If you’ve ever watched The Bachelor or any of its spin-offs in the last few years then you’ve almost certainly seen the ad for future contestants of at least 60 years old to be a part of a new Bachelor series. In fact, the ads started while Chris Harrison was still the host. Well, finally, the show will actually arrive later this year to the delight of Bachelor fans everywhere.
ABC announced the show today, called The Golden Bachelor in reference to the golden years of the contestants, as part of their fall lineup.
The actual bachelor himself has not been named and it’s unclear if the show will follow the exact same format as The Bachelor, though we wouldn’t mind seeing changes. Of course, some changes will be natural, such as visiting the contestants’ parents for approval of marriage because, in some cases, it’ll likely be that the bachelor will be visiting their children for such approval.
It will hopefully be a more heart-warming show than its predecessors. That’s not to say that the Bachelor franchise is void of such warmth, but it’s usually is not the theme of the show. Producers are often under fire for creating more of a dramatic environment for ratings but hopefully avoiding such drama will be what producers attempt with The Golden Bachelor. Most people are just going to want to see a wholesome reality show filled with kind vibes, not some crazy contestant trying to ruin everyone’s opportunity, which seems like an annual even with the show in recent years.
Just think, if it does well and lasts as long as its parent show (or would The Golden Bachelor be the parent show?) then you can actually have returning contestants from decades earlier! It practically already happens with Bachelor in Paradise.
It’s also unclear if regular Bachelor host Jesse Palmer will be the host for this version.
As part of their description of the show, ABC stated in a press release:
“The women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experiences, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities. In the end, will our Golden man turn the page to start a new chapter with the woman of his dreams?”
The most recent season of the franchise was The Bachelor featuring Zach Shallcross – who had a controversial no-sex policy only to sleep with one of the woman then send her home. Next up is The Bachelorette featuring Charity Lawson which begins airing June 26.
The Golden Bachelor will likely film over the summer. ABC announced that it will air this fall on Monday nights though the dates — both for the bachelor and the episodes — have not been announced. If successful, maybe we’ll get The Golden Bachelorette.