It’s not uncommon for reality TV stars to… freshen up… their look after filming wraps up. Call it the influence of makeup artists, non-stop freebies or generally just being in the spotlight 24/7. (See: Nick Cummins’ beard post-SAS: Australia and virtually every contestant to ever appear on Married At First Sight.)
WATCH: Chelsie McLeod admits she went on the wrong Bachelor season
Matt Agnew is another example.
Following his stint as The Bachelor in 2019 and subsequent break-up with the show’s winner Chelsie McLeod, he retreated from the public eye. Now, he’s resurfaced (well, sorta) and has ditched his signature geek-chic glasses and short hair in favour of a far scruffier vibe.
The pic, sourced by News Corp, was taken at the opening of a play in Melbourne over the weekend and shows him sporting full facial hair and long, shaggy locks. (You can check it out here.)
Fans first noticed Matt was looking a little different after the astrophysicist shared a post on social media for R U OK? Day.
“Geez you have changed,” one wrote.
“You don’t look the same,” added another.
The 31-year-old has been open about his struggles with his mental health in the past and recently admitted to the Herald Sun that he wasn’t in “great shape” after leaving the Bachelor mansion.
“It was very intentional,” he said of his decision to step back from the limelight.
“It was an element of normality I was seeking, but the big thing for me was I was just putting myself back together.”
“I did not come out of both the show and the relationship in great shape and I needed time with my close friends and family to pick myself up and put myself back together, really.”
Despite not finding his happily ever after with Chelsie, he told the publication he had no regrets about his time on the show.
“It changed my life, yes, to a degree it has,” he said.
“I certainly don’t regret it, it did not work out for me, but it has worked out for a lot of people in the past.”
Just last week, a friend of Matt’s ex appeared on the So Dramatic! podcast and implied that the scientist hadn’t treated her well during their fleeting romance.
“[Matt] was a real prick to her and yelled at her, and he was mean to her,” they said in conversation with host Megan Pustetto.
After speculation began swirling, Matt confirmed the couple had parted ways on Instagram back in November 2019.
“These past six months since filming finished have been a very unique experience,” he wrote.
“Chels and I have made some beautiful memories together that I’ll always cherish, and I wish her nothing but the absolute best. However, it’s with a heavy heart that I write this. For Chels and me, our relationship hasn’t translated from filming to the real, everyday world as we had hoped.”
“Chels is a very special woman and I want her to find the happiness she deserves.”
“For the who may wonder if there’s someone else for me right now, there absolutely is not. It’s no one’s fault, it’s just life.”
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