Too Hot to Handle’s Harry Jowsey on his new reality show Let’s Marry Harry

Reality star Harry Jowsey has flirted, broken hearts and lied on TV. But now the 28-year-old Australian says he is ready to find his soulmate – and he is nervous. Last month, applications opened on a website for his new Netflix reality show, Let’s Marry Harry, with thousands of people signing up for the chance to be the former Too Hot to Handle star’s bride. On the day the show was announced, Jowsey marvelled that women posted TikTok videos about how they had just applied to be on his show. “I didn’t think anyone would click on it, because it’s a vulnerable thing to do to apply for a dating show, especially one where we’re getting married,” Jowsey said, laughing. “It’s like ‘Oh, people like me!’” Netflix is counting on it. Reality TV is a key part of the streaming platform’s programming strategy, which aims to take the place of traditional TV with a wide variety of programming for virtually every demographic. Dating shows, cooking competitions and live reunion specials are comfort food that help supplement the streamer’s large library of movies, scripted dramas such as Squid Game, kids shows such as Sesame Street, and, increasingly, live events and sports. By taking breakout stars from its reality shows and casting them in a variety of programmes and roles that promote the streaming service, Netflix helps boost their clout, and vice versa. “Netflix has created its own subculture with their audience,” says Tom Nunan, a former studio and network executive. “If that means having some of your favourite reality talent move over to some of their other reality shows, so much the better. It’s just trying to keep it all in the family.” Let’s Marry Harry, which debuts next year and is executive-produced by podcaster Alex Cooper, is a prime example of Netflix’s strategy. Since Jowsey appeared on Too Hot to Handle, Netflix has found ways to make him a bigger star, putting him in the second season of the dating series Perfect Match and casting him in an upcoming movie on the streaming service, the romantic comedy The Wrong Paris. Positioned as Netflix’s first The Bachelor-like reality show, Let’s Marry Harry elevates Jowsey, who is known for qualities that do not exactly make him obvious marriage material. In the second season of Perfect Match, he initially lied about kissing another contestant. The drama that comes with reality TV is part of the gig. “We’re gonna be judged regardless,” Jowsey says. “It’s kind of freeing to just be like, ‘Well, f*** it. I’m just gonna do it and be myself, and people aren’t gonna like it, people are gonna love it.’ It’s the best job in the world, [I] just get to be myself on camera and have fun.” Jowsey’s playfulness, charm and mischievous nature are some of the reasons audiences have been drawn to him since Too Hot to Handle premiered on Netflix five years ago, says Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice-president of nonfiction series and sports. “He’s like a lovable rapscallion, right?” Riegg says. “He’s got the accent. He’s got a bit of mischief in those eyes. He’s fun. He’s a good person … if the show is a more efficient way of helping him find the potential Mrs Jowsey, then I think, awesome. And so we’ll go on that journey with him.” Jowsey’s social media following grew from 140,000 to 2.4 million on Instagram after Too Hot to Handle premiered in 2020. Today, he has 4.4 million followers on Instagram and 5.1 million on TikTok. He hosts a podcast called Boyfriend Material and sells skincare products. Jowsey grew up as the youngest of five siblings on a farm in Australia. When he was in university, his brother’s friend died by suicide – a wake-up call for Jowsey that university was not the place where he wanted to be. Jowsey said he loved making people laugh, and first leaned into modelling before landing on the New Zealand reality dating show Heartbreak Island. With his wavy brown hair and self-described cheeky vibe, he applied to multiple reality shows, eventually landing a role on Too Hot to Handle. He was not even subscribed to Netflix at the time because he did not have the money for it. “Obviously, it just turned into this beautiful relationship, and I get to live out my biggest dream,” Jowsey says. “I remember putting in my manifesting book, ‘One day I’ll have a Bachelor-style show’ … and it’s here.” He has not had the best track record in love. His relationship with Too Hot to Handle co-star Francesca Farago fizzled even after he proposed with a candy ring. He was attracted to Jessica Vestal on Perfect Match, but then kissed co-star Melinda Melrose and lied about it. Jowsey says he does not want to hurt anyone any more, a tough goal when the whole conceit of The Bachelor genre involves rejecting potential mates. “I hope the person that I marry is so happy that it outweighs all the hurt,” Jowsey says. “I feel like if it was the wrong person and they were with me for too long, then it’ll hurt more, so I want them to hurt as little as possible.”

Too Hot to Handle’s Harry Jowsey on his new reality show Let’s Marry Harry

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Thousands of people have signed up for the chance to be Jowsey’s bride in Netflix’s first The Bachelor-like reality show

Thousands of people have signed up for the chance to be Jowsey’s bride in Netflix’s first The Bachelor-like reality show