The Golden Bachelor season 2 premiered on a dramatic note on September 24, 2025. The central ‘bachelor’ of the show, Mel Owens, began his venture of love with confrontations and apologies. The 66-year-old retired NFL linebacker-turned-attorney joined the show to find a partner after his almost two-decade-long marriage with Fabiana Pimentel Owens, 47, fell apart. Following the heartbreak, Mel Owens is ready to try and give love a second chance and find his ‘the one’ among 23 beautiful bachelorettes.
The dating reality show took a slightly sour turn when Mel Owens faced blasting remarks for his past comments on the type of women he prefers. He kind of expected the reaction from the contestants and seemed genuinely apologetic for the remarks he made in a recent podcast. Some bachelorettes tried to break Mel’s stereotypes regarding older women, while some confronted him, even playfully hitting him with a doll. Read to know what all went down in the first episode of The Golden Bachelor season 2.
Mel Owens’ past comment on not wanting to date women over 60
The new ‘golden bachelor’, Mel Owens, made some controversial comments on the In the Trenches podcast prior to the show’s premiere, stating that he preferred dating women between 45 and 60 years old. He said, “If they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them”. Mel also mentioned wanting women who are fit and do not have ‘artificial hips and wigs’. His comments were widely criticised as ageist and sparked backlash among fans, with some even calling for him to be recast.
The Golden Bachelor contestants confronted Mel Owens
Mel Owens faced confrontations from several contestants during the season 2 premiere of the show, regarding the statements he made about his dating preferences. Notably, 22 out of the 23 contestants are over 60, with one contestant in her 50s. During their one-on-one introductions with Mel, several women directly addressed his comments. Diane, a 71-year-old librarian and hockey player, jokingly asked, “What the p**k was that interview about on that podcast?” Carla, a 62-year-old former model, told him, “I’m here to break all of your stereotypes about women over 60”.
The highlight, however, was Terri and her doll. Terri, a 71-year-old cosmetic dentist, introduced Mel to her hand puppet, Carly, who then slapped him playfully and said, “That was for all women over 60.” Carla the puppet also asked him whether it was unexpected to him that the contestants of the show were that hot at over 60 years of age. The ex-NFL star took the comment and ‘puppet slap’ sportingly, saying he had never faced something like that in his life, and so ‘that was fun’.
Mel Owens apologised for his comments on dating preferences
Mel Owens issued an apology to the women collectively and individually, expressing remorse for his ‘insensitive, unfair’ comments. He stated that age is just a number and spirit has no age. He shared that he regretted the things he said in the podcast regarding older women and sought a second chance from the contestants of the show. The women seemed to accept his apology, with one noting that he ‘owned it upfront’. Mel Owens shared being privileged to be able to be a part of the show and hoped to earn the women’s trust once again. He stated:
“It’s truly a privilege for me to be the Golden Bachelor. And I hope you can forgive me and let me earn it back.”
What are your thoughts on Mel Owens being confronted by the contestants and his apologising for his past comments? Let us know.
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