Wild moment Golden Bachelor star plants a kiss on Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden’s lips after first-ever meeting… as fans lose it over THAT painfully long hug
The Golden Bachelor kicked off with a bang on Monday night, with fans across the nation tuning in to watch Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden meet 20 ladies vying for his attention.
And the lovelorn women wasted no time pulling out all the stops to garner the 61-year-old silver fox’s affection, with some arriving on horses and in sports cars.
One eager bachelorette, Catherine Kirwan, went so far as to steal the first kiss with the infrastructure engineer.
The brunette bombshell, 56, strutted her stuff down the red carpet while wearing a shimmering purple mini dress.
She showed off her very toned and slim pins as she introduced herself to a stunned Bear, with the pair quickly bonding over their love for working out.
‘Wow, what a strong grip. You work out, obviously,’ Catherine said as they held hands, with Bear noting she appeared to be in shape as well.
Catherine Kirwan, 56, wasted no time stealing the first kiss from Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden, 61, during the Monday night debut of The Golden Bachelor Australia
‘I’m curious how long it’s going to take me to beat you in an arm wrestle. You up for the challenge?’ the interior designer said.
Bear was quick to take her up on the offer, asking Catherine what she wanted if she won the playful arm wrestle: ‘What’s the wager? What happens if you win?’
‘What do you think it should be?’ Catherine asked, to which Bear responded: ‘Maybe I get a kiss, perhaps?’
Catherine chuckled at the cheeky request, but agreed to the stakes.
However, it seemed it was all part of Bear’s game plan, as he pretended to lose to Catherine just so he could steal a kiss from her.
‘I guess you win,’ he said with a sly smile before they locked lips, just moments after they first met.
Catherine wasn’t the only lucky lady of the night to score a bit of affection from the first ever Australian Golden Bachelor.
Retired education sales executive Shana roped the debut TV star into a painfully long hug when she arrived at the Tresco mansion in Sydney.
Retired education sales executive Shana, 60, roped the debut TV star into a painfully long hug when she arrived at the Tresco mansion in Sydney
One fan took to X with a meme intended to mimic the embrace, writing: ‘Shana just decided not to let go’
‘Hello, my name is Shana. I feel like I need to hug. Are you a hugger?’ the 60-year-old said as she stared lovingly into Bear’s eyes.
The pair then embraced for, what viewers initially believed, would be a quick cuddle—until the seconds ticked by and Shana refused to let go.
‘Oh, you’re a good hugger,’ she told him, with Bear responding: ‘You certainly know how to hug.’
‘I could hug him all day long,’ Shana later told producers.
Viewers lost it online over the awkward, 30-second embrace.
One fan took to X with a meme intended to mimic the embrace, writing: ‘Shana just decided not to let go.’
After much anticipation, Nine’s The Golden Bachelor premiered on Monday and there were plenty of Spanx, tears, and even a few X-rated surprises.
Following an emotional introduction in which he spoke about his late wife Audrey, Bear admitted the incoming crop of 20 ladies had a lot to live up to.
After much anticipation, Nine’s The Golden Bachelor premiered on Monday and there were plenty of Spanx, tears, and even a few X-rated surprises
‘Audrey was more than one in a million, she was one in six billion,’ he said.
‘It’s been 14 years since her passing. I know deep down no one can replace her, but with the boys’ [sons Charlie, 21, Jack, 20, and Declan, 17] love and support, I know I can possibly find love again.’
Bear also revealed to host Samantha Armytage that he was scared of ‘putting himself out there’ and being vulnerable.
He needn’t have worried, though, with all the women instantly swooning over his chiselled good looks and charming personality on first introductions.
