The Golden Bachelor season 2 cast, who will vie for Mel Owens' heart, has been announced. After the success of The Golden Bachelor season 1, at least in terms of ratings if not for Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, it was a given that another installment would make its way to 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, which defeats the whole purpose of The Golden Bachelor.
Three weeks before The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres, the cast has finally been announced. 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 in which all the women introduced themselves:
What The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast Means For Mel Owens
The Golden Bachelor's Mel Owens in shades at an event
The Golden Bachelor's Mel Owens
Disney/Cristian Lopez
Since only one woman in The Golden Bachelor season 2 cast meets Owens' age limit, this season isn't getting off to a great start.
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, went on to star in The Golden Bachelorette season 1 and got engaged to Chock Chapple.
Our Take On The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast
The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast
The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Cast
Image via ABC
The Golden Bachelor and Bachelorette were a breathe 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 has 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. Only time will tell.
The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres Wednesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.