Bachelor Nation
‘The Golden Bachelor’ Season 2: New Lead, Schedule Details & Everything Else We Know
Joan Vassos’s journey as The Golden Bachelorette ended back in November 2024. She got engaged to insurance executive Chock Chapple, and the two are currently living their best life together. They are still juggling a long-distance relationship between Kansas and Maryland but are looking for an NYC apartment.
Fans of the franchise are longing for more “sunset years” singles to find their special person, and they’re in luck … because The Golden Bachelor is returning for Season 2. Since Vassos bid farewell to 24 men throughout her journey as the Golden Bachelorette, there’s been months of speculation about which rejected suitor could become the Golden Bachelor lead.
ABC went a different direction, though, and dropped a major bombshell about Season 2 on April 22. A few weeks later, the network shared an update about when the show will return. Scroll down for the latest updates about the show’s upcoming second season.
Is there going to be a Golden Bachelor Season 2?
The Golden Bachelor has officially been renewed for a second season. The news was confirmed at Hulu’s “Get Real” House event on April 22, 2025.
Before the official renewal news was confirmed, it was widely assumed that a second season of the hit series would become a reality. Many of The Golden Bachelorette contestants were even asked by media outlets (including Swooon!) and fans alike if they’d be up for the task.
BachelorNation.com, the official website of the producers of The Bachelor franchise, posted a casting call for “senior men and women looking for love.” A version of this casting call was seen during the commercial breaks of The Golden Bachelorette.
Who is the next Golden Bachelor lead?
Along with the Season 2 confirmation, ABC announced that Season 2’s lead will be Mel Owens, a former NFL player who is “eager to meet someone who shares this vision and finally find that perfect teammate he’s been waiting for in his golden years.”
Owens played in the NFL for nine seasons before retiring in 1989. He went on to become a financial advisor before eventually turning his attending to a law career and being admitted to the California bar in 2003. Owens is a founding partner of Namanny, Byrne & Owens in California.
The new lead, who is 66 years old, divorced his wife Fabiana Pimentel in 2020. They share two sons.
Originally, many fans hoped Mark Anderson would take over Gerry Turner‘s position as the lead, but that’s no longer an option. Kelsey Anderson‘s “hot dad” is basically Bachelor Nation royalty, making him the obvious choice, but the lead is currently in a relationship with One Tree Hill alum Barbara Alyn Woods.
Other have also called for Jordan Heller or Charles Ling to become the lead. “It’s probably too early to consider that question at this moment,” Charles said after the Men Tell All special.
However, there will still be plenty of opportunities to see The Golden Bachelorette men on your screens. It was previously confirmed that Season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise will include past Golden contestants, and while only Gary Levingston and Leslie Fhima have been announced as cast members so far, it’s expected that more additions will be added in the weeks to come.
When will The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premiere?
An exact premiere date has not been revealed yet, but the show will be airing on Wednesdays in ABC’s fall 2025 lineup. It will have a one-hour slot from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. The Golden Bachelorette was in this time slot in the fall 2024 lineup.
With Season 1 of The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette both premiering in September, we can expect Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor to likely premiere on a Wednesday in September 2025. Possible dates are September 17 or September 24, but keep checking back here for updates.
What happened with Gerry and Theresa?
After falling in love on Season 1 of the show, the two got engaged and even tied the knot in a TV wedding in January 2024. However, Bachelor Nation was shocked when they split up just months later.
Both parties said that the distance was too hard to overcome and that neither one wanted to move to the other’s home state. Gerry lives in Indiana, while Theresa Nist is in New Jersey.
Theresa recently spoke out and revealed that their original agreement to live in Charleston, South Carolina, was eventually scrapped by Gerry. She also alluded to some other aspects that made her realize that they weren’t meant to be.
The Golden Bachelor, Season 2 Premiere, Wednesday, Fall 2025, 9/8c, ABC
