The Golden Bachelor is revving up for its return.
The senior-aged spinoff of The Bachelor that had everyone talking when it launched in 2023 is back with its second season on Sept. 24, and ABC has released the full cast for when Mel Owens takes his turn handing out those red roses.
One of the highlights of Golden Bachelor season one was seeing the empowering women who came on national television looking for a second or perhaps third chance at love breakout to stardom, and a teaser (below) shows that this new batch of hopefuls in their golden years are just as impressive.
The reality dating series will have 23 women vying for Owens’ affection. Owens is a 66-year-old dad of two sons and former NFL player turned lawyer who played college football for the University of Michigan Wolverines, followed by a nine-year NFL career as a linebacker with the Los Angeles Rams. He is the second Golden Bachelor star in the Warner Bros.-produced franchise, following Gerry Turner in season one and Joan Vassos leading the inaugural season of the Golden Bachelorette. Several Golden franchise castmembers also joined this summer’s spinoff series, Bachelor in Paradise.
Owens made a stir earlier this summer when he said his desired range for the women on his season was under 60; he later spoke out about the stumble, saying the first thing he did when he began production on the upcoming season was to apologize to his female cast.
“I said, ‘It was unfair, insensitive. I want to earn it back. Just give me the chance,’” he said, adding that many of the women accepted his apology. But “one of the dates was a roast,” he added. “It was brutal. They were killing me… They’re brilliant. It’s shocking how brilliant they are.”
Among the 23 women who were hand-picked by ABC’s casting department to prove that “love stories don’t end with age, they only get better” are a Napa Valley vineyard owner, fitness professional, retired biomedical engineer, a CEO, librarian, former model, and a retired firefighter and bomb tech.
Here they are — pictured above and detailed below:
Alexandra, 67, a luxury yacht sales representative from Miami, Fla.
Amy, 63, a full-time mom from Short Hills, N.J.
Andra, 77, a retired federal worker from Los Angeles, Calif.
Carla, 62, a former model from Los Angeles, Calif.
Carol, 63, family manager for baseball all-star Freddie Freeman from Villa Park, Calif.
Cheryl, 66, a retired IRS employee from Englewood, Colo.
Cindy, 60, a retired biomedical engineer from Austin, Texas.
Debbie, 65, a fitness professional from Denver, Colo.
Diane, 71, a librarian from Wasilla, Alaska
Gerri, 64, a home care agency CEO from Rockville, Md.
Lily, 72, a retired elementary school teacher from Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Lisa, 66, a state park employee from Marion, Ohio.
Maia, 58, a college sports consultant from Malibu, Calif.
Monica B., 62, a flight attendant from Huntsville, Ala.
Monica P., 60, a cosmetic dentist from Birmingham, Ala.
Mylene, 61, a casino VIP host from Las Vegas, Nev.
Nicolle, 64, a yoga instructor from Miami Beach, Fla.
Peg, 62, a retired firefighter and bomb tech from Las Vegas, Nev.
Robin, 63, a wealth advisor/vineyard owner from Napa Valley, Calif.
Roxanne, 62, a longevity nurse from Austin, Texas
Susie, 62, a realtor from Del Mar, Calif.
Terri, 71, a cosmetic dentist from Houston, Texas
Tracy, 62, an interior designer from Lafayette, La.
The Golden Bachelor returns Wednesday, Sept. 24 (8:00-10:00 p.m.) on ABC, streaming next day on Hulu.
The season will be hosted by returning star Jesse Palmer and is produced by Warner Horizon Unscripted Television, a Warner Bros. Television Group company. Jessica Castro and Andrew Frank are executive producers, with Jessica Castro as showrunner.
