The Golden Bachelor star Mel Owens criticized for age restrictions on contestants in season two

The Golden Bachelor returned for its second season on ABC on 24 September 2025, with Mel Owens stepping in as the new lead.

Owens, 66, was announced in April and quickly became the focus of discussion because of comments he made earlier in the year about his dating preferences.

In June, he appeared on the In the Trenches podcast and said that he would not consider women aged 60 or older.

“If they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them,” he remarked, while explaining that he only wanted women between 45 and 60 to join his season.

He added:

“This is not The Silver Bachelor, this is The Golden Bachelor. They’ve got to be fit, because I stay in shape and work out and stuff.”

His words spread quickly across social media, sparking criticism that his outlook clashed with the spirit of the show, which first premiered in 2023 to highlight relationships among older adults.

The premiere episode introduced the contestants, highlighted Owens’s background, and set up a season where both romance and public opinion will be closely followed.
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Owens’s comments and fan backlash shape the start of the season in The Golden Bachelor

Owens’s words about excluding women over 60 shaped much of the conversation leading into the season premiere.

His statement, “If they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them,” became a focal point for viewers who saw it as limiting and dismissive.

On X, one user wrote:

“@BachelorABC should recast Mel Owens immediately. We want Charles L for Golden Bachelor! But if that’s not possible, please at least give us someone who is actually interested in dating the cast of golden women who are 60+.”

Another fan added that his reasoning undermined the meaning of the show’s title, saying:

“That kinda negates the ‘golden’ part. Sounds more like middle-aged bachelor.”

Critics also pointed to his defense of being “just honest” as an attempt to excuse comments many considered shallow. As one post put it,

“I hate it when people say, ‘I’m just being honest’ to explain away they’re really just being an asshole.”

The reaction demonstrated how important authenticity has become for audiences, especially in a franchise that markets itself as offering genuine chances for love later in life.

The criticism did not stop the premiere from airing as scheduled, but it placed added attention on how Owens’s actions would match his words.
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Season two premiere of The Golden Bachelor highlights and Owens’s introduction as lead

Despite the controversy, the season opened with the standard format familiar to Bachelor viewers.

Owens was introduced with a recap of his background, which includes his career as a professional football player, his long marriage that ended in divorce in 2020, and his years spent raising two sons.

His official biography emphasized that

“after several years as a devoted dad, Owens is ready to rediscover a love rooted in the simple joys of companionship, sharing life’s everyday moments, making plans for the future, and growing stronger together as a couple.”

During The Golden Bachelor season 2 premiere, Owens met 23 women who arrived in limos, each making their own introduction.

Most of the women were in the age range he had asked for, mainly in their late 40s and 50s.

Still, viewers noticed that Gerri, 64, got the first impression rose. This stood out because it went against his earlier comments.

With this choice, the second season opened with questions about whether Owens would stay firm on his rules or be more flexible.

As the show moves forward, viewers will be watching to see if his actions match his earlier words and what fans expected.

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Stay tuned for more updates.