In The Golden Bachelor’s first season back in 2023, controversy didn’t really hit until Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced their divorce just three months after tying the knot on live TV. I’m sure no one expected that the second time around, there’d be trouble before the season even premiered. With less than a week until Mel Owens welcomes his cast to Bachelor Mansion, he’s opening up about how The Golden Bachelor’s producers reacted to those viral podcast comments and whether he ever thought about backing out.
Mirroring a plot from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mel Owens, 66, said on a podcast in June — before filming started — that he preferred dating women 45 to 60 and planned on “cutting” anyone on his season who was older than that. Fans were outraged, with many hoping The Golden Bachelor would recast its Season 2 lead. However, according to the former NFL player, the producers took the viral gaffe in stride. Owens told USA TODAY:
