Gabrielle Bartlett quickly became a fan favourite on the latest season of Married At First Sight.
From the moment she first walked down the aisle to meet her reality TV husband, 50, Nasser Sultan, fans have loved the 44-year-old single mum’s gentle, fun-loving nature.
She showed exceptional courage when she revealed her alopecia hair loss to not just her new hubby on their honeymoon, but to millions of TV viewers around the world.
But Gab is no stranger to strength; she lost her first patch of hair when she was just five-years-old, then another at 11, until finally, all her hair had fallen out.
If Gab ever met another teenager who was going through the same thing, the first thing she would do is hug them.
“I’d, first of all, hug them….because it really sucks,” Gabrielle told Now to Love.
“I would tell them about the options they have to manage it – all in an effort to help them live in the most normal way possible.”
“It may be that they decide to not wear a wig and to just go with the flow, or to wear a scarf, to wear a wig sometimes, or all the time.”
“Whatever the preference, I’d be wanting to tell that teenager that they should keep their eyes up and look forward and that this experience will strengthen them and reward them in the future.”
Gab’s reward has been being surrounded by fabulous family and friends who supported her when she lost her hair a second time.
“When I lost my hair for the second time in my life – it was about 5 years ago. It was really difficult to make the decision and step out into the world for the first time wearing a wig – really hard,” she revealed exclusively to Now to Love.
“Thankfully I have a gorgeous family and set of friends and workmates who embraced me with it and helped me get used to ‘the new ‘do’.”
The first time she had to Gabrielle had to tell someone about her condition was four years ago, when she found herself single and re-joining the dating world.
So did announcing that she wears a wig on national television make her more confident to go ‘wig-free’ in front of future partners?
“I’m not aiming or hoping to get to a point where I’ll be confident enough to show my man what I look like without my wig – that’s not on my radar or agenda at all,” she said.
“Certainly on the subject of Alopecia it has perhaps opened up conversations for others dealing, with it – and for that, I’m very happy and proud to have perhaps broken the ice for some, or created an environment where these conversations can happen more easily. It’s been a blessing to be able to do so really.”
You can’t help but notice that Gab’s wig is FANTASTIC! It stays on like a dream, and it suits her beautiful face perfectly.
How does she keep her wig on?
“I use double sided tape underneath my wig, so it stays on securely, and I never worry or even think about it during my day,” Gab reveals to Now to Love.
“I can literally stand in a gale force wind and not worry. And that’s the aim – to really not have to think about it or have any focus on it.”
Would she ever be open to a colour or style change?
“I’d be open to a subtle change occasionally I guess,” she muses.
“I chose that colour and style to replicate my hair before it fell out and I like to leave it at that.”
“To radically or frequently change my style or look would put the focus back on the Alopecia and that’s not something I ever really want to do.”
“I just don’t like to be defined by my alopecia – it’s part of my story and who I am, but there’s more to me than this condition,” Gab concluded.
Anyone who has seen her personality unfold on MAFS will know that’s more than true.
We’re hoping it’s true love for Gab and Nass, but it’s not looking promising right now, especially after he apparently shamed her for her alopecia.
Out fingers are crossed that Gab gets a happy ending, one way or another.
