EXCLUSIVE Controversial Married At First Sight bride Carolina Santos returns to 9-to-5 life after making 'zero dollars' as an influencer
The 35-year-old, who shot to fame on Season Nine of the controversial dating experiment, candidly revealed she's back working a regular 9-to-5 job after realising her social media career wasn't enough to pay the bills.
'I have $0,' Carolina confessed during an interview with Daily Mail Australia. 'I need my business to boom again – I'm literally an employee now.'
Carolina, who runs a designer handbag hire company and dabbled in fashion and beauty endorsements post-show, has since taken up a job in the corporate sector.
While she didn't specify the exact role, she admitted the shift was driven by financial necessity after her brand partnerships and sponsored content began to slow down.
'I do quite a lot,' she said of her day-to-day grind.
The 35-year-old, who shot to fame on Season Nine of the controversial dating experiment, candidly revealed she's back working a regular 9-to-5 job after realising her social media career wasn't enough to pay the bills
'But I'm back at work now, like proper work. It's not as exciting, but it pays.'
The Brazilian-born beauty had hoped to capitalise on her reality TV fame, but says life after MAFS hasn't been the glitzy influencer dream she once imagined.
Despite racking up thousands of followers on Instagram and launching several side hustles, she says the reality of sustaining an online career has been anything but easy.
Carolina also admitted to feeling increasingly irrelevant in the fast-moving world of reality TV, as newer cast members take the spotlight each year.
'Do I worry people will forget about me? A hundred percent I do,' she said
'More and more seasons come out, and we just get pushed to the side.'
Before returning to full-time work, the outspoken star applied for several other dating and reality shows in an attempt to stay on screens.
However the brunette beauty says that she was knocked back by producers.
'I applied for so many shows, but nothing happened,' she revealed.
'Now I'm just focusing on myself and getting on with real life.'
Despite the ups and downs, Carolina remains grateful for her time on MAFS, but admits the influencer lifestyle was never as sustainable as it looked on the surface.
'It's tough. People think it's easy – you post a photo and money rolls in – but it doesn't work like that,' she said.
'At the end of the day, I had to get a real job again.'
She was paired with Gold Coast businessman Dion Giannarelli before opting to pursue a relationship with fellow groom Daniel Holmes instead.
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