Fourteen women have been sent home through two episodes of ABC’s reality series.
The Golden Bachelor is officially back! Season 2 of the ABC reality series, which stars Mel Owens, a 66-year-old retired NFL player turned lawyer who is looking for love, kicked off in September.
But before his journey for love could really kick off, the former Los Angeles Rams linebacker apologized for the controversial comments he made about the ages of the show’s female contestants earlier this summer.
“I know what a lot of people are thinking of me. That’s not what I am,” Owens insisted during the season premiere last Wednesday.
Many of the women then proceeded to confront him individually about the controversy when they met face-to-face. With every apology he made to do better, each woman seemed hopeful that he would.
“Every one of you ladies is wonderful,” Owens said upon entering the mansion to chat with the golden women. “I sincerely apologize. It was insensitive, unfair. … I hope you forgive me and let me earn it back.”
Last week’s premiere ended with Owens eliminating 10 of the 23 women. On this week’s second episode, four more women were eliminated.
Who is still in the running for Owens’s final rose?
The nine women who received roses on Week 2 of The Golden Bachelor were Robin, Roxanne, Cheryl, Gerri, Cindy, Nicolle, Carol, Debbie and Peg.
Who did Owens send home?
The 10 women who Owens sent home on Week 1 of The Golden Bachelor were Susie, Carla, Andra, Lisa, Alexandra, Mylene, Lily, Maia, Diane and Tracy. The four eliminated on Week 2 were Amy, Monica B., Monica P. and Terri.
Why was Owens embroiled in controversy?
Over the summer, there was speculation as to whether ABC would move forward with Owens as the Golden lead after he said on a podcast that he’d automatically eliminate women over 60 years old. In an August interview with Glamour, Owens publicly addressed his ageist comments.
“I apologized to the women on the show. When I first walked in, I addressed it. I apologized to them. I said, ‘It was unfair, insensitive. I want to earn it back. Just give me the chance.’ And hopefully, these last two weeks I earned some of that back,” he told the magazine.
As for why he agreed to go on The Golden Bachelor despite wanting to only date women under 60, Owens said he didn’t know anything about the typical age range of the show’s contestants. The first season of The Golden Bachelor, which starred 72-year-old Gerry Turner, featured contestants who were between 60 and 75 years old.
“I’m thinking, to me, the age range was 45 to 60. That’s my age range. I’m thinking that’s the gold years for me. My reference, again, was when I was dating at 39, 40. I hadn’t dated in 26 years, so I had no clue. And that’s why I said that comment. I didn’t know. I didn’t know,” he said.
The controversy started in June, when Owens appeared on the MGoBlue podcast for his alma mater, the University of Michigan. It was during this conversation that Owens talked about what he was looking for in a partner.
“They ask me, ‘What’s your preference?’ So I just said 45 to 60, just being honest,” Owens said on the podcast. “And then we had lunch with the executive producer. I said, ‘You know, if they’re 60 or over, I’m cutting them.’”
When asked about his physical “type,” Owens said he was interested in women who prioritize their health and don’t have any artificial body parts.
“They asked me, ‘What is my profile?’ Well, [the women] got to be fit, because I’m staying in shape and working out and stuff. And I told them, ‘Try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff, right?’” he said.
Here is the full list of all 23 female contestants featured on Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor, including whether or not they are still in the running for Owens’s heart:
Alexandra
Age: 67
Occupation: Luxury yacht sales representative
From: Miami
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Amy
Age: 63
Occupation: Full-time mom
From: Short Hills, N.J.
Status: Eliminated (Week 2)
Andra
Age: 77
Occupation: Retired federal worker
From: Los Angeles
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Carla
Age: 62
Occupation: Former model
From: Los Angeles
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Carol
Age: 63
Occupation: Family manager for MLB player Freddie Freeman
From: Villa Park, Calif.
Status: Still in the running
Cheryl
Age: 66
Occupation: Retired IRS employee
From: Lakewood, Colo.
Status: Still in the running
Cindy
Age: 60
Occupation: Retired biomedical engineer
From: Austin, Texas
Status: Still in the running
Debbie
Age: 65
Occupation: Fitness professional
From: Denver
Status: Still in the running
Diane
Age: 71
Occupation: Librarian
From: Wasilla, Alaska
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Gerri
Age: 64
Occupation: Home care agency CEO
From: Rockville, Md.
Status: Still in the running (received first impression rose)
Lily
Age: 72
Occupation: Retired elementary school teacher
From: Pacific Palisades, Calif.
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Lisa
Age: 66
Occupation: State park employee
From: Marion, Ohio
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Maia
Age: 58
Occupation: College sports consultant
From: Malibu, Calif.
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Monica B.
Age: 62
Occupation: Flight attendant
From: Huntsville, Ala.
Status: Eliminated (Week 2)
Monica P.
Age: 60
Occupation: Cosmetic dentist
From: Birmingham, Ala.
Status: Eliminated (Week 2)
Mylene
Age: 61
Occupation: Casino VIP host
From: Las Vegas
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Nicolle
Age: 64
Occupation: Yoga instructor
From: Miami Beach, Fla.
Status: Still in the running
Peg
Age: 62
Occupation: Retired firefighter and bomb tech
From: Las Vegas
Status: Still in the running
Robin
Age: 63
Occupation: Wealth adviser and vineyard owner
From: Napa Valley, Calif.
Status: Still in the running
Roxanne
Age: 62
Occupation: Longevity nurse
From: Austin, Texas
Status: Still in the running
Susie
Age: 62
Occupation: Realtor
From: Del Mar, Calif.
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
Terri
Age: 71
Occupation: Cosmetic dentist
From: Houston
Status: Eliminated (Week 2)
Tracy
Age: 62
Occupation: Interior designer
From: Lafayette, La.
Status: Eliminated (Week 1)
