Why did 'The Golden Bachelor' reduce its number of Hometown Dates? ABC show executive defends change in franchise format
LOS ANGELS, CALIFORNIA: The fact that Gerry Turner has chosen just three of the ladies from 'The Golden Bachelor' for hometown dates this season astonished the women just as much as it did us.
Typically, the celebrity selects four of the remaining contestants for hometown dates on 'The Bachelorette' and 'The Bachelor', flying down to their hometowns to meet their families.
However, host Jesse Palmer revealed to the six surviving women on October 26 but only three would go to their hometowns. Why the change, then?
As ABC's senior vice president of alternative series, Robert Mills, said on social media, "The worst part of this was the ladies thought there were 4 hometowns, and due to the 1-hour format we could only do 3."
The episodes of 'The Bachelor' and 'The Bachelorette' are generally two hours long, but the current first season of 'The Golden Bachelor' is just an hour long each week, so they didn't have time to include a fourth hometown date.
Ellen Goltzer, who appeared to be a major contestant for Gerry's heart but was sent home last night along with Sandra and Susan, was devastated by the format change.
Gerry will return to his hometown with his three surviving ladies — Leslie Fhima, Faith Martin, and Theresa Nist — on the November 2 episode (ABC, 8/7c).
The worst part of this was the ladies thought there were 4 hometowns and due to the 1 hour format we could only do 3. #TheGoldenBachelor
— Robert Mills (@Millsy11374) October 27, 2023
Ellen Goltzer's old beaus reached out to her after seeing 'The Golden Bachelor'
'The Golden Bachelor' Season 1 star Ellen admits to PEOPLE to hearing from several ex-boyfriends after appearing on national television.
According to the 71-year-old retired teacher, "old boyfriends from college and high school" have been "reaching out" after watching her on the ABC dating show.
"It's almost a surreal experience. People use that word a lot, but it really is," she adds. "It's almost like an out-of-body experience where you don't think he's watching me, but I don't think that's really me."
"And then when people will come up to me and say something like, 'Oh, I know you’ or people are reaching out from elementary school — 'I went to Forester School with her.' It's crazy," she says.
Susan Noles from 'The Golden Bachelor' explains why things didn't work out
With the hometown dates approaching, 'The Golden Bachelor' Gerry was forced to send half of the remaining hopefuls home on Thursday's show. Sandra Mason, a former executive assistant, Ellen, a retired teacher, and Kris Jenner's doppelgänger, Susan Noles, did not make the cut.
Susan told USA TODAY that she understood she and Gerry weren't on the same page, but that didn't mean she didn't care for him. "We were truly in the friend zone," she adds, adding that she was his support system throughout her time on the ABC reality program and that she believes the two will be friends for life.
Why Sandra Mason is not sorry she missed daughter's wedding for 'The Golden Bachelor'
ET learned that the departed executive assistant had "zero" remorse about her decision.
Sandra Mason is delighted she agreed to participate in 'The Golden Bachelor,' even if it meant missing her daughter's wedding. Denny Directo of ET chatted with the 75-year-old retired executive assistant after Gerry eliminated her from the show, and she asked why she had "zero" remorse about missing her daughter's wedding.
"'My son-in-law said to me, 'Mom, the ceremony is eight minutes. The marriage is forever.' He said, 'Go. Go!' My daughter, she said, 'Mom, I found my guy, you go find yours,'" Sandra explained to ET.
"They were both a little perturbed that I was even considering not going because of their wedding. They'd each been married before. She's almost 51, he's 53. Dad, granddad. They're just great people. He's a jewel."
'The Golden Bachelor' airs Thursdays on ABC at 8 pm ET.