She won hearts everywhere when she was a contestant on reality show The Biggest Loser and shed a whopping 30 kilos but now Fiona Falkiner is going public with another personal struggle – her quest for love.
The 33-year-old TV host and model has decided that 2016 is her year to find Mr Right and yesterday it was revealed the blonde beauty has signed on as the ambassador of dating website eHarmony to help her match with potential suitors.
“I want to meet someone who’s on the same page as me about what he wants in life and in a relationship,” Fiona says of her online search. “I’ve just not had any luck with my current approach to dating. So it’s time to try something different.”
While chatting to The Weekly yesterday the Sydney-based beauty said she’s not interested in wasting her time on being fixed up by friends or meeting guys in bars because none of that has proved fruitful. She even humorously recalled a recent horror date that confirmed she was over the conventional dating formula.
“I met this guy and we were supposed to take a romantic drive up the Northern Beaches and have lunch but didn’t turn out that way,” Fiona tells The Weekly. “He picked me up and on the drive there he was saying some weird stuff- he even asked me if I was fertile! I just wanted to get out of the car then and there.”
“I learned a lesson though that on any new date you should always have an exit strategy where you can leave if you are feeling uncomfortable.”
So did she tell him it was a bad date?
“Oh yeah!” she giggles. “I mean he was a total d**k and at toward end of the day I told him, ‘Can you please take me back to the city and by the way this is the worst date I’ve ever been on.’”
Since making her TV debut on TBL a decade ago Fiona’s career has evolved from contestant to model to TV host – she also recently showed off her fit bod on the cover of lad’s mag Maxim – but she explains that with all the good that comes from having her dream career she has to be more cautious with her private life.
“Basically I haven’t been on the dating scene that much of late but the couple of times that I have been out I think it [my public profile] has impacted because now I have to question whether guys are wanting to take me out because I’m on TV or because they really like me and want to get to know me as a person… It’s interesting because I have to put a bit more thought into assessing their motives for wanting to date me.”
Fi admits it’s been a long time since she has had a serious relationship but nowadays she’s more confident than ever and says her dating game has evolved a lot since starting her journey to good health and wellness all those years ago.
“I didn’t really love myself so I don’t think I was ever ready to meet the right person,” Fiona confesses. “Back in the day I didn’t really respect or value myself and I think my dating life was reflective of that.”
“In my teens and early 20s my love life was pretty much non-existent but I think it’s a process of learning to love and respect and value yourself and once you get happy independently then surely you are more likely to find a more fulfilling relationship … No one can really love you until you love yourself.”
The curvy beauty often shows off her fit figure in a bid to inspire other women to embrace their bodies.
Refreshingly, Fi says that looks aren’t so important in her search to find the right guy but there are some deal breakers she won’t compromise on.
“If a guy isn’t into having a family it won’t work because that is something that is one hundred per cent on the cards for me in the future,” Fi says. “I’m in no hurry for that to occur but it’s for sure something I want in the long run.”
And for someone who now uses a lot of her social media profile encourage others to be their best selves the ambitious glamazon isn’t about to settle for a lazy guy.
“If I find somebody who is not that ambitious then it’s kind of a bit of a turn off – I don’t care what they do, they could be a plumber but as long as they want to be the best at what they do and are excited about work then that’s awesome.”
After years trying to get her health under control Fiona Falkiner is shifting some focus to her love life.
If there is one thing that can be gathered when talking to Fi it’s that unlike the plethora of reality TV personalities that have come and gone from our screens she is utterly unaffected. Her level-headed search for love seems genuine and when she talks you wonder why she hasn’t already been snapped up?
“I work a lot,” she offers, “But I still think I can have fun!”
On that note we suggest a game; Kiss, marry and shoot choosing Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum and Chris Hemsworth.
In playful style Fiona lets out a big laugh but begins to carefully considering her options.
“Now I want to be clear, I don’t wanna shoot any of them and they’re all taken but okay, it’s just a game I guess,” she says like a good sport.
After some umming and ahhing – it’s a very tough question y’know – Fi’s ready to give her verdict.
“I mean the Notebook is an all-time fave – it just makes you want to ride off into the sunset and canoe down a lake with swans but there is some pretty stiff competition here so I’m going to say I’d shoot Ryan Gosling,” – you can hear her wince over the phone – “damn, sorry Ryan, oh wait, oh no – this game is so hard!”
Some more moments of audible thinking and she finally settles on shooting Ryan but then who to marry?
“Well, I know Chris [Hemsworth], we did Dancing with the Stars together and while I know he’s happily married this is just a game so I’d marry him because he’s a great bloke, a top Aussie guy. So I’d marry him and Channing I would totally snog because he is so sexy!”
Through a rush of girly giggles she admits to getting goosebumps any time she sees him dance.
“Even when he’s dancing Beyoncé style I just think, ‘You’re hot!’”
So maybe a man who has twinkle toes would be a good match for Fiona?
“Well possibly but I am officially Australia’s worst dancer so they better not want dancing in return!”
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