Despite the controversy ahead of season 2 of The Golden Bachelor, Mel Owens is hopeful that Bachelor Nation will tune in to meet his cast.
“The women are great, and you’re going to see that they’re great,” the 66-year-old lead told Us Weekly ahead of the Wednesday, September 24, premiere. “They carry the show. They’re wonderful, and they’re feisty and smart, and truly, you’re going to see the passion from them. It’s a great, great show. Tune in and you’re going to see a lot of good things.”
Back in June, Mel made headlines for saying on a podcast that his dating preferences were women between the ages of 45 and 60. (The former football player meets women from age 58 to 77 on Wednesday’s premiere.) He also said he told producers “no wigs or artificial hips.”
Some fans were so upset that they declared in the comments of The Golden Bachelor’s social media posts that they would not watch the season. There were also false reports that he had been recast.
“I’m not really on social media, so I didn’t even know that. People are sending me screenshots and saying, ‘Oh, my God, are you still there?’” Mel told Us. “And I go, ‘I am,’ because I didn’t hear anything to the contrary. But I really didn’t give it too much thought, because that’s noise, I guess, and chatter in the background. ABC and Warner Brothers believed in me, and I’m glad they did, and it’s going to be a great season.”
When asked how he would describe his dating preference now, Mel doesn’t hesitate: “I’d be open to anything.”
Mel Owens. Disney/John Fleenor
“That’s what it really is,” he said. “When I stopped dating, I was 39. Now, I’m 66 — it’s been 25 years in between. These women — they’re all accomplished, and they’re all funny and witty and smart, and we have shared experiences of the same age, which I found very refreshing.”
He also noted that the women are “forgiving” and want to give him a second chance.
With The Bachelorette on pause, ABC is gearing up for its second senior to hand out golden roses. ABC announced on Tuesday, April 22, that Mel Owens, a 66-year-old former NFL veteran-turned-lawyer, will star on season 2 of The Golden Bachelor. “Born and raised in a close-knit Midwestern family in Detroit, Owens’ athleticism shone through […]
Mel was previously married to Fabiana Owens for 17 years, with his ex-wife filing for divorce in 2020. The former couple share two sons.
Host Jesse Palmer previously told Us that he loved watching Mel with his kids.
“I had a chance to visit with him and his kids … and it’s really a unique and special bond to watch,” he said. “I think he’s in this unique time now where he can finally focus a little bit more on it himself. His kids are getting ready to go off to college, and I think he really wants to find a special person.”
For more from Mel, watch the video above. The Golden Bachelor airs on ABC Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET.
