Awhina Rutene has admitted the influencer life is not all it’s cracked up to be.
The Married At First Sight star, 31, who was previously an aged care worker before her reality show fame, took to her Instagram Story on Thursday to reveal she had sacrificed a lot to become an influencer.
‘Leaving 2025 as one of the hardest years of my life. I’ve felt like I lost so much,’ Awhina wrote.
‘I never aspired to be an influencer… I wanted a big family, a life partner and real roots. This isn’t the life I planned.
‘I feel like I’ve lost friendships I’ve had for years. I felt every part of being a single mum this year.
‘If you’re feeling like 2025 can be over now too… you’re not alone.’
Awhina Rutene, 31, has admitted the influencer life is not all it’s cracked up to be
The reality star followed the post with a rebuttal to some fans who criticised her.
She shared screenshots of DMs from followers who wrote, ‘So, don’t be an influencer,’ and: ‘Then don’t be an influencer. Can always change your path.’
Doubling down on her earlier sentiment, Awhina hit back at her critics saying all she wants is a happy family.
‘I have been open about this year being hard. I didn’t plan on being an influencer. My goal has always been to be a good mum and partner,’ she wrote.
‘Today we look up to people based on their followers. I have only ever wanted to have a happy family.’
She added that while it does have its drawbacks, influencing allows Awhina certain freedoms that did not exist in her previous job.
‘Right now, influencing is what allows me to continue living a similar lifestyle to before where my son can do after-school sports and he’s not in after-school care,’ she wrote.
‘It pays more than community aged care and that’s the reality of today’s economy. I was sharing vulnerability because everywhere I look right now people are struggling.’
The Married At First Sight star, who was previously an aged care worker before her reality show fame, took to her Instagram Story on Thursday to reveal she had sacrificed a lot to become an influencer
The reality star followed the post with a rebuttal to some fans who criticised her
Awhina failed to find love with groom Adrian Araouzou on the 2025 iteration of the Nine reality juggernaut.
In an exclusive interview with Daily Mail in April, Awhina did not hold back as she revealed just how uncomfortable she felt around her match.
‘His behaviour before the show was questionable. His behaviour during the show… very questionable! Poor, poor, poor!’ she claimed.
She said she was finding it difficult to permanently cut ties with Adrian because after the dating experiment finished he kept trying to contact her on social media.
‘I blocked him, not the other way around… Then he added me on Snapchat and I blocked him! Then he added me on TikTok. I’m grateful I’ve closed all that,’ she said.
Awhina added she believed it was a failing of the production staff for pairing her with such an ill-suited match, and she felt pressure to remain on the show despite wanting to leave.
