For the first time ever, The Bachelor spinoff The Golden Bachelorette has been part of the 2024 TV schedule, and it’s been a really fun season! After Joan Vassos put herself out of the running to be with Gerry Turner in The Golden Bachelor, she has been the first golden bachelorette, and her search for love has attracted all sorts of senior eligible bachelors sharing the iconic mansion. But, after this week’s episode brought about another key elimination, bringing Joan’s options to three men, it’s time to talk about The Golden Bachelor Season 2.
Should The Golden Bachelor continue, which very much seems to be the case, one of the men not meant for Joan could get their chance to take center stage for Season 2. Here’s our current top picks for the highly-coveted spot!
6. Gary
OK, maybe this is a wild card pick, but Gary was so wonderful on the show! He had such a wonderful presence to the series and I’d follow his story on his own. The big problem is his name is the same as Gerry Turner – just spelled differently. And, it took 25 seasons for there to be a Black lead in The Bachelor, so we have to wonder how long it will take this spinoff franchise. But, I’d watch the Palm Desert resident lead Season 2 in a heartbeat.
5. Charles
Even though I was pretty confident early in the season that Joan and Charles were not meant to be, I adored his arc on the show. It was so wholesome! Charles L. was a standout of the bachelors who showed some real personality and depth to him. While he quipped that Joan was “in charge” for her season, imagine if it was a season of “Charles in Charge”? It would make for great TV and I’d be interested in who he matches with, but yes, there’s concerns about whether Charles was ready to begin with to find a new better half. You could tell he really misses his late wife, and was perhaps still processing it deeply.
4. Jordan
Jordan was a top contender for Joan (who went to hometowns this week) for a reason! The hometowns brought up a lot for the couple, but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t shine as the sole man with ladies to romance if he commits to being more vulnerable? I do wonder if the Chicago sales manager and he’s perhaps too “chill” to take on the mantle and there's the point of him being out of the game with walls up for awhile, but he’s still one of the most likable of the group.
3. Keith
Another strong candidate for The Golden Bachelor Season 2 would be Keith. The girl dad of three from San Jose, California who strutted to the mansion with a romantic picnic basket that impressed our Golden Bachelorette would give completely different energy than Gerry. He also earned the first rose of the season and was always a fun place for Joan to go during the group dates – even though he got super nervous during one moment in the episode before he was eliminated. He was also such a sweetie on their one-on-one! He would be such a fun pick for The Golden Bachelor Season 2, and I know I’d be rooting for him to fall in love.
2. Jonathan
Before he was eliminated in Week 5, Jonathan Rone seemed like a frontrunner for Joan. The single father of two kids from Iowa is one of the emotionally open bachelors that was in this season, between going to his first prom for a group date early in the season, to opening up about his divorce with Joan while on their one-on-one. He would be a sweet pick for Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor that would certainly bring his vulnerability to the show as the center of it.
1. Mark
Look, I know a lot of people have called Mark Anderson a producer plant to cast The Golden Bachelor Season 2, but what can we say, Kelsey Anderson went viral for being her “hot dad” for a reason. While Joan broke up with Mark during Week 5 after Joan didn’t see an “us” between them, he does feel like the most viable of the bachelors to get his own season next. Mark is more quiet than some of the other bachelors, but he also seems like a total sweetie who could have an interesting season ahead of him if he chose to star in Season 2.
His daughter, who got engaged to Joey Graziadei during his season, has also already put her support behind Mark being the next The Golden Bachelor, telling Us Weekly she would “100 percent be excited for him.” It sure would be fun to have two people from the same family find love through the franchise, too.
Who In The Top Three Could Be The Golden Bachelor?
Now, there’s still three men in the game, Chock, Pascal and Guy! Right now I’m not going to consider any of them seriously because any one of them could be Joan’s man as I write this. However, it’s worth speculating who could be the next The Golden Bachelor if she lets any of them go. And hey, Gerry Turner is already getting a divorce (leaving us super burned going into this season), so it’s possible she doesn’t find anyone at the mansion.
I have an inkling Chock will be her pick, but if it doesn’t work out, I could also see the insurance executive from Kansas starring as the second Golden Bachelor – especially because he has the most compelling arc in the show thus far. If Joan doesn't pick Pascal, he would be a very fun Golden Bachelor choice, and probably move in that top spot above Mark. He just has so much personality and charm to entertain us.
Guy, however, will likely not be in contention for the show because the ER doctor is currently in hot water for the public finding out he had a temporary protection order filed against him by his ex-wife in 2021. Though, his ex apparently withdrew the application three weeks later. Guy released a statement about it on Instagram, but even so, it feels unlikely ABC would want to frame a series around him after this.
We’ll be watching the series closely and update these picks accordingly! And hey, maybe if The Golden Bachelor In Paradise becomes a show, a few of these guys will return!
