Get Ready, Bachelor Nation — 'The Golden Bachelorette' Is Happening!

ABC's hit dating series The Bachelor has been around since 2002. The show (and its Bachelorette counterpart) has mainly focused on young singles finding love — until The Golden Bachelor premiered in September 2023. While the concept, which followed 72-year-old Gerry Turner's quest to couple up with the woman of his dreams, may have had its naysayers, the reality is that The Golden Bachelor drew in records viewers.

Viewers tuned in with devotion for the entire first season of The Bachelor spinoff. So, given the first season's success, is a Golden Bachelorette in the works? We've got some good news...

During the Winter TCA panel, ABC officially confirmed on Feb. 9, 2024, that The Golden Bachelorette is on the way! It will debut in the fall of 2024, with more details to come.

Given the success of The Golden Bachelor, it's easy to see why the network would pursue a spinoff. According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Golden Bachelor pulled in big numbers when the season premiered in September 2023. The premiere attracted 9 million eyeballs, a quadrupled ratings among the coveted 18-49 age bracket.

Even before the finale of The Golden Bachelor, fans of the series were already wondering if we were going to get to see a Golden Bachelorette. And it makes sense, given the lovely ladies Gerry met along the way to choosing his final rose recipient, Theresa Nist.

Of course, if the show follows the format of The Bachelorette that came before it, we will likely see a woman who did not win Gerry's heart become the lead of the season.

Viewers had been campaigning for The Golden Bachelorette to happen, and host Jesse Palmer was also of the mind that this spinoff had to happen. He talked to E! News in October 2023 (while The Golden Bachelor was still airing) about the prospect, and said, "I really hope that's the case."

Jesse also shared at the time that "[a]s 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."

"I can't speak on behalf of executives or anybody else, obviously," Jesse acknowledged, but added, "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."

Across social media, names of contestants from Season 1 of the The Golden Bachelor have already being bantered about as potential stars for a debut season of The Golden Bachelorette. From Joan Vassos to April Kirkwood, the ladies from Gerry's season have fans in their corners. But what the network will decide is still anyone's guess. Then, of course, there's Leslie Fhima, who was Gerry's runner-up in the finale.

It makes the most sense for someone from Gerry's season to be chosen as the leading lady. And Leslie deserves a shot as much as anyone. Well, maybe even more so, since she made it to the final two.

Leslie was also a fan favorite and even deemed by some as "too cool" for Gerry. We wouldn't say no to a Golden Bachelorette season full of leather jacket–clad grandpas ready to woo her.

Either way, we'll be rooting for whoever ABC chooses for The Golden Bachelorette!