There’s a lot of hype surrounding ABC’s newest series, The Golden Bachelor—and we can see why. The spin-off will make history as the first dating show to address age representation head-on by featuring a 72-year-old lead, Gerry Turner, who’s looking for a second chance at love. But age representation isn’t the only reason we’re excited to watch the premiere on Thursday, September 28.
Keep scrolling for details about The Golden Bachelor (including why you should add it to your streaming queue).
First, it’s been a longtime coming. ABC originally teased the show back in 2020 when it dropped a casting call for senior citizens looking for love. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the network refused to move forward until they found the *perfect* lead, even if it meant postponing the show for three years (the COVID-19 pandemic also played a role in the delay).
Next, the casting couldn’t be more on point. Each woman has an inspiring story to tell about how she reached this moment in time, ranging from losing partners to never finding “the one.” Some of the most memorable Bachelor Nation alums are those who came to the show with a story to tell, and we expect this to be amplified given the format of The Golden Bachelor.
We are also itching to see the dynamic between the women. Unlike The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, we don’t expect to witness as many cat fights or accusations about someone being there “for the wrong reasons.” But there will be an added layer of competition to become the First Lady of The Golden Bachelor.
Well, this type of dating show has never been done before. Every other iteration focuses on finding love in your twenties or—dare we say—thirties. Nothing comes close to The Golden Bachelor in terms of age diversity and inclusion. It gives people hope that love after loss is possible, and we firmly believe that Turner’s story will inspire others to get back into the dating scene once they feel comfortable.
Gerry Turner is ABC’s first-ever Golden Bachelor. (FYI, his name is pronounced GAIR-ee—not JERR-ee.) He’s an ideal choice to lead the new series because he’s 1) friendly, 2) family-oriented and 3) willing to do whatever it takes to find a new partner, even if it means dating 20+ women on national television. He also credits his late wife and high school sweetheart, Toni, for showing him what true love is—so the bar is set very high.
Alexa, please play “Golden” by Harry Styles.
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