Mel Owens, ABC’s pick to lead the second season of “The Golden Bachelor,” made waves prior to even filming the reality dating show when he said on a podcast that he would be cutting any woman over the age of 60 from the senior-focused program.
Owens’ comments, which were widely reported on, ruffled the feathers of both fans of the series and the women in their 60s and 70s who would soon be courting the NFLer-turned-attorney on “The Golden Bachelor.” With the spotlight on him in an unprecedented way before the show’s debut, Owens decided to address his ageist remarks up front on the first night he met the contestants.
“When I came onto the show [and] I met them in a group, I apologized and I asked for them to give me another chance, let me bring it back, and they did,” Owens told TheWrap at the “Golden Bachelor’s” Melrose takeover on Friday. “I was sincere, and from that point on, we just had a great time.”
Owens admits that he had no frame of reference for dating in this season of life, having been married and not having dated since his divorce. “I was married for 25 years. I hadn’t dated since my late 30s, and now I’m 66 so it was a new experience,” he said. “This is not the typical way that someone would date … it was unique [and] I found it very fulfilling.”
With Owens’ divorce happening in the midst of the pandemic with his two sons just in high school, dating was pretty much off the table. But now, with his sons more grown up at 18 and 20 years old, it felt like the right time for the star to begin again. “They were more mature, and they’re more independent, it became my time,” Owens said.
The opportunity to become the second-ever “Golden Bachelor” fell into his lap after his friend had been contacted by casting and referred the team over to Owens, who underwent a thorough interview process before getting offered the gig. “I asked my friends — I go, ‘What do you think?’” Owens said, noting that, at first, his friends thought he was going to be one of the men dating the next “Golden Bachelorette.” “Everybody said, ‘Do it,’ … so I did it.”
Owens cited the comfort he felt throughout the vetting process as one of the main reasons he agreed to be the next “Golden Bachelor,” applauding ABC and Warner Bros. TV, which produces the “Bachelor” franchise, for crafting such a “wonderful” experience.
“I didn’t know I was going to be the guy, but when they offered it, I was already comfortable with the decision I was going to make,” Owens said. In fact, he called his time on the reality dating show one of his “top experiences” — excluding his time with his children, of course.
Even with Owens’ comfort with the production teams, the leading man admitted he was quite nervous to meet the women he would be courting on that first night. “If you’re not nervous for something, it’s not important, right?” Owens said. “I played football all my life, and [whether] it’s a big game or a regular game, I’m nervous because they’re all important.”
Owens was immediately impressed with the women, though. “Just watch it for the women,” he gushed. “You can see some fantastic women and how great they really are.”
“The Golden Bachelor” Season 2 premieres Wednesday, Sept. 24, at 8 p.m. on ABC before streaming on Hulu.
