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For years, fans have watched 20-somethings find love on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Last year, ABC bet on an older demographic and won big. The Golden Bachelor, which focused on retirees finding love, was a hit. Now, we are just months away from the premiere of The Golden Bachelorette, with 61-year-old Joan Vassos in the lead. Should fans expect Vassos to be picking from a sea of 60 and 70-year-old men, or will her contestant skew a bit younger? While we can’t say for certain, the show’s casting director may have given away a little hint.

‘The Golden Bachelorette’ casting director hints at the ages of contestants

While ABC has yet to reveal the age range for Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette, the casting director, Jacqui Pitman, did give away a little hint during a recent interview. In a chat with Eyewitness News, before Vassos was revealed as the first-ever golden bachelorette, Pitman said that she tries to cast empathetic and layered contestants. She also shared some of the highlights of her job.

Joan Vassos meets Gerry Turner on 'The Golden Bachelor'
Joan Vassos and Gerry Turner | Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images

Pitman told the news outlet that she’s enjoyed spending time really talking to men who are “60, 65, and 70” and learning what they are looking for. While Pitman didn’t give away a lot of information, that slip has some fans assuming Vassos will be choosing from eligible bachelors between the ages of 60 and 70.

It is unclear how many contestants were interviewed before casting was completed. The network has not yet announced how many eligible bachelors Vassos will choose from. ABC will likely share that information in the weeks before the fall premiere of The Golden Bachelorette.

What was the age range for contestants on Gerry Turner’s ‘The Golden Bachelor’ season?

While Vassos is more than a decade younger than Gerry Turner was when he was cast as the lead in The Golden Bachelor, it looks like the age range she’ll be choosing from is very similar to Turner’s. During his season, Turner dated more than 20 eligible bachelorettes between the ages of 60 and 75. Six of the 22 women who appeared in the series, including Vassos, were 60 years old when cast. Just two of Turner’s potential love interests were 75.

contestants on 'The Golden Bachelor' stand with season lead, Gerry Turner
The cast of ‘The Golden Bachelor’ | Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images
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While the show’s runner-up, Leslie Fhima, was 64 during the show’s run, Turner ultimately picked a partner closer to his age. The 72-year-old proposed to Theresa Nist, 71, during the season finale. The duo married in a lavish, televised wedding ceremony in January 2024. Their love was not built to last, though. They announced their divorce just three months later. Nist and Turner insist they ended their union because neither of them wanted to move away from their families. Susan Noles, one of Turner’s love interests, has a different take. She recently suggested Nist’s continued career aspirations, despite being of retirement age, weighed heavily on the marriage.

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