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A lot is happening in Bachelor Nation. Most of the drama, at the moment, is all about production and the future of the franchise. Still, there is some relationship drama going on, too. Jonathan Rone, who appeared in season 1 of The Golden Bachelorette, announced the end of his recent romance.

Now, his new relationship status opens the door for Jonathan Rone to be the lead on The Golden Bachelor Season 2. The recent breakup could be a compelling storyline.

Joan Vassos and Jonathan Rone together on a bench in 'The Golden Bachelorette'
Joan Vassos with Jonathan Rone | Disney/Gilles Mingasson

Jonathan Rone announces break up

There is some sad news from one contestant from The Golden Bachelorette. Jonathan Rone has officially ended his romance with Michelle Zimmerman.

Rone and Zimmerman announced their relationship in November 2024 via Instagram. At the time, the TV personality insisted he had found exactly what he was looking for, despite his journey on The Golden Bachelorette ending sooner than he had hoped.

Fans were rooting for him, but the romance wasn’t built to last. Rone took to Instagram to announce he was officially single again late last week. He insisted that there were no hard feelings. He said that no time was wasted and that he shared a lot of great experiences with Zimmerman. Zimmerman, who has avoided the spotlight despite her high-profile romance, has not commented.

Rone and Zimmerman met via social media. When he shared his happy news in November, Rone confirmed they were committed to making the relationship work despite living in two different states. According to The Des Moines Register, Zimmerman initially slid into Rone’s DMs, believing he lived in Oakland, California, instead of Oakland, Iowa. Zimmerman, who appears to call the Bay Area home, and Rone traveled back and forth several times over the months their love affair lasted.  

Could ABC look to him as the lead for ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Season 2?

Bachelor Nation needs a big win. With the next season of The Bachelorette on an indefinite pause and drama between the women on Grant’s season failing to deliver the viewership ABC likely wants from the longstanding franchise, they need something compelling.

Jonathan Rone’s breakup could be just the thing to help right the ship. While Rone would likely draw a crowd, there is plenty of reason to believe he won’t be the next Golden Bachelor.

Jonathan Rone poses for promotional photos for 'The Golden Bachelorette'
Jonathan Rone | Disney/Ricky Middlesworth
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While Jonathan Rone’s breakup would serve as a compelling storyline for an upcoming season, it may not happen. The timing of the breakup could be too close to the show’s filming date to make him a viable lead.

The lead of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 has yet to be named, but that’s not to say ABC hasn’t picked the next older bachelor already. It is unclear if the production team has chosen a lead and is just keeping it quiet or if they are still in talks with some of the men from Joan’s season. We know the network is still casting contestants for the franchise, as evidenced by a commercial aired during The Bachelor on February 24.

The network didn’t announce Joan Vassos as the first-ever Golden Bachelorette until a month before filming for her season began. However, it’s likely she was handpicked long before the announcement. In fact, it’s possible Joan was tapped for the role before The Golden Bachelor Season 1 even finished filming. Leslie Fhima, the runner-up of The Golden Bachelor season 1, insists she was never even approached about the show, suggesting Joan was “the one” from early on.

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