About
Born on July 29, 1987, Matt Agnew is an Australian astrophysicist turned television personality and science communicator. Most Australians first noticed him in 2019 as the star of The Bachelor Australia, but he was already deep into a PhD at Swinburne University’s Centre for Astrophysics and Supercomputing. After reality-show fame, Agnew leaned into what he calls “edutainment,” writing Dr Matt’s Guide to Life in Space and touring schools, festivals, and podcasts to explain the wonders of the universe in plain language. Today he lives in Melbourne with his rescue dog, Pluto, where he balances public science outreach with research on exoplanets and artificial intelligence.
Before Fame
Matt was born in Adelaide but spent most of his childhood in Perth. Science books and backyard stargazing sessions sparked a lifelong curiosity about the night sky. After high school he picked up a double bachelor’s degree in science and engineering, then headed to Sweden’s Lund University for a master’s in astrophysics. Back in Australia he joined Swinburne’s doctoral program, focusing on methods to detect Earth-like planets orbiting distant suns. His LinkedIn profile lists internships with mining and data-analysis firms—evidence of a practical streak that later helped him explain complex ideas to everyday audiences.
Trivia
- Reality-TV scientist: Agnew was only the second academic ever cast as Australia’s Bachelor, and producers played up his “Clark Kent” vibe—smart glasses, easy grin, and a mild manner that contrasted with typical reality-show drama.
- Bookworm turned author: His 2023 debut, Dr Matt’s Guide to Life in Space, distills exoplanet research into café-ready analogies and earned praise from science populariser Dr Karl Kruszelnicki.
- Globetrotter: Research conferences have taken him everywhere from Berlin to Buenos Aires, and his Instagram often features him in observatories or under star-filled skies.
- Pet named after a planet-that-was: Pluto, the border-collie mix who stars in many of Agnew’s posts, is both companion and unofficial brand mascot.
- Nickname “Astro-Bachelor”: Fans coined the term during season promos, and it stuck—Agnew now uses it tongue-in-cheek at live events.
Family Life
Although Matt keeps most relatives out of the spotlight, he has mentioned having three siblings and credits his parents for encouraging curiosity over conformity. Childhood road trips across Western Australia’s outback gave young Matt an unobstructed view of the Milky Way, fueling his astronomy obsession. He currently resides in a share house in Melbourne’s inner north; family get-togethers still involve friendly debates about science headlines, AFL scores, and who’s on dog-sitting duty when Matt is on tour.
Associated With
- Osher Günsberg – host of The Bachelor Australia, who often jokes on air that Agnew’s space analogies go “light-years over” his own head.
- Chelsie McLeod – the chemical engineer who received Matt’s final rose on The Bachelor; although the couple later parted ways, both used the spotlight to promote STEM careers.
- Dr Karl Kruszelnicki – legendary Aussie science communicator who endorsed Agnew’s book for its friendly tone.
- Swinburne Centre for Astrophysics – the research hub where Matt completed his doctorate and still collaborates on exoplanet detection projects.
Across TV sound stages and telescope domes alike, Matt Agnew has shown that a passion for space can orbit comfortably alongside pop-culture fame—proving you don’t need heavy jargon to bring the universe a little closer to home.
