She’s still seeking answers from Barry “Bear” Myrden after being unceremoniously dumped at the last minute on The Golden Bachelor Australia. But Janette Bendle insists there’s no hard feelings between herself and the woman who beat her at the final hurdle, Sunny Long.
In an exclusive interview with New Idea post-finale, Janette says she reached out to Bear’s winner via text, shortly after the heart-breaking events of the final rose ceremony in South Africa.
Find out what happened.
What did the text message say?
Despite being blindsided by Bear’s decision, Janette still wanted to let Sunny know that she wished her all the best.
“I messaged her when we came back home to say I think that’s beautiful, well deserved and I hope you’re very happy,” Janette shares about their correspondence. “I tried to keep a friendship going.”
Janette confesses that that she and Sunny didn’t click straight away. But as the group of women got smaller, they got to know each other a bit better and found they had some things in common.
The divorced mum and doting grandmother also admits she didn’t really think Sunny was a contender for Bear’s heart until she watched the show back and saw “more of a connection” between them than she had perceived in the mansion.
“Initially she didn’t express that she had any strong feelings for Bear. She said that to a few of the girls. So, it kind of shocked us that all of a sudden, she was in love with him,” Janette explains. “But I don’t doubt her feelings. She seems very genuine to me.”
The pair were seen together, along with the other Golden Bachelor contestants, at Oaks Day during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival in early November.
“I am a supporter of women. I’m not the competitive woman. I’m not going to have any bad blood. I was genuinely happy for her,” Janette adds.
Unbearable silence
While Janette and Sunny are in a good place, it’s been radio silence between her and Bear.
Janette claims that she and Bear haven’t spoken since the finale, which was filmed some months ago. They crossed paths at The Golden Bachelor’s Sydney premiere in October, but they only gave each other a polite hello.
Now, the pilates studio owner is ready to get some answers.
“I would like to hear from the horse’s mouth and look into his eyes – because you can always see whether it’s the truth,” she says. “I would like to ask why he didn’t choose me. Not that it matters in any way, but something about it didn’t feel right.”
Moving forward
While having her heartbreak play out on national television hasn’t been easy, Janette is looking to the future.
She tells us she’s ready to start dating and would even consider becoming Australia’s first Golden Bachelorette!
“I still believe in fairytales and I hope my love story still happen,” she says.
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