The Golden Bachelorette Is Officially Coming to ABC This Fall. Who’s the Lucky Lady?

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It’s confirmed! As expected, ABC and Warner Bros. Television have officially ordered the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette. In what was probably the worst-kept secret—especially given the massive success of The Golden Bachelor (followed by The Golden Wedding)—Craig Erwich, president of Disney Television Group, made the announcement during ABC’s executive panel at the 2024 Television Critics Association Winter Press Tour.

Of course, the bigger question is who is going to be stepping into the stilettos for the lead role. The not-so-great news is that we don’t know yet (and ABC may not know either). The better news is that because the producers have so many great options (see below for the frontrunners), they’re taking their time to make a decision. (The official word right now is that “additional details surrounding the series, including cast details, will be announced at a later date.”)

“It’s thrilling,” Erwich told Glamour after the news was announced. “I’ve been doing this for a really long time, but when you have a show that…in your bones has connected with the audience, and you just know that fairy dust has been sprinkled on it, it’s unlike anything else. So to come back and be able to do another one is thrilling.”

At its core The Golden Bachelor—and now Bachelorette—is about inspiration and empowerment, and Erwich says that won’t change with this iteration. “The producers are very clear that the tone of the show is about heart, hope, and humor, and those essential ingredients will be in this one. That’s ultimately what makes the show successful,” he says.

As for the current state of the casting process for the new season, Erwich acknowledges they have an amazing pool of women to choose from, but it’s going to be hard. “It’s a quality problem to have…because that means the first one worked,” he says. “It’s fun. It’s our job, and it is fun to think about all the different permutations and what different shows look like with different contestants. We’re not there yet, but it’s an exciting process.”

While Erwich isn’t able to say much about the new season, he says you can rule out two Golden Bachelorettes in the lead role, as we saw with Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia in The Bachelorette season 19. “That’s probably not where we’ll go this time,” he tells Glamour. “[Since] we’re in the early days of The Golden Bachelor franchise, sticking to one is probably the best thing.”

Casting the men for The Golden Bachelorette is underway, and Erwich says they’re “pretty exhaustive in how and where we look for people. You’re trying to assemble the cast with an eye toward, not just is that person right for the show, but what’s the chemistry and what’s the makeup? And because the show is about finding love, is this person a good suitor for who the bachelorette is going to be?”

Currently, Joey Graziadei’s season of The Bachelor is airing through March (in last Monday’s episode, the ASKN ladies from The Golden Bachelor—April, Susan, Kathy, and Nancy—made an appearance at one of Joey’s group dates). The Bachelorette, which has also been renewed, will begin filming after that for a summer premiere. ABC has confirmed that The Golden Bachelorette will air this fall and most likely follow the same timeline (late September through end of November) as The Golden Bachelor did.

Frankly, if it were up to me, we’d also get a Golden Bachelor Villa, in which our favorite ladies live together à la The Golden Girls to date, eat, and do synchronized swimming. (That’s right, ABC, I have not forgotten about that pure-as-the-driven-snow moment we got last season in the Bachelor mansion swimming pool.)

As for the possibility of a Golden Villa–type show, Erwich isn’t ready to make any announcements but is hopeful for what’s to come with the franchise, noting that The Golden Bachelor has reminded everyone that you can find love at any age. “There’s a particular joy in watching…let’s call it an older generation—although I don’t consider these people old—go through very similar things that people of all ages go through, but do it with a sense of gratitude and experience, that actually makes the process more interesting and even more joyful.”

With that, let’s discuss who might be the lead contender for The Golden Bachelorette. Whoever it is, Erwich says all the ladies are forever part of the Disney family: “We’re always