Host Jesse Palmer is weighing in on the similarities — and differences — between the season 2 Golden Bachelor, Mel Owens, and OG lead Gerry Turner.
“They’re, maybe, more different than they are similar,” Jesse, 46, exclusively shared with Us Weekly while on set for the first group date of The Golden Bachelor season 2. “I think in a lot of ways, they’re two very different people.”
Gerry, 74, found love with Theresa Nist on the inaugural season of the show, with the pair tying the knot in 2024 and divorcing months later. Mel, meanwhile, is hoping to find The One on season 2 — with guidance from fellow NFL alum Jesse.
“Mel, like myself, as a former football player, [he’s] very analytical, likes to prepare, really thinks about it,” Jesse explained. “He’s studying, and he wants to execute on game day.”
Jesse, the season 5 Bachelor, shared that his biggest piece of advice for Mel has been, “You got to be authentic and just be yourself.”
“I thought the exact same way as Mel did back when I was the Bachelor years and years and years ago,” Jesse admitted. “When you’re playing football, you’re just always practicing, you’re lifting weights, you’re watching film, so you can go execute on game day.”
He continued, “But telling Mel, ‘Look, there’s nothing you can do that’s going to prepare you for being the Golden Bachelor, and you just have to be yourself. You have to show the women the good, the not perfect, and you have to put your walls down as early as you can, because the women are the ones that are going to follow your lead. And the sooner you do that, the sooner they’ll do that as well.’”
Jesse noted that he and Mel, the ninth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft, are “sort of cut from the same cloth a little bit more in terms of our backgrounds and what we thought we knew coming into this role.”
Jesse added, “It’s going to be a journey, that’s for sure.”
As Mel embarks on his quest to find love, Jesse shared that it’s been a full-circle moment guiding the lead.
“I’m a big fan of Mel. I have his football cards from the mid ‘80s, when I was 7 years old. I do, actually,” Jesse shared. “We do have a lot in common that we talk about off-camera and on-camera again.”
Jesse continued, “I’m just happy and I just want to help support Mel in any way I can and offer him advice. He’s a player who wants to be coached. You can tell he’s always asking questions and he always wants to know something. It comes up in every single conversation. That’s just who he is. So I’m happy to help him any way I can.”
The Golden Bachelor season 2 premieres on ABC Wednesday, September 24, at 8 p.m. ET.
