Bachelor Nation
‘Golden Bachelor’ Star Mel Owens Reveals Age Range of Woman He’s Looking For in Rare Interview
The Golden Bachelor‘s new leading man Mel Owens has remained quite elusive in the weeks since his casting was announced. However, he gave some insight into what he’s looking for in a woman during a rare public appearance on the MGoBlue podcast.
A brief portion of the interview was spent discussing the 66-year-old’s reality television future. When asked about his preferences in a partner, age was the first thing Mel referenced.
“I just said, ’45 to 60.’ Just being honest, right?” the former football player admitted. “And then the process went and I was selected. Then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, ‘If they’re over 60, I’m cutting them.’ [They said], ‘Oh, no, this is not The Silver Bachelor, this is The Golden Bachelor, but they’re going to be hot, don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it.’ He goes, ‘You can’t use the word cut,’ I go, ‘That’s an NFL term.'”
Mel said he “doesn’t know anything about” the women who will appear on his season, which films later this year, but said he “knows they’re going to be beautiful.” As for other qualities he’s looking for, the dad of two added, “They gotta be fit because I stay in shape. And I told [producers], ‘Try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, that kind of stuff.'”
He added, “I know there’s amazing women out there. Someone who’s a lifetime learner, enjoys to love life, and workout, and stay fit, and eat, and have fun, and be energetic, and live life.”
Mel also detailed his casting process, which began after the announcer at the high school where he coaches football texted him and said, “Hey, call this person.” After putting off the phone call for weeks and getting pestered by the announcer to make the call, Mel eventually did, and the person on the other end was from The Golden Bachelor casting.
They continued to call him back over the next few weeks, which meant he was “moving up” in the process of getting chosen. At one point, Mel’s two sons even had to make a video about why their dad should be the lead. After making it through several rounds and meeting with the highest executives, Mel found out he got the gig when Jesse Palmer showed up to his home and told him the news.
“Let me just tell you, these people are wonderful. They just suck you in, you can’t say no. They’re wonderful people,” Mel shared. “And the guy goes, ‘Why are you doing this?’ He goes, ‘You look like Robert Redford, first round draft pick, you’re an attorney, you don’t need the fame.’ I go, ‘I like to try new things. I like to be in the unknown. You guys have been so wonderful to me, this is something I really wanna do.’ And as tough as TV is, it’s remarkable. It’s the unknown. I’ve always been a guy that’s sort of out there, not on the edge, but trying new things.”
The Golden Bachelor, Season 2, Wednesdays, Fall 2025, 9/8c, ABC
