The Golden Bachelor: Did Mel Owens almost quit amidst controversy?

In just a couple of days we know that the premiere of The Golden Bachelor is going to be here — but will viewers come flocking back, as well?

Entering the season, there are a couple of things that feel clear. First and foremost, the promotion seems so much more muted than it was for Gerry Turner’s season a couple of years ago. Also, there is still a lot of apprehension around Mel Owens as the lead. He came under fire earlier this year when he made comments on a podcast suggesting that he did not want anyone over the age of 60 to be cast. He later apologized, and the entirety of his cast consists of people who are age-appropriate for him.

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Speaking to USA Today in a new interview, Owens indicated that he never considered stepping away from being The Golden Bachelor amidst the controversy. He also expressed gratitude that the producers did not back away from having him be the lead:

They stood by me, thankfully. And I had a great time, and was appreciative of them giving me a second chance. Again, I have apologized. I have asked for forgiveness. I said, ‘Let me earn it back.’ And you know, hopefully I did.

In the end, this is a statement that it is really hard to assess until after the season ends. We don’t come into this thinking that Mel needs to find his forever person. We’ll personally just be happy in the event he ends up with the person that he chose after this for a good stretch of time.

Related – Be sure to get some more news when it comes to The Golden Bachelor right now, including a new promo

What do you most want to see from Mel Owens as The Golden Bachelor, and do you think this season will be a success?

Be sure to share right now in the attache comments! Once you do just that, keep coming back — there are other updates on the way.