Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour

Episode: April Kirkwood: ASKN is BACK! | Golden Hour
Date: September 24, 2025
Hosts: Kathy, Susan
Guest: April Kirkwood (Golden Bachelor)

Episode Overview

This lively episode of Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour reunites Kathy and Susan with their fellow Golden Bachelor castmate April Kirkwood. With humor and honesty, the trio dive into dating after 60, friendship, personal reinvention, and advice for navigating romance and life’s new chapters—especially for "Golden" women. April brings her wisdom as a counselor, her signature candid storytelling, and plenty of laughs, while also reflecting on vulnerability, growth, and what really matters in love and friendship.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. One Word to Describe "Paradise"

• [05:47] Kathy: “April, one word. How would you describe your time in paradise?”
• [06:04] April: “Freeing. It was freeing for me. That’s the word.”
  • April explains her growth from her initial Bachelor experience (“I didn’t understand girls ... after being with Ralph for 21 years, I had forgotten what it was like to have girlfriends.”).

2. Adjusting to Life Post-Ralph and Newfound Friendship

• April candidly talks about relearning how to be with other women after so many years in a long-term relationship.
• [07:09] April: “So there I am with girls for the first time, like, in 21 years. I’m like, what the do I do with these?”

3. Relationships, Dating, and Navigating the Modern Scene

• April shares the challenges and surprises of dating at her age, including her experiments with TikTok and hilarious dating stories.

  • [10:11] April: “The craziest date I was on is when he decided he loved me and told me he loved me. The first date and I wasn’t even sure.”
  • When she tried to slow things down, her date bailed, using “I think I have a headache” as an excuse. “He gave me the best excuse not to go out with me. ... You’re taking my words!”

• The group reflects on shifting standards in dating, being attracted to authenticity, and retaining boundaries.

  • [12:43] April: “He was pretending to be spiritual. I really like that. He pretended.”
  • April describes the one man who used eyebrow pencil and curled his eyelashes and comments on the intersection of vanity and authenticity in potential partners.

4. Qualities Sought in a Partner

• [13:40] April: “I am looking for someone who is very powerful. Not money-wise. Powerful, that I feel safe with, that really sees me in all my flaws ... and will protect me.”

• The hosts and April joke about the fine line between protection and control, emphasizing the need for emotional safety and independence.

5. Starting Over in New York

• April describes her recent move to New York as “the hardest thing I’ve ever done besides Ralph dying.” She reflects on adapting to a new lifestyle, finding new routines, and missing her Florida support network (doctors, hair, plastic surgeon).

  • [20:29] April: “This was the hardest. Honestly, other than Ralph dying, this was the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”

• April enjoys being near her grandchildren and living by the water but is still adjusting and sometimes questions her decision.

6. Staying Connected with Bachelor Nation

• April keeps up with some cast members, including Parisa (“my favorite”), Leslie, and occasionally Nancy.

  • [23:05] April: “Parisa is my favorite. We talk a lot about mental health. She’s a counselor. I’m a counselor.”

• The hosts joke about memorable moments on Paradise (like the infamous body shot and “smelling the underwear” challenge).

  • [24:07] April: “People fall in love by scent, not from his underwear. ... More than any other place.”

7. The Dating App Experience & Age-Defying Romance

• April and the hosts reflect on dating younger men and laugh over changing standards of “young” (for April, 60 is now youthful).
• Susan shares she’s seeing someone younger (55 to her 68).
• The group explores initial attraction, chemistry, and how priorities (kindness, looks, fun) evolve with age.
  • [28:35] April: “I have to really want to rip your clothes off in the bathroom at the restaurant or ... I’m not gonna even date.”

8. Advice for Navigating Relationships and Emotional Conversations

• As a counselor, April discusses boundaries and not wanting to “therapize” potential partners.

  • [32:16] April: “I wait until we’re relaxed. ... This is not a first date usually thing, not a text. I hate texting. ... Do not text personal information. ... tell me about your family, tell me about your mom. For any of us, if we have issues with mom and dad, it’s a no-brainer.”

  • On keeping professional distance: “Do I want to be his shrink? Hell no.” ([33:40])

9. Female Friendships, Forgiveness, and Growth

• April opens up about rekindling her friendship with Kathy and Susan after a period of distance:
  • [41:00] April: “I had to make a decision way after a year ago ... I decided I was going to love you no matter what ... and that really hurt me because I really do love you.”
  • Kathy shares how the Bachelor experience brought her back her “happy” after feeling lost.

10. Empowering “Golden” Women in Dating and Life

• April offers heartfelt advice to “Goldens” (older women) about courage and resiliency in dating and beyond:
  • [42:37] April: “I want you to think about, ladies, your worst heartbreak ... how you got up and you rose to the occasion ... you are stronger than you know, more powerful than you know. And if your heart beckons you to take a chance, do it. But if you don’t want to, also, you have the power at any time to say no.”
  • On pacing and caring for oneself: “I only do one date a week, and I see that date through. ... I ease into it gracefully. ... Do one thing a day for yourself.” ([44:02])

11. The Influence of Bachelor Nation

• The hosts and April reflect on the impact their visibility has had, providing positive role models for older women.
  • [48:45] Kathy: “We, as a group of golden women, have ... given them the belief that all they have to do is get up to change their lives ... Life is not over. … There’s many chapters to life, lots of possibilities, and this is ... your best chapter.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• April on authentic attraction:
  "I have to really want to rip your clothes off in the bathroom at the restaurant or ... I’m not gonna even date."
  — April (28:35)

• April on heartbreak and resilience:
  "I want you to think about ... your worst heartbreak ... and how you got up and you rose to the occasion ... You are stronger than you know. You are more powerful than you know."
  — April (42:37)

• April on boundaries in relationships:
  "Do I want to be his shrink? Hell no."
  — April (33:40)

• April on female friendship:
  "I decided I was going to love you no matter what ... that really hurt me because I really do love you."
  — April (41:00)

• Kathy on the show's impact:
  "I am so grateful to the Bachelor franchise ... they gave me back my happy ... all those things. ... For me, it’s extremely gratifying.”
  — Kathy (47:42–49:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• First Impressions and Paradise Feelings: 05:47–08:09
• Navigating Single Life After Loss: 06:18–07:09
• April’s Dating Antics and ‘The Headache Excuse’: 10:11
• Qualities April Is Seeking: 13:40–14:18
• Life After Florida/Move to NY: 20:29–22:12
• Bachelor Nation Friendships: 23:05–24:52
• Dating App Experiences: 24:23–25:47
• Discussion on Age and Attraction: 28:35–29:53
• Relationship/Emotional Advice for Men: 32:16–34:56
• Advice for Women Afraid of Dating: 42:37–44:33
• Gratitude for Bachelor Nation: 47:42–49:32

Episode Tone

The episode maintains a warm, playful, and candid tone with honest sharing, witty banter, and moments of vulnerability. It’s a celebration of mature women’s capacity for renewal, joy, humor, and self-discovery—with plenty of laughs and wisdom.

For fans of Bachelor Nation and anyone navigating love and life in their later years, this episode is a testament to resilience, friendship, and the courage to start new chapters—no matter your age.