Should ABC Go in a New Direction With the Lead of ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Season 2?
The Golden Bachelorette lead Joan Vassos will reveal who gets her final rose next week. While viewers are hopeful that she’s found a forever love, it’s already time to look ahead to what comes next.
Though ABC has not yet announced a second season of The Golden Bachelor, let’s assume it’s a done deal. Still, there is one change that ABC could make to ensure the next season of The Golden Bachelor feels fresh.
Both Joan Vassos and Gerry Turner lost their spouses
Joan Vassos and Gerry Turner, the leads in the first seasons of The Golden Bachelorette and The Golden Bachelor, have one major thing in common. While they hail from different regions and walks of life, both wore their grief as a badge of honor. Turner and Vassos both lost spouses. They were both still grieving their deaths when they agreed to date two dozen men or women with the hope of finding their next great love.
Vassos’ husband, John Vassos, died in 2021 from pancreatic cancer after battling the disease for more than two years. She was open about how much she missed him during The Golden Bachelorette.
Turner’s wife, Toni Turner, died from an infection that rapidly advanced several years before he appeared in the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor. They were high school sweethearts who married in 1972. Turner’s vulnerability initially endeared him to viewers, but he eventually became the villain of his season.
Someone with a lighter story would make ‘The Golden Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ more fun
While Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos’ stories of loves lost were heartwrenching and relatable for many viewers, the death of their spouses cast a bit of a dark cloud over the show. The heaviness of their grief and the despair of many contestants made the competition feel dire and high stakes. While their stories were important to tell, something different might keep the series feeling fresh and light.
So, how could ABC shake up the series for season 2? A divorced lead might make things more interesting. It would also reach a viewership demographic that feels a bit underrepresented. Divorce is a fact of life. Surely dozens of divorced men could lead the series. Several contestants from Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette are divorced.
Which divorced men would make a good lead for ‘Golden Bachelor’ Season 2?
While Joan Vassos’ season had several widowers competing for her affection, several divorced contestants could conceivably lead season 2 of The Golden Bachelor. Guy Gansert, Keith Gordon, Jordan Heller, and Pascal Ibgui would make solid contenders.
Keith Gordon, a divorced father of three, received the First Impression rose from Joan Vassos thanks to his fun and laidback nature. Despite being a Golden Bachelorette fan-favorite, Joan eliminated him before the Hometown dates.
Gordon divorced in 2012 and took on raising his three daughters. His youngest daughter has recently graduated from high school, so he’s ready to prioritize finding love. Gordon revealed that addiction in the family led to the end of his partnership, but he didn’t elaborate further. His background makes him an ideal candidate for the next Golden Bachelor.
Jordan Heller is also a divorced dad who opened up about the end of his marriage on The Golden Bachelorette. Of his divorce, he said, “There were some serious breaches of the marital trust, and that ruined the whole party, let’s say.” During his time on The Golden Bachelorette, he revealed that he had a really good marriage, and then it suddenly was no longer good.
According to Yahoo!, The Chicago native and his ex-wife were college sweethearts who appeared to be cordial despite the nature of their split. Jordan’s good looks, personality, and dedication to his family would make him a very eligible golden bachelor.
Pascal Ibgui shocked The Golden Bachelorette fans when he self-eliminated from the competition following a heavy one-on-one date with Joan during the Fantasy Suites episode. The French salon owner was not in love with Joan. Viewers, who had been largely critical of Pascal, appreciated his honesty.
Ibgui is still interested in finding love. He might make a solid lead in the next season of The Golden Bachelor. Ibgui divorced after 11 years of marriage in 2012, so he should be open to settling down again. The salon owner, however, would want to focus his search on women in the Chicago area based on things he’s said.
Guy Gansert, an ER doctor, is still in the running for Joan Vassos’ heart, but if he’s not the one she picks, he would make a strong candidate for the next season of The Golden Bachelor, despite some controversy. Gansert was married for 34 years before splitting from his ex-wife. While she briefly sought a restraining order against him, she later dropped it. Gansert addressed the controversy, insisting that his divorce was difficult for him and he felt a great deal of guilt over ending his marriage. Gansert insists he has spent time evaluating his behavior. ABC and Joan Vassos have vouched for his character.
ABC has yet to reveal if they will move forward with a second season of The Golden Bachelor. They have not discussed who could be the next golden bachelor, either.
