After months of having to keep their love a secret, The Golden Bachelor’s Barry “Bear” Myrden and his chosen lady Sunny Long are giddy as they snuggle up on the couch with Woman’s Day for their first interview as a couple.
“I never could imagine that Bear would choose me,” gushes Sunny.
“But it’s not just about him choosing me, I needed to choose him too. It was a mutual decision and I’m just so glad we found each other.”
Barry says he knew right from the beginning that it was always going to be IT CEO and series firecracker Sunny.
“She was always at the top of the list,” he says. “Her joy, her love, her excitement, her fun was always just shining through her. So it was an easy decision in the end.”
DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
Barry, 61, does note that his decision, particularly in the end where he had the task of choosing between Sunny and Janette in the emotional finale, didn’t come without its drawbacks.
“The hardest part of the whole process was saying goodbye to any of these lovely ladies,” says Bear. “It was brutal. But I followed my heart and followed my love, and I made the right choice.”
Sunny, 58, recalls feeling a mixture of emotions when Bear finally told her that she was his chosen one among the majestic and unpredictable wilderness of Cape Town.
“The weather was really, really horrific. It was so windy and I was wearing such a tight dress,” she laughs. “It kind of represented how we felt at that moment. There was obviously a lot of joy and love but also a bit of heartbreak [with Janette].
“But I was just so happy to be there, and so excited. Going through this whole journey I never thought I was going to find the love of my life and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with him,” she adds.
During the finale, Bear also presented Sunny with a gorgeous diamond commitment ring, which she admits she “can’t wear enough of” and while it may not be an engagement ring, they’re not ruling out a proposal in the future.
“We’ve got a lot of things to discuss,” hints Bear.
MR & MS BOND
Our interview marks their first official outing as a couple since filming ended earlier this year, and while they managed to spend the night together in Cape Town, the pair then had to fly home separately early the next morning to begin what would be a torturous few months of keeping apart so their fairytale ending wouldn’t be spoiled for viewers.
“There were a few secret meetings at Airbnbs. We had to show up at different times and sort of rush in,” Sunny reveals.
“We couldn’t stand by the windows. I think you said it was a bit of fun sneaking around, there was a bit of excitement?” she asks Bear. “You know, it was a bit, he’s Mr Bond and I’m his Bond girl,” she giggles.
Despite their few fleeting secret meet-ups, the pair weren’t able to watch the show together, which proved to be “uncomfortable” for Sunny.
“I was really beside myself. I was really emotional, I cried a lot, not just because he was kissing these women, but because of the passion. You know this was my man and you could see it growing with the other women, especially as the season went on,” she says. She adds it was also heartbreaking to watch the ladies – some of whom she now considers “lifelong friends” – go through heartache as they were eliminated from the mansion each week.
Interestingly, when asked if any of them had congratulated her yet, Sunny said that while she’s expecting some to reach out, she won’t be surprised if some don’t.
“I’m not going to say everyone agreed completely and that we are one big happy family,” she says. “It’s like any family, you argue and quarrel. And I have huge feelings for everybody, maybe some of them I have bigger feelings for… it might take a little while for some of them to warm to me,” she says.
GOLDEN YEARS AHEAD
So, what’s next for Australia’s newest golden couple? Well, while Bear may be keen on “maximising the potential” and is “open to anything” with future TV projects together, the happy couple reveal they’re mainly focused on making their next steps as an authentic couple outside the intense glare of the reality TV show spotlight.
“We’re in a very unique environment. We have huge feelings for each other, but now we’re going back to normal life, and we have lots of things to catch up on after the finale,” says Sunny.
“Both of us want to see our love grow organically, so we’re going to take it one step at a time.”
One of those steps is merging their two families – Sunny’s two daughters, Chloe and Penny, and son Keith, and Bear’s three sons, Charlie, Jack and Declan – but mostly, the pair are just ecstatic to get to sing their love from the mountaintops, and want their fairytale ending to be proof that love still exists in your golden years.
“I want people to know that life doesn’t end when you reach your 50s, 60s or older. I think this is a story we need to celebrate about life!” says Sunny.
“I think people just need to put themselves out there. Don’t hide in the corner. Be a little vulnerable, find love!”
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