One of the women competing for Mel Owens' heart on The Golden Bachelor season 2 has a shocking connection to one Gerry Turner's season 1 contestants that will have viewers seeing double. The Golden Bachelor season 2 stars Mel Owens, a 66-year-old NFL player-turned-lawyer and divorced dad of two teenage boys, who made some controversial statements about his dating preferences, which he's since apologized for.
Before The Golden Bachelor season 2 began filming, Mel stated that he only wanted to date women aged 45 to 60, and that he'd cut any women over the age of 60 from the cast. He also stated that he didn't want to date anyone with artificial hips and wigs. Backlash ensued, and there were even rumors that Mel would be replaced as the lead.
However, Mel has since expressed remorse for his comments, explaining that he didn't know the age range for the show and that he hasn't dated in about 26 years.
Mel's Golden Bachelor season 2 cast has since been announced, with only one of the 23 women under the age of 60 at age 58. The oldest woman in the cast is Andra Wicks, a 77-year-old retired federal worker from Los Angeles, California. She's not only the oldest woman ever to compete on the dating series for seniors, but she also has a surprising connection to one of Gerry's contestants.
The Golden Bachelor Season 2 Contestant Andra Wicks Is Season 1's Sandra Mason's Twin Sister
The Golden Bachelor season 2's Andra has a connection to one of Gerry's most beloved contestants. She's Sandra Mason's twin sister. When Sandra competed on The Golden Bachelor season 1 in 2023, she was 75 years old, and one of the oldest contestants on the show. However, Sandra was also one of the feistiest, with her inspiring group date pickleball tournament performance despite having two artificial knees and her hilarious love of using curse words.
Sandra made it to Gerry's Final 6 women, but he eliminated her right before his hometown dates. She's since become one of Bachelor Nation's favorite Golden women, appearing as an advisor to Daisy Kent on Joey Graziadei's Bachelor season, and on an episode of Celebrity Family Feud.
In an Instagram post, Sandra revealed that she and Andra are twins. She posted a video of their photographs morphing into each other that said, "Because TWO are better than one! Shine that Golden Light, Andra!" The song, "It Takes Two," by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston played in the background. The caption of Sandra's post read, "Ctrl + C, Ctrl + V. WHAT?? No—you won’t be seeing double when Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor premieres on Sept 24! Can’t wait!"
Who Is The Golden Bachelor Contestant Andra Wicks?
According to her ABC bio, Andra is ready to find a strong connection during The Golden Bachelor season 2. She loved working for the federal government, and wants to make a difference in the world. In addition, Andra earned her master's degree when she was 61 years old. She's known for getting the job done, as she's never been late paying a bill.
Andra has many hobbies and interests. She enjoys crafting and spending time with her grandson. She also likes going to the gym and out to dinner with her friends. She considers herself "a low-key adrenaline junkie."
It's going to be very exciting to see Andra take The Golden Bachelor season 2 by storm after Sandra made such a lasting impression during season 1. Andra is sure to prove all of Mel's misconceptions about older women wrong, and it'll be inspiring to see. At 77 years young, Andra is definitely one to watch.
The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres on Wednesday, September 24 at 8 p.m. EDT on ABC.
Sources: Sandra Mason/Instagram, The Golden Bachelor/Instagram, ABC