There have been rumblings about howThe Golden Bachelor Australia will end up and it’s not sounding great. Word on the street is that poor Barry “Bear” Myrden didn’t find any of the women his type. And producers were apparently sweating, trying to make us believe he does.

So while Australia has been busy weeping into couch cushions and screaming at the TV to “give this man the woman of his dreams”, behind the scenes it was giving… mild panic.
Producers are reportedly concerned Bear won’t find his match this season. (Credit: The Golden Bachelor)
“There’s definitely urgency,” one insider told PEDESTRIAN.TV. Which is reality-TV code for oh no babe, the fairytale isn’t fairytailing.

Turns out dating IRL > dating on network TV didn’t translate for the Sydney based bachelor.

Here’s the tea: Bear apparently normally dates women in their 30s but the show stuck to the US format and cast women closer to his own age that make great TV but probably didn’t fit inline with his Bumble filter.

The scene was set and it was classy, elegant, tasteful… however, maybe not Bear’s usual romantic vibe.

“Channel Nine wanted wholesome romance energy,” an insider said. But our sources say producers thought they were making Bridgerton for seniors but were the last people to know that Barry likes a slightly millennial energy. Honestly? They played it safe, maybe too safe?

Producers apparently didn’t want to mess with the American formula (as their first season was a ratings bonanza), but in doing that, may have accidentally reduced Bear’s dating pool to “women who love gardening and cruises” when he might be after someone who also knows what a ring light is. And yes, the insiders swear they tried.

Season two plans are already bubbling. Don’t panic! The show isn’t dead, no roses have been thrown in the bin (yet) but tweaks are being discussed, including: Widening the age range. Possible Golden Bachelorette spin-off. But definitely not the same schtick that we have seen in the first run of the seniors dating series.

Imagine a lineup of glamorous 60-somethings and cool 30-something dog-mums who do Pilates and know how to text back. “Australia might think they want this but everyone wants authenticity over forced chemistry,” confirms a source close to those who made this slightly cringe romance reality.

Bear is still hopeful and we are too. Even with the mild matchmaking meltdown, one thing hasn’t changed, Bear is still the internet’s favourite gentle king.

“He deserves love and he’s still hopeful,” a friend said.

And honestly? If this man doesn’t get his sunset romance arc with soft-focus drone shots and Coldplay-lite soundtrack vibes, we will riot.