Press release
April 22, 2025
Disney/Maarten de Boer*
After a historic first season, “The Golden Bachelor” is set to return to ABC and Hulu. Mel Owens, the 66-year-old former NFL veteran-turned-lawyer, is gearing up to make his next big play as the second Golden Bachelor.
Born and raised in a close-knit Midwestern family in Detroit, Owens’ athleticism shone through from an early age. After graduating from the University of Michigan, he was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 1981 NFL Draft by the LA Rams. Following his retirement from football, Owens transitioned into a career in law and moved to Orange County, California, dedicating himself to helping others – particularly those seeking justice for sports-related injuries. It was during this time that he met his first love, and together they had two sons. While life took an unexpected turn with the passing of his father and the end of his marriage, Owens channeled his energy into being the best father he could be, focusing on raising his sons and coaching their extracurricular sports teams.
Now, after several years as a devoted dad, Owens is ready to rediscover a love rooted in the simple joys of companionship – sharing life’s everyday moments, making plans for the future, and growing stronger together as a couple. As the Golden Bachelor, he’s eager to meet someone who shares this vision and finally find that perfect teammate he’s been waiting for in his golden years.
The inaugural season of “The Golden Bachelor” averaged 10.4 million viewers after the first 35 days across platforms, making it the strongest average for any season of an ABC unscripted series since “The Bachelor” during the 2019-2020 season (P2+, MP35). It also hit a 2.88 rating among P18-49, the highest-rated ABC unscripted series since “The Bachelorette” in fall 2020.
“The Golden Bachelor” is produced by Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon. A premiere date will be announced at a later date.
*COPYRIGHT ©2025 Disney Enterprises, Inc. All photography is copyrighted material and is for editorial use only. Images are not to be archived, altered, duplicated, resold, retransmitted or used for any other purposes without written permission of ABC. Images are distributed to the press in order to publicize current programming. Any other usage must be licensed.
Media Contacts:
ABC Media Relations
Brett Levine
Kellyn Holmes
Warner Bros. Television Group
Marina Beck
Nikki Lichterman
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