The Golden Bachelor Recap: Gerry Has to Make His Toughest Cuts Yet — and Says Goodbye to a Former Frontrunner
The cuts keep getting harder for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor — and the tears keep falling, too.
Thursday’s episode opens with the six remaining women doing aqua aerobics in the mansion pool and eagerly awaiting news of their next date with Gerry. Jesse informs them, though, that only three of them will make it through to next week’s hometown dates, so that makes this week’s one-on-one date all the more important… and it goes to Faith. While Gerry whisks her away for a helicopter ride to a luxury yacht, Leslie gets upset, sobbing to Ellen that this is stirring up old insecurities she has from past relationships.
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On the yacht, Gerry and Faith get serious and talk about how hard it is to open up to a new person at their age. Gerry encourages her to be vulnerable, though, and he’s feeling a strong connection with her — strong enough to hand her a rose. So with Faith already locked into a hometown date, that leaves only two roses left for the other five ladies. When Faith gets back from her date, she raves about the helicopter and the yacht, which starts to rub Ellen the wrong way: “You’re not that special, girlfriend.” But you guys asked her to tell you what happened on her date! Don’t be a Kathy!
Gerry then heads out on a group date with the other women, hitting the Santa Monica Pier for games and carnival rides. It’s fun, but the pressure of the moment is clearly getting to them. Theresa tells Gerry she’s falling in love with him, and he doesn’t say it back, but he does pull her in for a long hug. Then Leslie gets alone time with him and spills out her insecurities before saying she’s falling for him, too — and he whispers to her, “You’re my girl.” (Oh! Is that a hint as to which way he’s leaning?) Then it’s Ellen’s turn to tell him she’s falling for him, too. There’s a rose to hand out on this group date, but Gerry decides it’s too tough a choice to make and opts to save the rose for the next night’s rose ceremony. And we get it: We thought Sandra and Susan would be the two going home if he was doing the usual four hometown dates, but with just three, it really is a tough call.
At the rose ceremony, everyone’s nervous, and Gerry explains that he wasn’t ready to make a decision last night because he takes this so seriously. He was up all night thinking about it, he says, but now he’s ready to choose: The first rose goes to Leslie, and Gerry tears up as he holds the final rose and hands it to… Theresa. Ellen is heartbroken, and after Gerry gives warm hugs to Sandra and Susan, he walks Ellen out. He tells her this was “the most difficult decision” for him, but she doesn’t have anything left to say, simply hugging him goodbye without a word. She was falling for him, she says, but this whole experience has made her optimistic about finding love again. And based on next week’s preview, it doesn’t get any easier for Gerry during hometowns… as he realizes he’s in love with all three women.
Were you surprised to see Ellen go? And who’s your pick to get the final rose? Hit the comments below to give us your take, Bachelor Nation.
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