned on her boyfriend Sasha Mielczarek (pictured) for support
‘Looks like I can’t afford my mortgage. Bloody hell,’ she added.
In July 2016, Sam had revealed that she had been having suicidal thoughts after bullying from cruel online trolls about her radio show, and had been undergoing therapy.
‘It got to a point where I wouldn’t want to leave my house. I was in a really, really dark place,’ Sam said.
‘I shut my friends out, I shut my family out and I would go home from work and stay in that dark, horrible place. My relationship was also struggling because I shut Sash out.
‘It wasn’t until Sash (boyfriend Sasha) said to me after three or four months: “Sam I don’t know what to do anymore because all you do is cry and you’re not talking to me”.
‘And I said to him I don’t want to be here anymore. I don’t want to wake up every day anymore.’
2016: Sam splits with Sasha Mielczarek
Split: Sam faced more public devastation after she and Sasha – who famously met on the set of The Bachelorette in 2015 – confirmed their split at the end of December 2016 with an official statement from IMG talent manager Georgina Harrop
Sam faced more public devastation after she and Sasha – who famously met on the set of The Bachelorette in 2015 – confirmed their split in December 2016 with an official statement from IMG talent manager Georgina Harrop.
‘After 18 months together, Sam Frost and Sasha Mielczarek have come to a mutual decision to end their relationship,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It is important to stress that there is no bitterness or scandal, they have just come to the realisation that the best way forward is to separate.
‘They wholeheartedly respect and cherish the friendship they have for one another which will continue moving forward.
‘They wish to thank everyone for their love and support over the past 18 months.’
2017: Sam is criticised for joining Home and Away
New project: Following a brief stint on Hell’s Kitchen, Sam was eventually cast on Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney – a role she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into
Following a brief stint on Hell’s Kitchen, Sam was eventually cast on Home and Away as Jasmine Delaney- a role she couldn’t wait to sink her teeth into.
But the casting choice by Channel Seven was met with much scrutiny, with many branding it ‘stunt casting’ because she had no prior acting experience before getting the role.
Acting coach Brendan Glanville, who trained Summer Bay alumnus Charles Cottier, told the Courier-Mail in July 2017 the long-running soap had ‘jumped the shark’.
Brendan, the artistic director of Australian Acting Academy, said: ‘It demonstrates that Home and Away has lost faith in its writers if directors are resorting to this kind of stunt, rather than using their story lines to pull viewers.’
While admitting Sam may have a ‘natural ability’, he concluded: ‘This is what’s known as “jumping the shark”, in other words attempting to create publicity for something that is perceived as not warranting the attention, especially something that is believed to be past its peak.’
Paul O’Brien, who played Jack Holden on Home And Away from 2005 to 2008 and is now an acting coach, was less critical but agreed Sam got the role ‘because she’s a personality’ and not necessarily because of her acting talent.
‘By being a personality it means people know your brand, they know your product, and they know where you fit,’ Paul said in Facebook video on Wednesday, explaining his ex-girlfriend’s appeal to TV producers.
Downside: But the casting choice by Channel Seven was met with much scrutiny, with many branding it ‘stunt casting’ because she had no prior acting experience before getting the role
He continued: ‘If people haven’t trained as an actor they tend to bring themselves, they don’t know how to do anything else – which looks so much better in auditions. (It’s) a lot better than trained actors who are trying to be someone else or are trying to be true to the writer in the scene.
‘In her case, she went on a reality show, she bared all, she showed her vulnerability and there are people who can relate to that. They saw what she was going through and she created an audience.’
Meanwhile, Sam’s casting attracted criticism from both acting professionals and fans on social media following the announcement.
An actor wrote on Twitter that the decision to hire an ‘unqualified’ reality TV star was ‘an insult to trained actors’, adding that she had ‘stolen (the role) from those who have attended NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art)’.
After Home And Away promoted the news on its Facebook page, fans were left furious – and some even claimed it marked the beginning of the end for the show.
‘Australia has so many trained actors and Sam Frost is who you come up with!’ wrote an exasperated viewer. Meanwhile, another raged: ‘No! Just no!’
