Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour

Episode Title: Lea Hard-Launches Her Man and Reads Your Confessions
Release Date: December 29, 2025
Hosts: Kathy & Susan
Guest: Leia from Paradise

Episode Overview

In this lively, candid episode of Bachelor Happy Hour's "Golden Hour," Kathy and Susan sit down with Bachelor in Paradise alum Leia for her much-anticipated "hard launch" of her new relationship. The episode delves into Leia's dating journey post-Paradise, what makes her boyfriend Ricky special, and plans for the future. In the second half, the trio has fun reading and reacting to anonymous listener confessions about love, relationships, and a bit of the wild side of dating life.

Main Segments & Key Discussion Points

Leia’s Relationship Reveal & Journey (03:14–15:15)

• Leia’s “Hard Launch” of Her Boyfriend Ricky

  • Leia is back in LA and glowing — thanks to “a very special man.”

  • Ricky is a LA-based musician, music director, and drummer for reggae artists (05:02–05:20).

  • They met backstage at a music festival "thanks to a mutual friend" before Leia’s time on Paradise.

  • First Impressions?

    • Leia admits she found him “very cute,” but wasn’t seeking anything serious before Paradise (06:08–06:13).
    • She and Ricky stayed in touch until after her Paradise run, when she reached out again.

  • How Things Took Off

    • After Paradise, Leia texted Ricky: “I just texted him and I was like, ‘Hey, I’m back from that show...’ We got dinner and we’ve been inseparable ever since.” (07:26–07:34)

  • What Makes Ricky Different

    • “I was finally ready...I want to find my person.” (07:55–08:04)
    • Ricky is described as “family-oriented,” “kind,” “patient,” and “gentle,” which Leia deeply values.
    • “He’s just someone who has accepted me 100% for who I am and encouraged me and kind of like, he’s never dulled my sparkle. I think he’s just brought it out even more and more.” (09:08–09:22)

• Will There Be an Engagement Soon?

  • The hosts press for details:
    • “Are you getting engaged?” — Kathy (09:22)
    • Leia laughs it off but reveals: “He actually asked me, he was like, ‘So, like, when do you want to, like, get engaged?’ And I was like, probably you can propose next year — like, early next year or 2026.” (09:39–09:53)
  • Leia is 25 (“about to be 26 in February”), Ricky is 30 (10:00–10:53).

• Comparison to Other Relationships

  • Leia has struggled with superficiality in the LA dating scene.
  • “I honestly, truly have never met a guy in LA who is as family oriented as him.” (10:35–10:39)

• Being Open with Followers

  • Leia plans to share more about Ricky after a “brand deal” featuring him goes live.
  • “I had to give you guys the first dib.” (12:00–12:12)
  • TikTok followers “are definitely more nosy. They love it!” (12:00)

• Cute, Memorable Moment

  • Leia shares the quirky moment she knew Ricky was “the one”:
    • “I put on a bald cap and a suit, and I was dressed up like Steve Harvey, and he thought it was adorable. Where one might think it’s weird. And that’s how I knew he was the one, because he kissed me in a belt in a bald cap.” (14:32–15:01)

Listener Relationship Confessions: Advice & Commentary (21:24–38:13)

• Format: Kathy, Susan, and Leia read anonymous audience confessions and react with advice, snark, or empathy.

• Notable Confessions and Reactions:

  • Infidelity

    • “My husband doesn’t know I hooked up with a colleague on a work trip.”
    • Leia, shocked: “Oh my gosh. You dirty, dirty girl.” (22:13)
    • All three agree the spouse “deserves to know.” Leia: “I don’t ever condone cheating and if that happened to me, I might go to jail.” (23:32–23:46)

  • Body Count Honesty

    • “My husband thinks I’ve only been with one other man besides him. But in reality, it’s ten.”
    • Susan shrugs: “I don't think that's that important that he has to know every single person you were with.” (24:07)
    • Leia: “I wouldn't… be with a man who is so stuck on the past… that's an ego issue and a confidence issue.” (24:32)

