Bachelor in Paradise: Jonathon, 28, Considers Pursuing Connection with April, 67, After Golden Cast Makes Their Arrival

Age is just a number!

Bachelor in Paradise officially welcomed its Golden cast members to the group in the July 15 episode. As they settled in with the younger contestants, host Jesse Palmer marked the franchise-first with a message about never giving up on love.

“I know it may seem a little bit strange because we have different generations on the beach here together,” he continued. “But as it pertains to dating, we’re not expecting you to cross over that generational line…”

“Unless you want to!” April Kirkwood, 67, shouted out. 

Laughing, 28-year-old Jonathon Johnson joked that the Goldens “are hornier and more out there than we are — we’ve gotta step our game up.”

Jonathon’s strongest connection, Alexe Godin, told him that she didn’t feel a romantic spark and wanted to preserve their friendship.

Although he had gone on a date with Jill Chin as well, he told her that he only saw them as friends, leaving him at square one. His hope at the time was that she would still give him her rose if she hadn’t found another connection.

As the night came to a close, Jonathon was walking the Golden ladies to their bedrooms when April caught him off guard with a suggestive comment.

“Second door to the right if you need me,” she declared, leaving Jonathon speechless and running back to his friends to tell them.

“What the?” he then said in his confessional. “My sweet, sweet April. I knew there was a lot of nature in Costa Rica, but I didn’t realize there were gonna be so many cougars.”

The next morning, Jonathon and Jill had another conversation that left him worried she wouldn’t even give him a rose because of their friendship.

Jill confronted him about a comment he made before the last rose ceremony, where he said their date made his decision harder. While she interpreted that as him potentially developing feelings after wanting to be friends, he clarified that he did not mean it that way.

“I meant you were making my decision harder because it made me remember that I need somebody I can have conversations like that with,” he explained.

“But you didn’t mean that it was with me?” Jill asked, to which Jonathon replied: “No.”

Hours later, Jonathon decided to apologize to Jill, explaining that he misinterpreted her flirtation due to his own flirtatious nature with everyone.

“I’m so sorry,” he said. “The last thing I wanted to do was hurt your feelings and miscommunicate.”

Jonathon revealed that he spoke to Jill for a third time because he needed to secure a rose that night.

Jonathon admitted that the discussion came from ulterior motives, as Alexe had moved on to other people: “The girls have the roses. Alexe and I tried, we gave it a real good try. She decided that it was better that we’re just friends. And then Jill, that is kinda my last shot as far as a potential rose would go.”

When she quickly shut down his apology, he realized he had no other options left — until a producer pointed out that one woman was still single.

“Coming up to the rose ceremony, is April an option?” they wondered.

“Hmm,” Jonathon thought as he reflected on April offering up her room number. “In Paradise, there’s no age limit. Why not see what could happen?”

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New episodes of Bachelor in Paradise air Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.