She has since been on the show for three years after her first episode in December 18 2017, and even received a nomination for the Logie Award for Most Popular New Talent in May 2018.
2017: Sam’s new boyfriend Dave Bashford is arrested over cocaine possession
Love: Sam found love once again in 2017, confirming her relationship with Dave Bashford, and the pair maintained a stable relationship for years
Sam found love once again in 2017, confirming her relationship with her close friend Dave Bashford. The pair maintained a stable relationship for years.
However, Dave’s name hit headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2019, after he was caught by police with a small amount of cocaine on him at a bar in Bondi.
According to court documents, Dave was seen acting suspiciously when uniformed police and a drug detection dog walked onto the premises at the Beach Road Hotel on May 4.
Dave pleaded guilty to the charge at Waverley Local Court in Sydney on June 4 and on June 25 faced Magistrate Michael Compton after writing a letter expressing his ‘remorse and insight’ at the charges.
The court heard how Dave’s ‘actions have impacted himself, but also on his family and particularly his partner’.
Dave’s lawyer said the media attention had inflicted ‘an extra level of humiliation and embarrassment beyond that of a normal offender’.
Magistrate Michael Compton handed Dave a 12 month good behaviour bond and conditional release.
Shock arrest: Dave’s name hit headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2019, after he was caught by police with a small amount of cocaine on him at a bar in Bondi. Pictured in court in June
Sam, was reported to have been struggling with her boyfriend’s arrest.
A source told Woman’s Day in June: ’She’s been struggling with the whole situation.
‘It’s been a complete blow to her… Sam is extremely private and protective of Dave and their relationship, and something like this happening just puts such a strain on them.’
Sam later expressed her regret that everything had become so widely spoken about because she was in the public eye.
Referring to the intense public scrutiny Dave had come under, Sam said in July 2019: ‘I just love him so much and I think, fair enough if it was me, but it wasn’t me and I had nothing to do with it.
‘But it was something that happened and now it’s public because of me. He’s human, he made a mistake and he’s extremely remorseful and I think it’s unfair that it’s had to play out in the media because he doesn’t deserve it,’ she said.
2020: Sam and Dave Bashford split
Over: On July 2, a representative for the actress released a statement confirming she and Dave had ended their relationship after three years together
On July 2 2020, a representative for the actress released a statement confirming she and Dave had ended their relationship after three years together.
‘Sam and Dave are no longer in a relationship. They remain great mates,’ the statement read.
Sam had hinted at a split several days earlier, when she shared footage to TikTok of herself posing with her dogs and mocking the viral ‘couple challenge’.
Dave was nowhere to be seen, and Sam tellingly included the hashtag #31SingleAndFabulous.
A source had allegedly ‘confirmed’ their split to Woman’s Day in January, saying that Sam had decided to prioritise her career over romance.
Farewell: A source had allegedly ‘confirmed’ their split to Woman’s Day in January, saying that Sam had decided to prioritise her career over romance
‘It all became too much for Sam who was going through a lot,’ the insider said at the time.
‘When things are good, they’re both very happy, but the lows are bad. They argue over trivial things.’
In the same year as her split, Sam and her sister Kristine Ross created Believe By Sam Frost, an organisation that provides support for young girls to help them navigate depression, anxiety, toxic relationships, and social media.
2021: Vaccination stance drama
Controversy: On October 9 2021, San Frost deactivated her Instagram account shortly after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result of other people ‘judging’ her
On October 9 2021, San deactivated her Instagram account shortly after revealing in an emotional video that she was unvaccinated and her mental health had suffered as a result of other people ‘judging’ her.
The actress called for less judgement towards unvaccinated Australians.
‘I was really hesitant about doing a video or even speaking up about this sort of thing, but I feel like it’s getting to a point now in the world where there’s a lot of segregation,’ she said in the video.
‘There’s a lot of harsh judgement and opinions being thrown around a lot and it’s taking its toll on my mental health for sure, and I know people around me are struggling – particularly if they’re on the side of they don’t want to get vaccinated, for whatever reason.
‘There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons.’
