The Golden Bachelor’s Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden: The heartbreaking love story behind Australia’s new reality TV star

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Everyone’s getting ready to fall in love with Barry ‘Bear’ Myrden on The Golden Bachelor, but before his TV journey, he already won over the hearts of people in Australia – and for a completely different reason.

Fourteen years ago, Barry and his wife Audrey were featured in a touching two-part story on the television program A Current Affair, which deeply moved viewers across the country.

Years ago, Barry looked completely different – he had dark black hair and was clean-shaven – as he supported Audrey while she bravely fought a terminal brain tumor.

Audrey’s last wish was to make sure her husband and their three young sons – Declan, Jack, and Charlie – would always have a home.

Thanks to A Current Affair, local real estate agents, and the kindness of hundreds of Sydney tradespeople, the dream finally came true.

Audrey choked back tears while filming ‘Audrey’s Wish,’ saying it brought her comfort to know her sons and Barry had a home of their own.

The brave mother, who touched the hearts of people across the country, said the kindness she received from strangers allowed her to spend another precious year with her children, including one last Christmas at home.

Audrey died in August of the next year at the age of 44. Her passing devastated Barry, and their three sons – who were only four, seven, and eight at the time – were left without their mother.

Audrey grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, before meeting Barry and moving with him to Manly in 1998.

They had always hoped to buy a house by the beach, but those plans changed when Audrey received a diagnosis of glioblastoma multiforme, a rare and fast-growing type of brain cancer, in 2009.

After successfully fighting breast cancer when she was younger, she and her husband, Barry, spent $90,000 on treatment, hoping for a cure.

‘How am I going to tell my children they’re not going to have a mum?’ Audrey told A Current Affair.

It’s impossible to think about life without my family, and theirs without me. I really don’t want to die; it just feels so unfair. It’s a cruel twist to be given such a wonderful family, only to be taken away, especially with my children still so young.

Refusing to give up, Audrey’s determination inspired her local community to rally around her.

A Current Affair teamed up with real estate agents Robert and Leonie Klaric to help a family buy a dilapidated house that needed a lot of work.

The project became one of the largest home renovations ever seen on Australian TV. In an incredible effort, hundreds of skilled tradespeople donated their time and supplies to completely rebuild the house in only 10 days.

With tears in her eyes, Audrey expressed her joy at witnessing the incredible home makeover, saying, ‘I’m just so happy to be here to see this.’

Over ten years later, Barry and his sons are still living in the house Audrey worked so hard to provide for them.

Declan, 17, Jack, 20, and Charlie, 21 – his adult sons – apparently encouraged their father to try finding love again by signing up for The Golden Bachelor.

This is the first time the reality dating show has come to Australia. Barry, age 61, is looking for love and will be meeting 20 women who are all hoping to win his heart.

There’s been talk that Barry wasn’t the original pick for *The Golden Bachelor*, and only became the lead after another potential bachelor dropped out. Barry has admitted he’d been asked to do the show several times previously, but didn’t agree until now.

He confessed he initially turned it down once, possibly twice. Then he added, ‘You only live once, so it’s never too late to find love.’

The widower admitted he developed feelings for one of the contestants on the show. He also playfully confessed he was attracted to the host, Samantha Armytage, saying he wished he could have given her a rose.

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2025-10-13 10:49