Grand Finale Recap: Bear breaks a heart – before declaring his love as The Golden Bachelor journey ends with a ring
It's been a long time since 20 wonderful, accomplished women strutted (or rode in on a horse) down The Golden Bachelor red carpet on the first night.
We've since said goodbye to 18 of them, with just Janette and Sunny left in our first Golden Bachelor Bear's search for his next great love story.
Tonight, he makes his final decision.
Who will it be? Nine
Stream episode of The Golden Bachelor Australia on 9Now.
Such a big occasion requires a big location, right? We're in Cape Town, South Africa and don't we know it.
The sweeping drone shots and slow motion footage of Bear going for a run are more than enough to convince us to add this beautiful spot to our bucket lists.
Soon, it'll be a place of very special memories for our new couple and for another, well, sadly it's a long flight home.
But we're getting ahead of ourselves.
First, there's some important business to attend to: final dates, of course, and also the most important test of all as Janette and Sunny meet Bear's family.
EXCLUSIVE: Sunny reveals she almost quit after meeting with Janette that never made TV
His two eldest sons Charlie and Jack and brother Tim are here for sweet reunions, but most importantly, grilling.
Janette and Sunny meet Bear's family
It's not secret that Janette has been struggling to open up, missing multiple opportunities to tell Bear how deeply she feels for him.
Maybe Bear's loved ones can coax it out of her?
After warm introductions, Tim starts his quiz.
'Why are you here? What are you looking for? When was your divorce? Why did you divorce? Have you found love?'
Janette's in the hot seat!
Tim's tough! Nine
"I won't say I love him at the moment," she answers.
"Right. Why?" Tim replies.
She feels it's too soon and stumbles through an answer about her feelings as they stand, but leaves disappointed in how it went.
She wasn't ready for that. Nine
While Sunny's never been shy about her feelings, Bear's concern lays with her only being single for about six months.
This time, it's Charlie and Jack who pull Sunny away for a chat – and they've definitely learned some tips from their uncle about how to interrogate.
From what she likes about Bear (he's hot, he's strong) to her short singledom, the tough questions give us our first look at a rattled Sunny!
Plot twist. Nine
"I think Sunny could definitely be a risk," Charlie says.
She turns it around with honesty, even telling the boys she's fallen in love with their dad.
Afterwards, the family relay their thoughts on his final two and honestly, it is absolutely no help to Bear.
"It's just left me more confused," he reckons.
Janette's final date
Before Janette meets Bear for the final time before his decision, she meets host Samantha Armytage for a debrief – and reveals she doesn't think she has his family's tick of approval.
She needs more time to fall in love, but based on the strength of her feelings so quickly she can see it in her future... she just needs to work up the courage to tell Bear that too.
They're off on her dream date, a wildlife safari, and it really is now or never.
Janette couldn't be happier right now. Nine
But before the talk, they spot zebra, elephants, buffalos, giraffe, hippos and lions so majestic they bring her to tears.
Afterwards, they settle down by a very bougie fire pit for some last-minute quality time.
She explains her walls.
"You still have to make a choice between two people so, there's still the fear of rejection and being hurt," she says.
But... well, she's going to try telling him.
"Love is a big word for me and I don't say it very easily because it's not a word, it's a feeling... when I say it, it's from the heart and that's big for me," she says.
"So I'm falling for you."
Nine
Yes Janette! You did it!
Sunny's final date
Sunny meets Sam and very quickly confirms she's fallen head-over-heels, but her daughters comments about how she might like Bear more than he likes her have been weighing on her mind.
She's got one more date to figure it all out.
That's if she can stop worrying about the penguins they're about to swim with long enough to have a conversation.
"For me, I'm scared of any moving animals," she explains.
That's not ideal, as animals do famously move.
After clinging to Bear while the big scary penguins glide around them, she's relieved to make it out alive.
They road trip to the delightful sound of 'Africa' by Toto (it was only a matter of time), the pair settle in for romantic oysters and wine.
Get you a man who can do both! Nine
After some not-so-subtle chat about an "active life" together, Sunny assures Bear her feelings are real.
"I think you are the one for me," she says. "I'm in love."
Bear makes his final decision
It's time and yes, Bear has made up his mind.
"Everything's become very clear to me and I realised, for the first time in a very long time that I'm in love," he says.
Bear meets Sam and while he's excited to declare his love to one of the women, he's sad about having to break the other's heart.
"I'm certain I've found the one," he reckons.
Okay, first it's time to let one of the women down gently... and our first arrival is Janette.
"Janette, I was so nervous about doing this," he begins, and it's clear she knows immediately.
"You deserve a love worth fighting for, but I'm so sorry, it's not with me."
Janette remains composed but isn't entertaining Bear's explanation.
"Don't disrespect Sunny by saying anything like that," she says.
Janette remained composed. Nine
Then she leaves, only letting the tears fall once she's back in the car. And damn, she's got a good perspective.
"Even though it hasn't worked out I still have that sense of feeling empowered for showing my vulnerability," she says.
Why do I feel so proud?!
EXCLUSIVE: Surprising text 'blindsided' Janette sent Sunny immediately after finale
Despite leaving heartbroken, Janette was still hopeful love was out there. Nine
Of course, now it's time to tell Sunny he shares her feelings.
"From the moment I met you, you excited me," he begins.
Sunny's emotional before he can actually get the words out.
"When I think about the future, the life I want to live, how I want to spend the rest of my days, I can't imagine doing it without you," he says.
He declares his love before planting a big ol' winners kiss!
Happily ever after folks! Nine
Now it's her turn to say something. She says any darkness in her life has been replaced by light.
He's got one last gift: a ring that she readily accepts.
The happy couple are, well, really bloody happy!
EXCLUSIVE: Bear and Sunny emerge from hiding – inside their secret post-finale relationship
A promise ring to signal Bear and Sunny's future together. Nine
Well, we made it!
Australia's first ever Golden Bachelor has found love throughout all the sambas, rivalries, roses and pashes, it's been a blast.
Congratulations, Bear and Sunny!
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