ABC tapped Mel Owens as the Season 2 Golden Bachelor in April 2025. The decision was a shocking one for fans, many of whom assumed one of the contestants from The Golden Bachelorette would take on the role. Owens is a former NFL linebacker turned attorney, who only recently settled his divorce. Jesse Palmer initially vouched for Owens, insisting he was smart and charming, but the bloom is off the rose faster than you might think. Mel Owens has yet to step foot inside the bachelor mansion, but he’s already throwing red flags. Now, his ex-wife is stepping forward to issue a big warning, and fans are wondering exactly when ABC will pull the former NFL star from the competition.

Mel Owens was an unknown to Bachelor Nation when he was cast as the lead. Fans wish he had stayed unknown. While Owens appeared good on paper at first, the retired NFL star found himself embroiled in controversy in June when he made ageist comments during a podcast appearance.

In June, Owens appeared on In the Trenches and chatted a bit about his upcoming appearance on The Golden Bachelor. During that appearance, he said he was cutting any woman over the age of 60. He went on to claim he was ideally seeking women 45-60 and was not interested in women with artificial hips and wigs. Fans were quick to weigh in. Even Gerry Turner, the first-ever Golden Bachelor, discussed Owens’ comments and criticized him for his narrow approach to finding love.

Mel Owens’ ex-wife issues a massive warning

Mel Owens’ ex-wife was apparently not surprised by the comments, but it’s clear she is not looking to vouch for her ex. The Daily Mail caught up with Fabiana Pimentel. Pimentel, who was married to Mel Owens for nearly two decades, was reluctant to speak to the media. Still, she issued one warning. To the women planning to vie for Owens’ affection, she said, “Good luck,” before adding that she thinks it’s going to be bad.

Pimentel is just 46 years old, making her 20 years younger than the man she was married to for nearly two decades. While she didn’t mention the age gap, fans of the series have their suspicions about Owens and the way he operates. Several fans have questioned why he would agree to appear on a show designed for men and women over 60 who are looking for love.

What is ABC doing about it?

Mel Owens’ comments, while inappropriate and clearly ageist, could be almost forgivable. You could, in theory, assume he didn’t mean what he said. His ex-wife’s statement is a lot harder to ignore. The two issues suggest Owens is problematic. So much is coming out about Owens already, months before the series premieres, and that doesn’t bode well for the health of the franchise. Certainly, ABC will take action to address the problem.

The network has let massive red flags slip through the cracks before. Still, the stakes have never been higher. It is under greater scrutiny after the disaster that was Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette. Reality Steve claims the network isn’t going to stand idly by and let Owens destroy its most wholesome franchise yet. The spoiler king claims the network has found a replacement, but they have yet to make an announcement. If they hadn’t found one already, surely Fabiana Pimentel’s dark warning will motivate them to do so.