Is ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ Returning for a Second Season?
Bachelor Nation is very clearly in flux right now. It appears as if the network and the production team behind the iconic dating franchise are trying to figure out how to freshen up a decades-old concept. While they do that, the 2026-2027 lineup remains a bit undefined. Viewers are still awaiting word on whether there will be a second season of The Golden Bachelorette or not after a lackluster Golden Bachelor season. Here is what we know so far.
Is a second season of ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ on the way?
ABC released its fall 2026 schedule in May, and The Golden Bachelorette wasn’t on it. It’s a notable break from tradition — a golden iteration of the series has aired each fall since 2023. The lack of acknowledgment has led fans to assume the series has been canceled, but that doesn’t seem to be the case, either. ABC hasn’t announced a cancellation, and a casting call remains live. So, what is going on?
The absence lines up with a rough stretch for Bachelor Nation as a whole. Earlier this year, ABC shelved The Bachelorette Season 22 days before its planned premiere. The cancellation left ABC with a Bachelor Nation-sized hole in its schedule. All of the shuffling around has slid iterations out of their traditional slots. The Bachelor and Bachelor in Paradise have both been confirmed to return in 2027, though later than expected. If ABC is sliding things around, we could possibly see The Golden Bachelorette in 2027, though ABC is still staying quiet. Right now, no news is the best news we have.
Fans have thoughts already
While there is no timeline for a second season of the beloved series, fans already have ideas about who they’d like to see get another chance at love. Speculation about a Season 2 lead has been swirling since Owens’ season wrapped, with fans rallying around a couple of standout names.
Debbie Siebers, a 65-year-old fitness professional from Washington who was eliminated in the final three, is a strong favorite. Fans would love to see her find love after she was so vulnerable about her previous relationship. She’s open to the idea, too. After The Golden Bachelor, she told Parade, “If [producers] asked me to do it, I would definitely do it.”
Cindy Cullers, a 60-year-old retired biomedical engineer from Austin, is a strong contender, too. Cullers walked away from Mel Owens in the final moments of the season when he made it clear he was not going to go “all-in” on a relationship right away. Cullers needed a promise of commitment, which is understandable considering the series’ premise. Her strength has gained her fans.
Several names from the first season of The Golden Bachelor have been bandied about, too. Longtime viewers wouldn’t be against seeing Theresa Nist get a chance at finding love again. Nist won season 1 of The Golden Bachelor and married lead Gerry Turner in a televised ceremony but divorced him months later. He verbally eviscerated her in a memoir; she has been more civil.
Still, nothing is official yet. Until ABC makes a formal announcement, fans are left piecing together scheduling clues and casting rumors. That has become a theme for the once very stable, long-running franchise.
