Here’s the controversy that shook the dating world: Mel Owens, the star of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor, found himself at the center of a firestorm after contestants challenged his age-related remarks on a podcast. Spoiler alert: This article contains hints about the Season 2 premiere of the show (https://variety.com/t/the-golden-bachelor/).
During the Wednesday night episode, Owens faced off against a group of women competing for his heart. While most contestants used their one-on-one time to share personal stories, several took it as an opportunity to confront Owens about his controversial comments from a June podcast (https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/golden-bachelor-mel-owens-apologizes-age-limit-remarks-1236475487/).
In that interview, Owens had said he’d ‘cut’ any contestant over 60 for the latest season, claiming he prefers women aged 45 to 60. He later admitted it was a mistake, calling the remark ‘unfair, unkind,’ and vowed to earn back the trust of the contestants. But the backlash didn’t stop there—some women, like 71-year-old librarian Diane, directly questioned what he meant by the podcast interview. Others, like 71-year-old cosmetic dentist Terri, even played a joke with a puppet named Carly, teasing Owens about the age limit.
Owens, who transitioned from NFL player to lawyer, also expressed his expectations for the contestants, saying they should be fit and avoid ‘artificial hips and wigs.’ Yet the real conflict came when he faced the women in person. Diane, who plays women’s hockey, asked him, ‘What the puck was that interview about?’ and offered him a second chance. Meanwhile, Carla, a 62-year-old former model, declared she was here to break stereotypes about older women, while Alexandra, a 67-year-old luxury yacht salesperson, echoed the same sentiment.
After meeting all the contestants, Owens addressed the group, apologizing again and reaffirming that age is just a number. ‘It’s truly a privilege to be the Golden Bachelor,’ he said. ‘I hope you can forgive me and let me earn it back.’
New episodes of Season 2 will air Monday nights at 8 p.m. ET on ABC and stream the next day on Hulu. But here’s where it gets controversial: Was Owens right to set an age limit, or did he cross a line by using that as a filter? And this is the part most people miss: What does it really mean to ‘earn back’ someone’s trust when the rules were already questionable? Let us know your thoughts in the comments—what would you do in his shoes?
