The Golden Bachelor featured Nancy Hulkower voluntarily leaving the show and Gerry Turner choosing to eliminate Kathy Swarts and April Kirkwood at the fourth Rose Ceremony of the season during the episode that aired Thursday night on ABC.
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Gerry then denied roses to April, a 65-year-old therapist from Port St. Lucie, FL, and Kathy, a 70-year-old retired educational consultant from Austin, TX.
"I am who I am, and people either like me or they don't," Kathy said in her final words, referencing her arguments with Theresa Nist.
"But, I mean, look at [me], who can say 'no' to this?! Rejection is not fun and I may burn the house down before I leave, but you know!"
The Golden Bachelor episode began with the first-ever The Bachelorette star, Trista Sutter, arriving at The Bachelor mansion to talk to the women.
Trista explained to the bachelorettes how this process can work as long as the cast stays true to themselves, and then -- much to Kathy's dismay -- Teresa, a 69-year-old financial services professional from Shrewsbury, NJ, declared how she totally agreed with that viewpoint.
Theresa seemed to speak from experience given she had received the first one-on-one date with Gerry.
Hearing Theresa brag about her relationship with Gerry again really got underneath Kathy's skin. Kathy vented about how Theresa couldn't "seem to find the off switch."
After a nice conversation, Trista invited eight women to join Gerry on a group date.
Those lucky ladies were April; Ellen Goltzer, a 71-year-old retired teacher from Delray Beach, FL; Faith Martin, a 60-year-old high school teacher from Benton City, WA; Kathy; Sandra Mason, a 75-year-old retired executive assistant from Doraville, GA; Nancy; Susan Noles, a 66-year-old wedding officiant from Aston, PA; and Theresa.
The ladies soon learned they'd be participating in a Pickleball tournament and that the winners would be featured alongside Gerry on the cover of In Pickleball magazine.
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Once Gerry's golden bachelorettes stepped on the court, they were ecstatic to receive a few tips and pointers from Joey Graziadei, a tennis pro and The Bachelor star for Season 28 in 2024.
The women competed hard and had a few laughs along the way. At one point, Nancy fell and hurt her ankle, but she was a good sport about it and even winked at the cameras and claimed she was "totally fine."
After some riveting competition and even a little sh-t talking, Kathy and Ellen won the Pickle Ball championship and got to pose in the magazine shoot with Gerry.
Both girls boasted about how they had received a kiss from Gerry, with Ellen joking about how hers was better.
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During The Golden Bachelor's group-date afterparty, Gerry praised all the women for leaving it all on the court.
Gerry pulled Sandra aside for a chat first, and he mentioned how he had heard that Sandra's daughter was getting married that day.
Sandra explained how her daughter had found her guy -- and her happily ever after -- and so she selflessly wanted the same for her mom.
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Sandra was thrilled when she got to see her daughter on the phone, and Gerry wished the bride well. Sandra gushed about how Gerry is just the best man who always made her feel special.
Theresa then spoke to Kathy about their feud. Theresa apologized again for making waves in the house, and Kathy explained how it rubbed her the wrong way when Theresa revealed Gerry had visited her in her bedroom to comfort her when she was crying.
"That night cannot happen again," Kathy noted, shaming Theresa for allegedly boasting about her connection with The Golden Bachelor star and thinking she had the competition in the bag.
"I never, ever meant anything bad or malicious," Theresa responded. "I was really just trying to share how it went, and I kind of thought everybody was doing it."
Kathy told Theresa that she needed to be kind and think about how she was hurting other people's feelings.
Kathy asked Theresa how she'd feel if the roles were reversed, and Theresa insisted she'd be fine with it because she just wanted Gerry to end up with the best person for him.
Kathy interrupted Theresa and asked her simply not to kiss and tell, and so Theresa shut down and replied, "I made a big mistake and I'm sorry."
Kathy clapped back, "Can I just give you some friendly advice? Zip it."
The Golden Bachelor star then sat down with Ellen for a chat, and at this point, he said he was looking for the woman whom he just can't live without -- rather than just a woman he can picture himself living with.
Faith shared with Gerry how he was holding a special place in her heart for him and she could see him fitting into her life and having something really beautiful together.
Gerry then talked to Theresa, and he gushed about how she looked "awesome."
Theresa explained to The Golden Bachelor star how Kathy had been saying from the start that Theresa is "The One" for Gerry, which made her think she could share stories and talk about her connection with Gerry.
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"I'm trying to be really nice to her, and she went to me, 'Just zip it! Just zip it!'" Theresa recalled to Gerry.
Gerry was admittedly disappointed to hear that one of his bachelorettes had spoken to another woman in that disrespectful manner. Gerry obviously wasn't there and so he couldn't pick a side, but he called "the disturbance disappointing."
Gerry proceeded to ask Kathy to open up about her issue with Theresa. Kathy said she didn't join The Golden Bachelor to fight but it was hurtful to hear about another woman's so-called strong connection with Gerry.
Kathy explained how she didn't appreciate learning that Gerry had comforted Theresa in her bedroom, but The Golden Bachelor star reminded Kathy how he had also comforted her, "even to the extent of giving [her] a special rose."
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Gerry confessed that he was starting to see a rift between them that he wasn't happy about, but Kathy insisted she wasn't a villain on the show and all of the bachelorettes have big hearts and feelings.
Kathy was upset that Theresa had spoken to Gerry about the friction between them, and so she blamed Theresa for the fact she most likely wasn't going to receive the group-date rose.
