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Since the highly-anticipated, long-overdue senior Bachelor spinoff The Golden Bachelor premiered on September 28, it has warmed hearts, restored faith in late-in-life love stories, and set record ratings with more than 11 million Week 1 viewers. The series has helped revive a franchise that longtime fans previously described to Decider as “stale and tired,” and along the way, the groundbreaking reality series is redefining societal views of 60 and 70-year-olds.
Now, with the show’s debut season nearing its end, one thing is clear: Bachelor Nation needs ABC to announce The Golden Bachelorette ASAP.
“All too often, I think as we get older, society in general begins to make us invisible,” 72-year-old Gerry Turner told Decider in an interview ahead of The Golden Bachelor‘s premiere. “And all of a sudden with this show, I think people realize that we’re not invisible. And I really mean this, not because of me, but because of that group of 22 women who were so elegant and supportive of each other and poised. I was so proud of them. Literally, I was at my most comfortable moments when I was with that group.”
The Golden Bachelor is as heartwarming and entertaining as it is inspirational, and with each passing week, Gerry — a father, grandfather, widower, former restauranteur, and pickleball lover — proves he’s the perfect person to kick off the senior reality TV reign. But as was the case with The Bachelor, we don’t want the opportunity to lead a series like this exclusively available for men. Now that we’ve seen the process can be a shining success for seniors, we’re eager to see a woman over 60 get her shot at writing her own unconventional, exciting love story!
When asked about a potential Golden Bachelor spinoff, Gerry told Bustle, “I have no say in that but I would love to see it happen. I think several of the women on my season would be excellent on The Golden Bachelorette.” And he’s right!
From the get-go, Gerry’s contestants put their contagious personalities, life experience, unshakable spirits, and smarts on full display. And as the series progressed, several spunky, now-eliminated seniors captured fans’ hearts. So they should be seriously considered as Golden Bachelorette leads. Sure, Gerry still has Faith, Theresa, and Leslie left on the series, so whichever two ladies are eliminated ahead of an engagement will likely be prime candidates for another shot at love. But let’s not forget the hilarious April, the sweet Nancy, or the stunning Edith. Joan, a 60-year-old private school administrator from Rockland, Maryland, had her Golden Bachelor journey cut short due to a family emergency. Natascha, the 60-year-old queen who called for sitting rose ceremonies on her way out of the mansion, definitely deserves her own show. And Gerry said emotional Episode 5 goodbyes to three more potential Golden Bachelorette gals: Ellen, Sandra, and Susan. So we imagine Bachelor Nation would love a chance to welcome one of them back.
My opinions may change after Hometown Dates and the finale, but as it currently stands, the delightful Sandra — a 75-year-old retired executive assistant from Doraville, Georgia, who had us at first F-word — is my second dream Golden Bachelorette candidate. And Ellen — a 71-year-old retired teacher who lit up screens and fell head over heels for Gerry — takes the top spot, especially since the opportunity would be another way to honor her bestie of 60 years, Roberta Zaktzer, who had cancer and passed away in 2023.
Considering the overwhelming success of The Golden Bachelor, it’s likely the franchise will continue to expand and spotlight older love stories with a senior Bachelorette spinoff. But just in case ABC plans to do something reckless, like renewing Bachelor in Paradise for another exhausting season without gifting Bachelor Nation with more golden goodness, we’re here to fight for it.
As Gerry told us before the season started, “I’m extremely happy that I met all those women. They are so spectacular.” Give a Golden Bachelorette that same chance at happiness, too.
New episodes of The Golden Bachelor air on Thursdays from 8:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. ET on ABC. Next-day streaming is available on Hulu. And be sure to read our full interview with Gerry Turner for more Golden Bachelor tidbits.
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