Kathy Swarts clears the air on her viral Bachelor | TV Shows

Reality hit Bachelor in Paradise turned up the heat this week with the arrival of the Golden Bachelor cast, especially 72-year-old fan-favorite Kathy Swarts.

During a group challenge designed to win a romantic night in the VIP suite, the contestants were asked to anonymously confess their juiciest secrets. Keith admitted to cheating on a college final, while RJ shared details about a past open relationship. But Kathy’s confession was the most memorable.

She wrote that she once “slept with someone else while her partner was in the next room.” The room collectively gasped as she suggested she’d had an affair while her partner was nearby.

In a new interview with Katie Couric Media, the Golden Bachelor star explained the moment wasn’t quite what it seemed. “When Jesse said that whoever had the best secret would win a big surprise, I decided I was going to win it,” Kathy said. “I knew that if you’re dealing with youngins, somehow it’s got to allude to sex.”

She admitted, “I’m a wordsmith, so I decided to write something that would grab their attention.”

In the same episode, fellow Golden alum April Kirkwood, 67, made a bold move toward 28-year-old castmate Jonathan Johnson.

As the group headed to bed, April walked past him and let him know where her room was, prompting speculation among fans about whether she was hoping for a late-night visit.

Swarts weighed in on the moment, saying: “April is a beautiful, spunky, energetic woman who doesn’t really consider age; she looks at experience. I think she came just like the rest of us: to meet people and have a good time. That’s all it meant, just April, having a good time.”