  • Taking Off Engagement Ring While Out

    • “I take my engagement ring off when I’m out with friends.”
    • Leia: “I think you just probably don’t love your fiance maybe. And you’re still looking. And that’s okay to still be looking. But if you’re engaged, you just have to unengage yourself.” (25:55–26:06)

  • Snooping Through Partner’s Phone

    • “I read my boyfriend’s text once a week…”
    • Leia: “I think people need to meditate, and I think people need to be more grounded… I think we’re both just healed individuals that trust each other very deeply.” (26:31–26:57)
    • Susan warns: "Be careful what you're looking for. Some things you don't want to know." (27:08–27:13)

  • Kissing the Best Friend

    • “After I met my future husband at a party, I kissed his best friend later that same night...”
    • Leia laughs: “I think that’s kind of funny and, like, iconic.” (27:51)
    • Susan: “That’s cool.” (27:54)

  • Faking Pregnancy

    • “I told my boyfriend I was pregnant so he would be nice to me.”
    • Leia: “Then I think you need to leave your boyfriend if he’s that much of an asshole. You shouldn’t have to trick him into being nice.” (28:14–28:23)

  • Not Telling about Bisexuality

    • “I never told my husband that I'm bisexual."
    • Leia: “I think you should share. If you love that person and you trust them and you should be able to share openly, like, who you are and not be ashamed of it.” (33:12–33:21)
    • Susan: "Are you going to act on it? Do you need it?" (33:24)

  • Wanting More Kids than Partner Agreed

    • “I want another baby. My wife and I agreed to only two.”
    • Leia: “Maybe just ask. People are so weird. Just talk about it.” (34:04–34:14)
    • Susan: “Communication, it’s key.” (34:19)

  • Crushing on Assistant

    • “I get butterflies for my assistant at work.”
    • Leia: “You just might have to move departments. That's fine.” (34:37)
    • Kathy: “If this is the worst confession you have, go back and live life again.” (34:43–34:56)

  • Hating the In-laws

    • “I hate my husband’s mom and sister. They were mean to me.”
    • Leia, empathetic: “That was honestly one of the things that ended the relationship [for me]... Ultimately, if you marry that person, that’s your family too. You don’t marry the person, you marry their whole family.” (35:20–35:53)
    • Kathy and Susan share personal stories and stress the difficulties of these situations.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Self-Acceptance in Relationships

  • Leia: “He’s never dulled my sparkle. I think he’s just brought it out even more and more.” (09:08)

• On Dating Perspective

  • Leia: “I always think about dating as, like, I hate to put it this way, but like a job interview… you gotta get to know... you gotta put yourself out there.” (20:03)

• On Cheating

  • Leia: “I don’t ever condone cheating, and if that happened to me, I might go to jail.” (23:44)

• On Trust

  • Leia: “I think we’re both just healed individuals that trust each other very deeply.” (26:54)

• On Being Seen

  • Leia (about Ricky appreciating her Steve Harvey costume): “That’s how I knew he was the one, because he kissed me in a belt in a bald cap.” (14:32)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Leia’s Relationship Background & Hard Launch: 03:14–13:46
• Engagement Plans & Relationship Values: 09:22–11:16
• Quirky Relationship “Aha Moment”: 14:32–15:07
• Listener Confessions & Honest Reactions: 21:24–38:13
  • Cheating: 22:02–23:46
  • Engagement ring off: 25:33–26:14
  • Snoop texts: 26:31–27:13
  • Kissing best friend: 27:16–27:57
  • In-laws drama: 35:20–37:21

Episode Vibe & Takeaways

Breezy, funny, and at times deeply genuine, this episode gives Bachelor Nation a peek behind the curtain at real relationship struggles — from finding “the one” after a reality TV heartbreak, to navigating family, trust, and honesty. Leia’s candidness about her romance serves as inspiration, while her and the hosts’ playful chemistry make the confessions segment as relatable as it is hilarious.

Encore moments:

• Kathy’s persistent teasing about getting engaged on the podcast
• The running jokes about Ricky, Leia’s now-public boyfriend
• The trio’s mix of wisdom and sass when giving advice to listeners

Listener takeaway: Whether you're looking for love or learning to own your relationship journey, this Golden Hour proves you’re never alone, and there’s always room for laughter — and maybe a little juicy confession.