Barry “Bear” Myrden may have walked off with love in The Golden Bachelor Australia finale, choosing CEO Sunny Long after eight tension-filled episodes, but the surprising twist is that he almost wasn’t on the show at all.
The 61-year-old engineer, who told viewers he’d stayed single since losing his wife Audrey in 2014, had actually stepped away from the series right after being cast, because he’d already fallen for someone else. According to Woman’s Day, Bear had been engaged to millionaire heiress Jo Kinghorn before filming even began, a detail that blindsided fans once it surfaced.
Bear Nearly Walked Away From The Golden Bachelor
Bear got engaged to Kinghorn in 2016. They were going strong until things went south. It was Kinghorn who ended the relationship in 2018. When Bear came to the reality show, he claimed he had been single since the death of his wife, Audrey. But now we know that wasn’t the case.
Insiders say Bear wasn’t supposed to be the one charming the mansion full of hopefuls. A production source said (via Daily Mail),
He applied, they liked him instantly, then he pulled out because he’d met someone.
He painted a very different picture from the smooth-sailing love story the show tried to serve. With Bear bowing out before cameras rolled, the team was reportedly scrambling. Especially once they sifted through the remaining bachelor hopefuls.
Apparently, the other men didn’t exactly sparkle. The insider said,
Once they saw the rest of the candidates … let’s just say Bear suddenly looked like a rock star and they lured him back.
In other words, the producers realised very quickly that the alternatives were spectacularly underwhelming, and suddenly Bear was back on the throne. From the sound of things, he hasn’t minded the extra spotlight of being lured back into the spotlight. He loved the attention. This might explain a lot about his final choice.
Before the finale, Bear had narrowed his journey down to two women. One was Janette, a 61-year-old Pilates instructor from Victoria with a calm warmth that viewers adored. The second was Sunny, a sharp and confident CEO from New South Wales. Sunny ultimately won his heart. But the real storm started right after.
Janette didn’t exactly take the news with a polite nod and a pat on the back. She walked off. And fans practically formed a digital conga line behind her.
Fans Aren’t Holding Back on the Bachelor’s Final Pick
Social media lit up the moment Bear said goodbye to Janette in The Golden Bachelor. Viewers were loud, dramatic, and hilarious about the whole thing. One person wrote on X,
Can Janette now be the golden goddess and go through a new series where she dates 30 middle to late aged men and dump them all one by one to leave the mansion as the solo warrior queen she is?
Another viewer summed up the disappointment perfectly. He wrote,
Bear just proved he’s an idiot just by the women he’s shown the door.
Bear just proved he’s an idiot just by the women he’s shown the door. 😡#GoldenBachelorAU pic.twitter.com/5MjDoA3jtt
Someone else joked, “How could he choose the Penguin hater??”
How could he choose the Penguin hater?? #GoldenBachelorAU pic.twitter.com/qT56lGvRSG
For a season meant to prove love can bloom beautifully later in life, the finale ended up sparking more debates than romance. And now, with news of Bear’s almost-exit and secret engagement surfacing, the whole thing just became even messier. Reality TV, of course, wouldn’t have it any other way.
Let us know your verdict on Bear’s final choice in the comments.
