Susan Noles shared some juicy secrets and received a special gift — and snagged another rose — during the latest installation of "The Golden Bachelor," ABC's senior-citizen dating show.
At the end of Thursday's episode, the 66-year-old wedding officiant from Aston was 1 of 6 women still vying for the heart of the show's 72-year-old lead, Gerry Turner. As the new series reached its halfway mark, Noles continued to impress Turner and fans with her sense of humor, style and kindness.
MORE: Delco's Susan Noles shows off karate skills, jokes about farts in new 'Golden Bachelor' episode
Note: This article contains spoilers for Season 1, Episode 4 of "The Golden Bachelor."
When the episode began, the original star of "The Bachelorette," Trista Sutter showed up to the Bachelor Mansion to offer the remaining nine women advice in their journeys and invite some of them, including Noles, on a group date.
The group date turned out to be a pickleball tournament, with a photoshoot for the cover of InPickleball magazine on the line. Joey Graziadei, the Montgomery County-native tennis pro who is starring in the next season of "The Bachelor," joined the ladies to offer some pointers and referee the matches.
Though some women among the cast are pros at the up-and-coming sport — such as Ellen Goltzer, who is captain of her pickleball team in Florida — Noles did not seem to have much experience with it. She whacked the ball high over the fence surrounding the court, and questioned the name of the sport.
"I don't see the pickle," she remarked.
Fitted in a purple tennis dress, Noles teamed up with New Jersey-native Theresa Nist in the tournament. Their team, the "Purple Picklettes," were knocked out by the "Bitchin' Kitchens," a team that included Sandra Mason — who admitted she missed her daughter's wedding to be there.
Later in the episode, while Turner took contestant Leslie Fhima on a one-on-one date, Noles hung back at the mansion with her pals. She suggested a game of "Never Have I Ever." The women took a bite of ice cream to indicate which steamy acts they've done with former lovers, and Noles admitted to being intimate in the back of a vehicle as well as having been sexually involved with a woman in the past.
"Can we have another pint of ice cream over here for Susan?" Noles' friend Kathy Swarts jokingly asked.
At the cocktail party before the rose ceremony, Turner pulled Noles — who was wearing a flowing hot-pink frock — for the first chat. Noles had not yet had a one-on-one date with Turner and worried that her situation is "do-or-die," but the lead surprised her by gifting her a rose quartz crystal. He also complimented her on the aspects of her personality that remind him of his late wife of 43 years, Toni.
"Things are attributed to that type of stone," Turner said upon presenting her the gift. "First off, empathy. Secondly, strength. It's those two qualities I think that you have that remind me so much of Toni. That is the highest compliment I can pay someone. ... Those good qualities that you have, they're very special."
Noles got emotional, and the pair shared a kiss.
"I feel like a kid," Noles told the camera after their exchange. "I'm excited again. Every time I talk to Gerry, that spark reignites."
At the rose ceremony, Noles received another rose, meaning she will continue on in the pursuit of love with Turner. The other members of Noles' girl gang, "A.S.K.N." — Swarts, April Kirkwood and Nancy Hulkower — all had departed the show by the end of the episode, as Turner began to get more serious about his remaining relationships.
With hometown dates right around the corner, will Noles have the chance to take Turner on a trip to Delaware County?
When she's not earning new fans Thursday nights on ABC, Noles runs Nuptials by Noles, a company that officiates wedding ceremonies in the Philadelphia region, and has spent decades working as a hair stylist. She previously was married to Dickie Noles, who pitched for the Phillies in the 1980 World Series and now works for the team.
"The Golden Bachelor" airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC and can be streamed the next day on Hulu.
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