How to watch the season 2 premiere

When The Golden Bachelor premiered in 2023, it served as a reminder that love is ageless.

Hosted by Jesse Palmer, the hit dating series puts a fresh spin on the Bachelor format by devoting itself to single seniors ready to put themselves out there again.

The singles bring decades of life experience to this new iteration of the Bachelor franchise, having lived full lives with all the love, loss, and lessons that come with it. Now, they’re embarking on this journey with open hearts, ready to show audiences that it’s never too late to fall in love again.

With season 2 kicking into gear, we’ve got everything you need to know about when The Golden Bachelor airs, how to watch it, and how this year’s cast brings something new to the table.

What time does The Golden Bachelor season 2 air?

Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 24 in a special 8 p.m. ET time slot.

From the following week onward, new episodes will air in the show’s regular slot of Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.

Who’s the leading man of The Golden Bachelor season 2?

Taking over leading man duties for The Golden Bachelor season 2 is none other than Mel Owens, a 66-year-old retired NFL player.

Mel was a linebacker for the Los Angeles Rams from 1981 to 1989, and he officially retired in 1991. Since then, he’s worked as a sports lawyer at NBO Law, a firm he co-founded that specializes in injuries, disability benefits, and workers compensation, according to his LinkedIn.

Mel’s journey will offer fans something new, showrunner Jess Castro promised Entertainment Weekly. “In season 1, there was a lot of conversation around loss. But that’s not the only thing that happens to you later in life,” she said. “In season 2, we are going to see what happens after divorce. We are going to go on a completely different journey with Mel than we were with Gerry.”

The former pro athlete married Fabiana Pimentel in May 2002. The couple welcomed two sons before Pimentel, who’s 19 years younger than Mel, filed for divorce in 2020.

Since then, Mel hasn’t dated anyone, choosing instead to focus on working and raising his boys. He told EW he “just didn’t have time to [date],” adding that his sons “needed all [his] attention.”

Now, he’s ready to open his heart again. “My goal is to meet someone that I can enjoy life with,” he said. “Whatever comes from that, it comes from that.”

That said, Mel’s journey got off to a bit of a rocky start. In a June podcast interview, he revealed he’d told producers that he wouldn’t date women over 60. “I told [producers], ‘Try and stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs,’ that kind of stuff,” he said.

His comments didn’t sit well with fans, and Mel issued a public apology. You can look forward to him addressing the controversy directly with all 23 contestants on night one of The Golden Bachelor.

Who’s in the Golden Bachelor season 2 cast?

Ahead of the season 2 premiere of The Golden Bachelor, EW offered fans an exclusive first look at the Golden goddesses heading to the Bachelor mansion.

Here’s the official cast of women vying for his heart:

• Alexandra, 67 — Luxury yacht sales representative from Miami
• Amy, 63 — Full-time mom from Short Hills, N.J.
• Andra, 77 — Retired federal worker from Los Angeles (and the twin sister of Sandra from The Golden Bachelor season 1)
• Carla, 62 — Former model from Los Angeles
• Carol, 63 — Family manager for MLB star (and nephew) Freddie Freeman, from Villa Park, Calif.
• Cheryl, 66 — Retired IRS worker from Engelwood, Colo.
• Cindy, 60 — Retired biomedical engineer from Austin, Texas
• Debbie, 65 — Fitness professional from Denver
• Diane, 71 — Librarian from Wasilla, Alaska
• Gerri, 64 — CEO of a home care agency from Rockville, Md.
• Lily, 72 — Retired elementary school teacher from Pacific Palisades, Calif.

• Lisa, 66 — State park employee from Marion, Ohio
• Maia, 58 — College sports consultant from Malibu, Calif.
• Monica B., 62 — Flight attendant from Huntsville, Ala.
• Monica P., 60 — Cosmetic dentist from Birmingham, Ala.
• Mylene, 61 — Casino VIP host from Las Vegas
• Nicolle, 64 — Yoga teacher from Miami Beach, Fla.
• Peg, 62 — Retired firefighter and bomb tech from Las Vegas
• Robin, 63 — Wealth advisor/vineyard owner from Napa Valley, Calif.
• Roxanne, 62 — Longevity nurse from Austin, Texas
• Susie, 62 — Realtor from Del Mar, Calif.
• Terri, 71 — Cosmetic dentist from Houston
• Tracy, 62 — Interior designer from Lafayette, La.

Where can I watch The Golden Bachelor?

The Golden Bachelor airs Wednesdays on ABC, with new episodes available to stream the following day on Hulu.

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