Seven announce Home And Away’s Alf Stewart will join Farmer Wants A Wife but is it all as it seems?

Channel Seven played the ultimate April fool’s joke on Farmer Wants a Wife fans on Saturday, announcing beloved Home and Away character Alf Stewart was joining the hit dating show.

In an Instagram post on the FWAW account, actor Ray Meagher, 78, poses up as Alf in a blue shirt, beige trousers and a hat as the fake promotional image reads: ‘Farmer Alf’.

‘Say hello to Farmer Alf! All the way from Summer Bay, Alf can’t wait to meet his perfect match,’ the post read.

However, fans were quick to catch on that it is an April fool’s joke and Ray, who has been married for 13 years, will not be joining the cast. 

Many fans said they ‘fell for the joke’ and enjoyed their Saturday morning laugh. 

Love Island’s Cassidy McGill commented: ‘Hahahahahahaha I fell too hard for this’. 

While another said: ‘All these April fools coming in hot and heavy’. 

And a third wrote: ‘I had a bit of a heart attack until I saw the comments! I still have 2.5 hours before April Fools here in the UK!’

Actor Ray Meagher, 78, is known for his portrayal of beloved Home and Away character Alf Stewart. Pictured on set of the soap

Love Island’s Cassidy McGill commented: ‘Hahahahahahaha I fell too hard for this’. Many fans said they ‘fell for the joke’ and enjoyed their Saturday morning laugh

The 2023 season of Farmer Wants a Wife premiers on April 10 on Channel 7 and it will feature five farmers looking for love: Brad, 32, David, 29, Brenton, 26, Matt, 23, and Andrew, 41.

There have been some changes made to the new season, such as Samantha Armytage taking over from Natalie Gruzlewski as the main presenter. 

Samantha had joined the dating show as a ‘guest host’ last year, but her minor role has now been expanded while Natalie is ‘scaling back’ her duties, but will remain as a ‘co-host’. 

Brook Hall, Seven’s director of scheduling, told TV Tonight: ‘They’re both in the show still. [Previously] Nat was front and centre and Sam was advising on dates.

‘But if I’m being honest, they’ve kind of slightly flipped. Nat has ‘Nat’s Getaway’ so she’ll be co-host, she’ll be opening the start. It’s more blended, with one front and one appearing. 

‘But yes, Samantha Armytage is taking more centre stage.’ 

There have been some changes made to the new season, such as Samantha Armytage (pictured) taking over from Natalie Gruzlewski as the main presenter

Samantha joined the show last year to assist Natalie with the matchmaking process, but it now seems she was just being groomed for the top job.

Her initial guest role involved hosting a segment called ‘Sam’s Choice’, in which she introduced the farmers to a ‘new lady based on her own expertise and experience’.

Natalie hosted Farmer Wants a Wife for its first eight seasons on Nine before she was replaced by Sam McClymont in 2015.

However, she returned as presenter in 2020 when the franchise moved to Seven.

Natalie Gruzlewski (pictured) hosted Farmer Wants a Wife for its first eight seasons on Nine before she was replaced by Sam McClymont in 2015