Heavy/ABC Jesse Palmer says a spinoff of "The Golden Bachelor" to feature a bachelorette could happen.
The first-ever season of “The Golden Bachelor” has quickly become a big hit, as fans eagerly watch to see if Gerry Turner can find love again. The finale of Turner’s journey will not air for a bit yet, but Bachelor Nation fans are already buzzing about the possibility the franchise could soon develop a similar version, but with a female lead.
Could “The Golden Bachelorette” become a reality? It could, if franchise host Jesse Palmer has any say in the matter.
Here’s what you need to know:
Jesse Palmer ‘Absolutely’ Could See a ‘Golden Bachelor’ Spinoff
On October 11, E! News asked Palmer what he thought of the idea of doing a season of “The Golden Bachelorette.” It seemed clear the Bachelor Nation host had already given the possibility quite a bit of thought.
“Absolutely. I really hope that’s the case,” Palmer said of the possibility. Granted, he admitted, “I can’t speak on behalf of executives or anybody else, obviously.”
Palmer also noted, “I’m sure everyone’s waiting to see how this one goes first. But I know there are thousands of women across America deserving of that.”
So far, “The Golden Bachelor” has had great ratings. After the premiere, Deadline detailed the show received the highest ratings on Hulu for any series in the franchise. The ratings were fantastic even in comparison to how “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” have done in recent seasons.
According to Variety, the numbers looked even better a week after the premiere. When accounting for all types of viewing platforms after seven days, “The Golden Bachelor” premiere had 11.10 million total viewers.
Those great ratings may seem even more significant when one considers the fact the show is airing on Thursday nights, which is not the norm for the franchise. Mondays are typically when “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” airs.
Palmer Anticipates a ‘Swell of Support’ for a ‘Golden Bachelorette’
ABC cast 22 women for Turner’s journey as “The Golden Bachelor.” Could one of those women become the first lead for “The Golden Bachelorette”? If the franchise followed its typical formula, that would be the case.
Someone completely unconnected to the franchise has not been cast as a lead since season 12 with Matt Grant. Every lead for “The Bachelorette” has been a former contestant from “The Bachelor.”
While Matt James had not been seen in a season of “The Bachelorette,” he had been cast as a contestant on Clare Crawley’s season. In addition, as Refinery 29 detailed, he is close friends with Hannah Brown’s runner-up, Tyler Cameron, so he was not completely unknown to Bachelor Nation fans.
If ABC decides to try a season of “The Golden Bachelorette,” and picks one of Turner’s contestants, who would get the nod? Palmer noted the group of women includes “Some incredible stories that I think are really going to resonate with people at home once you start peeling back the layers.”
Palmer added, “As the show goes on, you learn more about these women, what they’ve been through. I think there’s going to be a swell in support of there being a Golden Bachelorette. That’s my personal opinion.” He even has a vision for eventually doing a “Golden Paradise” too.
Fans posting in “The Bachelor” subreddit want to see a season of “The Golden Bachelorette,” and they have plenty of suggestions regarding a lead.
“Edith or Natascha would be my picks from the ladies [who] have gone home,” one Redditor shared.
“My pick is Susan for Golden Bachelorette. However, I’d be happy if any of the ladies became the Golden Bachelorette,” suggested another commenter.
“Leslie! She’s got enough spunk to carry a season and keep it entertaining, and she’s obviously gorgeous and talented,” someone else added.