See the First Look at ABC's Senior Leading Man, "The Golden Bachelor"

 

See the First Look at ABC's Senior Leading Man, "The Golden Bachelor"

It features a brand-new kind of love story: one for the elderly years. The Elderly Bachelor is a spinoff of the well-known reality dating program "The Bachelor." It will follow one soon-to-be-announced lucky older guy as he sets out to find love, making it the first senior-focused Bachelor episode in ABC's history. The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, two further Bachelor spin-offs, will air alongside this one.

The "The Bachelor" spinoff for senior citizens has finally arrived after years of development.

The 71-year-old Gerry Turner, who will be the first-ever older star of "The Bachelor" franchise in its 20 years on television, has been revealed as the star of "The Golden Bachelor" by ABC.

According to the key art for "The Golden Bachelor," the leading male is unquestionably older than the cast members of the franchise as a whole. The back of the mystery man's head is depicted in the promotional materials for the new season, which premieres this autumn; we can see salt and pepper in his beard and hair.

When "The Golden Bachelor" was announced, social media commenters questioned how senior this man would be: Would he only be slightly older than the 20- or 30-somethings who historically appear on "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette"? Or would Bachelor Nation actually get a season of television focused on senior citizens?

Turner was chosen as the star of the spinoff, which will feature a "whole new kind of love story — one for the golden years," after ABC made good on its pledge to produce a senior citizen drama. According to the synopsis provided by the network, a "hopeless romantic is given a second chance at love in the search for a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life."

casting notices for a senior For years, "Bachelor" has been playing throughout episodes of "The Bachelor," leaving viewers to wonder when or if the show will ever air.

Turner makes his first appearance in front of a mirror in the first trailer for 'The Golden Bachelor' (see it above), donning a suit and hearing aids.

He posts his hunger traps in a leather-bound album, the narration in the trailer declares. His direct messages are postage. He is always eligible for the early bird discount. He'll answer the phone if you call. He has highlights that indicate his wisdom rather than grey hair. Florida wants to relocate to him and retire. "He is Gerry,"

Rob Mills, Disney's top unscripted TV executive, previously talked to Variety about the anticipation around the show. The people involved are simply in a whole different stage of life, which makes it a very different approach to present "The Bachelor," as Mills had previously stated. "There is an intriguing aspect to those who have reached the opposite end of the spectrum, who have lived their lives, raised their children, some of whom have gone through divorce or widowhood, and perhaps some of them have never had true love. Through the "Bachelor" lens, we thought that dynamic would be interesting.

The Golden Bachelor is the most recent addition to the "The Bachelor" franchise, which has had 60 seasons since its debut in 2002 and includes the flagship shows "The Bachelor," "The Bachelorette," and "Bachelor in Paradise." Like many other legacy network programs, the franchise's ratings have been declining over time, but "The Golden Bachelor" has inspired a lot of discussions and renewed interest, with many fans expressing enthusiasm over the fresh angle on the long-running program.

To view pictures of Turner and discover more about him, go here.

This fall, "The Golden Bachelor" will show on Mondays at 10 p.m.