MILLARVILLE, Alta. 鈥� Bjorn Bonjean didn鈥檛 have trouble dating in southern Alberta, he just hadn鈥檛 found the right woman when producers of a reality television show in Belgium came calling.
The 28-year-old winemaker is one of five farmers from around the globe vying for the hearts of Belgian women in the show that echoes the long-running North American series The Bachelor and its spinoffs.
Boer Zoekt Vrouw, which translates to Farmer Wants a Wife, has been on the air for about 10 seasons but its latest series stars bachelors in other countries who are originally from Belgium. Besides Bjorn from sa国际传媒, there鈥檚 Jitse, who runs a therapeutic care farm in Norway; Jeroen, a dairy farmer in Germany; Manu, an olive farmer in South Africa; and Jan, a cowboy in Australia.
鈥淭hey roll up their sleeves, have a passion for their business, but they lack that nice Flemish woman,鈥� says the show鈥檚 website.
Filmed this year, the show just started airing last week on the VTM network. Bonjean says he鈥檚 sworn to secrecy on the outcome set for November.
鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you if it ends with a proposal or not,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not like The Bachelor. 鈥� The entire idea is to give the opportunity of something happening. But there鈥檚 no expectation of a proposal or even a relationship after it.鈥�
But Bonjean did reveal that he鈥檚 happy.
鈥淚鈥檓 happy with the choice that I鈥檝e made.鈥�
Bonjean was seven when his family moved to sa国际传媒 from Grobbendonk in northern Belgium. They now run Spirit Hills honey winery near Millarville, southwest of Calgary. Bonjean is head winemaker, using honey from the farm鈥檚 own beehives to create various wines and sangria.
The show鈥檚 producers originally wanted both Bonjean and his sister to be part of the season, as bachelorettes have been featured in some versions of the show. But she was dating someone and didn鈥檛 speak Flemish or Dutch as well as her brother, said Bonjean.
He was also dating someone at the time and turned down the offer. Months later, after a breakup, he agreed to join the show.
Bonjean said it鈥檚 nothing like The Bachelor. There are no rose ceremonies. And there鈥檚 little drama.
After seeing profiles of the five farmers, 1,500 women sent the show photos and letters. About 150 wanted to meet Bonjean.
In the first episode, the bachelors travel to Belgium and, after putting on black eye masks, are lead into a horse riding arena and onto a stage of hay bales before a crowd of screaming women.
They each meet 10 women in a speed-dating round and, after choosing five, go on an afternoon group date. They then select three to bring back to their home countries.
Bonjean said it was awkward at first talking with potential partners while cameras were rolling, but he got used to it. He also used his trip to Belgium to visit with his grandmother and meet with wine importers, who agreed to market Spirit Hills in the country.
鈥淲e chose Bjorn Bonjean as he鈥檚 good looking, in a good age category, and he runs a lovely, organic farm on a magical place on Earth,鈥� the show鈥檚 story editor, Katrien Geens, said in an email.
She also refused to hint at whether he finds love.
鈥淗ow it ends, remains a secret, until aired.鈥�
