‘You really go from complete obscurity literally overnight’: Sam Wood issues dire warning for reality stars not to ‘drown’ in their newfound fame
Sam Wood has warned reality stars not to ‘drown’ in their newfound fame.
The former Bachelor star issued the advice on an episode of Ticker on Saturday, in a discussion about mental health and reality television.
The 38-year-old says he was spared the worst of the inevitable backlash from fans as they could see he was there for the ‘right reasons’ when he picked now-wife Snezana Wood (née Markoski) on the Bachelor in 2015.
Open: Sam Wood (pictured) has warned reality stars not to ‘drown’ in their newfound fame. The former Bachelor star issued the advice on an episode of Ticker on Saturday, in a discussion about mental health and reality television
He explained: ‘I can absolutely see how some people would struggle. I think I was really fortunate, I met Snez and now we have three beautiful kids and it was such a wonderful story that I think people really liked following along with that story.
‘So I didn’t really get a whole heap of backlash. And I think people could tell I was there for the right reason. The response to that has been really positive.’
He added that not everyone has the same experience, revealing: ‘But it’s a pressure cooker. You really go from complete obscurity to being on every bus, billboard, TV ad, literally overnight. And that’s a lot to handle.
He said: ‘It’s a pressure cooker. You really go from complete obscurity to being on every bus, billboard, TV ad, literally overnight. And that’s a lot to handle’
‘You’ve got paparazzi waiting outside your work, waiting outside your house. It’s a rollercoaster.’
He offered some sound advice: ‘The best advice was really be yourself, and it sounds cheesy but it works. I found myself not wanting to go to all these events and just wanting to spend as much time with my friends and family and Snez and the kids.
‘And if you do that, and if you don’t get caught up in the circus, it tends to help your mental health.
Saved: The 38-year-old says he was spared the worst of the inevitable backlash from fans as they could see he was there for the ‘right reasons’ when he picked now-wife Snezana Wood (née Markoski) on the Bachelor in 2015. Pictured together
‘There’s not rumours and things floating around. I think some people want it, and then when they get it, it’s a bit more than they probably wanted and they drown a little bit,’ he concluded.
Snezana and Sam exchanged vows against the stunning backdrop of rolling hills and ocean views at the award-winning Fig Tree Restaurant in Byron Bay in 2018.
Their daughter Willow, who was just one at the time, played a pivotal role during her parents nuptials, acting as a flower girl.
Family: Sam and Snezana tied the knot in Byron Bay late 2018. The couple share eight-month-old Charlie, Willow, two, and 14-year-old Eve – Snezana’s daughter from a previous marriage (all pictured)
Snezana’s daughter from a previous marriage, Eve, 14, had also been in attendance as a bridesmaid.
The couple have since welcomed their second daughter, Charlie Lane, in July last year.
Sam and Snezana fell in love on the third season of The Bachelor in 2015 and were engaged by the end of that year.
Growing family: Sam and Snezana welcomed their second daughter, Charlie Lane Wood, in July last year