The Golden Bachelor season 2 cast, who will vie for Mel Owens’ heart, has been announced. After the ratings success of the first season of the dating franchise’s spinoff, which focuses on senior contestants, it was later revealed that both a Golden Bachelorette spinoff and season 2 were in the works at ABC.
The Golden Bachelor season 2 will star Owens, a 66-year-old former NFL athlete who got married, had two children with his wife, and then got divorced. After he was announced as the lead, he faced severe backlash after admitting he doesn’t want to date anyone over the age of 60, with fans of the show arguing his feelings defeat its purpose.
Three weeks before The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres, the cast has finally been announced by ABC. Every single woman except for 58-year-old college sports consultant Maia is in their 60s or 70s.
Among the cast members in their 60s are luxury yacht sales representative Alexandra (67), full-time mom Amy (63), former model Carla (62), Freddie Freeman family manager Carol (63), retired IRS employee Cheryl (66), retired biomedical engineer Cindy (60), fitness professional Debbie (65), home care agency CEO Gerri (64), state park employee Lisa (66) and flight attendant Monica B. (62).
Also joining the show are cosmetic dentist Monica P. (60), casino VIP host Mylene (61), yoga instructor Nicolle (64), retired firefighter and bomb tech Peg (62), wealth advisor/vineyard owner Robin (63), longevity nurse Roxanne (62), realtor Susie (62) and interior designer Tracy (62).
There are four cast members in their 70s: retired federal worker Andra (77), librarian Diane (71), retired elementary school teacher Lily (72) and cosmetic dentist Terri (71).
The Golden Bachelor also released a video on its official Instagram in which all the women introduced themselves, which can be viewed below:
What The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast Means For Mel Owens
Since only one woman in The Golden Bachelor season 2 cast meets Owens’ age limit, this season is off to a rocky start for him. The former athlete will have to put aside his ageist views and at least try to explore dating women over 60. He might end up surprising himself with how wonderful the women end up being once he gets to know them.
Several of the women from The Golden Bachelor season 1 became fan-favorites, with some even joining Bachelor in Paradise season 10. One of them, Joan Vassos, even went on to star in The Golden Bachelorette season 1 and got engaged to Chock Chapple after having to depart the first spinoff due to a family emergency.
Our Take On The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast
The Golden Bachelor and Bachelorette were a breath of fresh air in the franchise after the format grew stale. Fans gravitated in a big way towards these senior citizen-led spin-offs. Turner and Nist’s quick divorce deflated the excitement a bit, but Vassos finding love with Chapple brought people back.
Owens’ shocking comments about not wanting to date anyone over 60 have dogged him for several weeks. Scrolling through social media, it’s clear that a lot of fans are no longer excited about The Golden Bachelor season 2 as a result. However, it’s possible that Owens will be able to move past his scandal and prove his critics wrong.
The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.