Spoilers ahead for The Golden Bachelorette finale, which aired November 13. Stream it with a Hulu subscription if you need to catch up.
Joan Vassos found her happily ever after, as the premiere season of The Golden Bachelorette finished its run on the 2024 TV schedule. In the end, it was Chock Chapple who proposed to Joan, with both of them falling in love again after previously losing their partners. As much as Bachelor Nation enjoyed watching their romance develop, the heart of the show was really in seeing a brotherhood form amongst Joan’s suitors, and some of the contestants have an idea for another spinoff to continue their stories.
I’ve been saying the Golden Bachelor in Paradise spinoff needs to happen, and according to US Weekly, several of ABC reality dating show’s contestants are in agreement. With Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos each leading a Golden season that introduced us to some lovely and hilarious seniors, now’s the time to let the two casts mingle, perhaps somewhere tropical? The newly engaged Joan is definitely on board, calling the idea “so much fun”:
First of all, I volunteer to be the bartender. I can see some love connections in those two groups that I think need to happen.
It sounds like BIP bartender Wells Adams could be out of a job, if Joan Vassos has anything to say about it. She may have already earned that right, too, after admitting that she’s already been playing matchmaker between the two casts.
One of The Golden Bachelorette stars who expressed interest was Gary Levingston, who formed more of a spiritual connection than a romantic one with Joan Vassos on the show. He said:
I like walking on other beaches outside of Southern California with my feet in the sand globally. So after taking off maybe about 30 pounds or so, that would be a lot of fun. That’d be a lot of fun.
Gary Levingston, we love you just the way you are! I think Gary's fun-loving personality would be a requirement on the potential future spinoff. Keith Gordon was another who was into the idea, though he questioned if that was something America really wanted to watch:
I don’t think you want to see a bunch of old men just hanging out. But no, I was thinking of doing it at a resort or something like that. Pool, golf, pickleball, tennis, whatever. But it’d totally be a blast.
I have to say, after watching the “mansion men” form friendships and have meaningful discussions about their families and their lives (not to mention the synchronized swimming), I would absolutely watch more of the “old men” hanging out, especially if the women from The Golden Bachelor were there too.
As for Mark Anderson, father of Joey Graziadei’s fiancée Kelsey Anderson, I’m not sure if he’s still on the market after appearing to hard-launch a relationship with One Tree Hill actress Barbara Alyn Woods, but he was open to the idea of Paradise as well, saying:
Sure. Yeah, I think I would.
Of course, many consider Mark Anderson the front-runner for The Golden Bachelor Season 2, though my money at this point is on fan-favorite Charles Ling. Others who may not be able to join the guys on the beaches of Paradise are Jordan Heller, who recently went out with Gerry Turner’s runner-up Leslie Fhima, and Jonathan Rone, who confirmed at the “Men Tell All” that he is seeing someone.
It’s not just the contestants (and me) who think Golden Paradise is a good idea; The Bachelor franchise host Jesse Palmer also said he’s trying to manifest it, because he needs to see what Susan Noles and Jack Lencioni would whip up in that kitchen together. Jack and Susan were seated next to each other at the live finale Wednesday, so hopefully that’s a sign of good things to come.
With this Golden season over, Bachelor Nation now has a few weeks off before The Bachelor returns on the 2025 TV schedule with Grant Ellis’ journey to find love.