Sam then said she hadn’t been vaccinated, but claimed she had spoken to her medical doctor as well as a psychologist about her decision; however, it’s understood she does not have a valid medical exemption.
She added tearfully: ‘It’s a really hard time to be in society right now and you feel like you are less of a human and you feel like people judge you.
‘There are lots of different reasons why people are not getting vaccinated and it might be because of their medical history, their concerns, they might have family history, it could be religious reasons,’ she said in the video
‘And you’re too scared to talk about your opinion or your feelings and part of you wants to go, “Well, it’s none of your damn business why I’m not! And there’s good reasons why I’m not and I don’t want you to judge me”.’
She explained it was important for the unvaccinated to look after their mental health, especially as freedoms return for fully vaccinated Australians.
‘I’m struggling a lot with my mental health and I like to think that I’m pretty on to it. I see a psychologist regularly. So I can’t imagine what it’s like for people who don’t have a support network around them,’ she said.
She also added she could ‘get in trouble’ for coming out publicly as unvaccinated, before urging people to treat each other with more kindness and compassion.
Criticised: Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word ‘segregation’ when referring to the way society ‘judges’ unvaccinated people
Her video caused a great deal of controversy, mainly because of her use of the word ‘segregation’ when referring to the way society ‘judges’ unvaccinated people.
‘Segregation’ is typically used to describe societies that are divided due to race, religion or sexual orientation.
At the time, Channel Seven supported Sam’s decision not to get vaccinated, insisting she followed the network’s COVID safety protocols.
But in a post on Instagram earlier this month, Sam revealed she was being ‘written out temporarily’, returning to Home and Away once she was fully vaccinated.
‘My bosses are amazing, we’ve been in open communication for months. Very grateful we were able to make a plan that works for everyone,’ she wrote.
Her backflip on the COVID vaccine came after Channel Seven announced it would require all staff to be fully vaccinated by January 10.
2021: Sam Frost splits with new boyfriend Jay Bruno
Over: Sam apparently recently split from her new boyfriend, Jay Bruno. In September it was first reported that Bruno (pictured), who hails from Melbourne, had moved into the Home And Away actress’ townhouse in Sydney’s inner west
Ouch: While Sam still follows Jay on Instagram, he does not follow her back
Sam reportedly split from her boyfriend Jay Bruno after sparking up a brief romance this year, it was reported earlier this month.
The actress and the Instant Hotel star were believed to have moved in together during lockdown in Sydney.
But the negative publicity surrounding her stance on the vaccine apparently ‘drove a wedge’ between Sam and her beau, according to Emerald City.
While Sam still follows Jay on Instagram, he does not follow her back.
‘They are still close, Jay just lives in Melbourne and she is still in Sydney for work,’ a spokesperson for Sam told the publication.
However, the representative didn’t elaborate on why Jay doesn’t follow her online.
2021: Worrying weight loss post
Loss: Sam Frost revealed she suffers from ‘anxiety triggered weight loss’ in a candid post on Instagram Stories on Wednesday
Sam revealed she suffers from ‘anxiety triggered weight loss’ in a candid post on Instagram Stories on Wednesday.
She also offered tips on ‘how to regain your appetite’, revealing what works for her.
‘Anything is better than nothing, even if it’s “unhealthy” – McDonald’s Chicken Burgers for me,’ she began.
‘Start small, small nibbles throughout the day. Create an eating schedule. If you’re struggling to eat, try smoothies,’ she continued.
Sam also suggested ‘eating with a friend [as] social environments can help’ before offering further support.
‘Rest and nurture your body. Reduce caffeine. Speak to a psychologist and/or doctor to find the core root of the issue. Be kind and gentle to yourself.’
She added: ‘These are tips from my psych. Remember everyone is different, these may help you. But always speak to your doctor or psychologist for individual health advice.’
Anyone needing support with eating disorders or body image issues is encouraged to contact: Butterfly National Helpline on 1800 33 4673 or Eating Disorders Victoria Helpline on 1300 550 23.
For urgent support call Lifeline 13 11 14
‘Anything is better than nothing, even if it’s “unhealthy” – McDonald’s Chicken Burgers for me,’ she said
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