Kathy Swarts Weighs in on Mel Owens’ ‘Golden Bachelor’ Age Preference Comments
Another member of Bachelor Nation is weighing in on Mel Owens‘ controversial Golden Bachelor contestant age range comments.
Last month, Owens revealed during an interview on the MGoBlue podcast that he only wants to date women between the ages of 45 and 60 on The Golden Bachelor’s upcoming second season. “I said, ‘If they’re over 60, I’m cutting them.’ [They said], ‘Oh, no, this is not The Silver Bachelor, this is The Golden Bachelor, but they’re going to be hot, don’t worry about it, don’t worry about it,'” Owens, who is 66, shared. “He goes, ‘You can’t use the word cut,’ I go, ‘That’s an NFL term.'”
The former athlete went on to share more requirements for his dream partner, stating, “They gotta be fit because I stay in shape. And I told [producers], ‘Try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, that kind of stuff.'”
Now, The Golden Bachelor Season 1 contestant Kathy Swarts is giving her two cents on what the show’s new lead has said. “I think that if Mel Owens met me — and I’m over 70 — that line would just not even be in his mouth,” she quipped in an interview with Entertainment Weekly published on Wednesday, July 16. “It’d be like, ‘Whoa, I never knew someone could be this fabulous over 60, over 70.'”
Taking Owens’ words with a grain of salt, Swarts said she thinks he will do “just fine” as the show’s Season 2 leading man. “I think Mel is a guy looking for love and I think he said something without really thinking about it. I don’t think he meant it,” she noted. “I think it’s going to be a great season. I personally can’t wait — unless I swoop in and take him away. In which case, show over!”
Disney/John Fleenor
Swarts made a splash as one of the women vying for Gerry Turner‘s affection on The Golden Bachelor‘s debut season in 2023, standing out for her candid comments and feisty personality.
Although she didn’t receive Turner’s final rose, she has continued her Bachelor Nation presence by cohosting the Bachelor Happy Hour’s Golden Hour podcast with Susan Noles and by joining the cast of Bachelor in Paradise Season 10.
Owens’ podcast comments were met with mixed reactions from fans, with some slamming the alleged age discrimination and others appreciating him for being candid about his romantic preferences. “We love the Golden Bachelor because of how wholesome it is. This type of energy will ruin it,” Selling Sunset‘s Chrishell Stause wrote via her Instagram Story on June 26.
Turner, for his part, told TMZ that Owens should be more “open-minded” about the women selected for the show, stating that he would have “missed out on amazing connections and friendships” if the contestants’ age range was limited.
Mel’s ex-wife, Fabiana Owens, has also spoken out against his upcoming Bachelor Nation debut. “Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad,” she told the Daily Mail in a July 4 statement. “But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this.”
The Golden Bachelor, Season 2, Wednesdays, Fall 2025, 9/8c, ABC
Watchlist Easy access to only the shows you care about — all in one simple place
Alerts Only important notifications — when a show is returning, when it becomes available to stream, and more.
Special Offers Exclusive products we release related to your favorite shows and streaming services