Gerry then gathered with all of the women and announced how, while many bachelorettes deserved the rose, The Golden Bachelor star wanted to give it to a person who gave up a lot to be there today.
Gerry opted to give Sandra the rose, and he thanked her for making the choice to be there for him.
"He's such a sentimental guy and I kind of tugged on his heart. I want more! I want more!" Sandra told The Golden Bachelor cameras. "I'm smiling!"
The next day, Gerry embarked on a one-on-one date with Leslie Fhima, a 64-year-old fitness instructor from Minneapolis, MN
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For their date, The Golden Bachelor star and Leslie went four-wheeling and had a blast riding around on ATVs.
Leslie confessed that she was a little scared and Gerry clearly liked speed. Gerry therefore turned around and found Leslie to make sure that she was okay and safe, and he allowed her to catch up.
"I feel safe for him and cared for. He makes me feel special. This is different, this is really different. I know that he's got my back," Leslie shared in a confessional. "I feel like he is the man I've been searching for, for a long, long time."
Leslie gushed about how she'd never forget this experience she had with The Golden Bachelor star.
Back at The Bachelor mansion, the senior ladies played a game of "Never Have I Ever."
During the game, April admitted she had kissed another woman's husband once, and April and Sandra both gave away that they've had sex in a workplace before.
"And if I were married, I'd do it again!" Sandra joked.
Most of the women had sex in a car before, and Susan let the group know that she had a sexual encounter with a woman before.
Back on Leslie and Gerry's date, Leslie said her feelings for Gerry had grown in the last few hours. She said he embodied a lot of what she wants in her future partner.
"You're funny, sensitive and kind, and I really want a true partnership -- which is something I've never had. I'm not the best picker," Leslie admitted to The Golden Bachelor star. "I have been divorced twice and I was a single mother... I got through it, but I don't know how."
Leslie, however, said her children have her back now, which is really nice and reassuring.
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Leslie believed that she and Gerry had taken their relationship to the next level, and she said she couldn't wait to see where things could go with him.
"I think she's giving me a piece of herself. The feeling I have with her is just a really warm, affectionate closeness," Gerry told the cameras, before complimenting Leslie's beautiful blue eyes.
He told Leslie, "I just love the way you look at me. That's one of the things I need to see with someone I feel I'm getting serious with. It's like the whole rest of the world is gone -- it's just not there."
The Golden Bachelor star told the cameras that if things continued to go down the same path, Leslie was definitely someone he could see himself leaving the show with at the end of his journey.
Gerry ended the date by hopping in a hot tub with Leslie and asking her to accept a rose. The couple then shared a passionate kiss, and Leslie could feel that they had a special connection.
Leslie concluded that she was going to do everything possible to win over that man.
Later on, Sandra's stomach was upset, and Nancy complained about how she was in pain from a stress fracture in her leg.
The women said they were more nervous than ever about the upcoming Rose Ceremony, especially because they were already halfway through Gerry's journey to find his forever partner.
At the cocktail party preceding the Rose Ceremony, Gerry said he couldn't believe he was standing in a room with nine women of such high quality, integrity, and charm. He said they were beyond what he possibly could've imagined.
Gerry then asked Susan to join him for a conversation, and she felt it was "do or die" for them in that moment given they had yet to enjoy a one-on-one date.
Gerry gifted Susan a rose quartz crystal, which represents empathy and strength. Gerry said those were two qualities Susan certainly has that reminded him of his late wife Toni.
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Susan was so excited and could feel a spark with Gerry, and the pair ended up making out.
Kathy could tell Gerry had a connection with every woman in the house, and so she was worried about him having to narrow the lineup down.
"We're all looking for a second chance and the greatest love of our life," Kathy declared to the group.
Ellen also said feelings she hadn't felt in so long were being reignited, which scared her a little bit.
"I didn't think I could actually feel like this again. I've got to put myself out there and let him know," Ellen told the cameras.
Ellen, although nervous and apprehensive, therefore opened up to Gerry about how she was "falling in love" with him. Ellen explained how Gerry had brought out a spark in her and she found herself giggling, laughing and kissing.
When Ellen made that declaration, The Golden Bachelor star kissed her.
"It's hard, I know. I feel your emotion and I'm in the same place," Gerry assured the bachelorette.
The sweet conversation made Gerry think back to the last time a woman had professed her love to him, and it was his wife of 43 years. Gerry cried about how he thought the world ended when Toni died, but he said he was actually seeing and feeling love again.
"I am feeling like I just met the love of my life for the first time. I'm shaking, excited, and my heart runneth over," Ellen shared with The Golden Bachelor cameras.
The mood then shifted when Nancy pulled Gerry aside for an honest chat.
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The reality of the Rose Ceremony was weighing on The Golden Bachelor star, and he still had difficult decisions to make.
At the Rose Ceremony, Gerry announced how roses were growing in significance with each passing week and that all of the women had made him a better man.
Gerry then handed out roses to Ellen, Faith, Susan, and Theresa.
Gerry eliminated Kathy and April as a result.
"I didn't get a rose tonight, but it's been a great adventure. I have no regrets. I'm so ready for love and I know it's not over for me. I'm excited for the next adventure," April said in her final words.
Once April left, Gerry asked Kathy if he could walk her out. He told Kathy that he hoped she'll eventually find her "guy" and "one true love," and she wished the same for him.
"You deserve it. Take care. Good luck," Kathy concluded.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
