Mel Owens was unknown to reality TV fans until April, when ABC announced he would lead Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor. Owens, a lawyer and former NFL star, seemed like a good fit on paper, but he has made a massive mistake. The former NFL put his foot in his mouth when he opened up about age preference during a podcast appearance in June. The careless comments have fans livid. Even members of Bachelor Nation are weighing in. Gerry Turner, the original Golden Bachelor, thinks Owens’s approach to dating as a senior is a big mistake.

Gerry Turner has a harsh warning for Mel Owens

The man who helped lead the very first season of The Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner, has spoken out against Mel Owens and his controversial comments about eliminating contestants based on age. TMZ caught up with Turner, who called Owens’ approach “a huge mistake.” He emphasized that age and physical conditions shouldn’t be disqualifiers in the pursuit of love as a mature adult.

Turner also thinks the retired NFL player’s comments about “artificial hips” might be a bit limiting. He went on to tell the outlet that he wants Owens to know that he plays pickleball with someone rocking a “fake hip.” Turner admitted that the competitor and his fake hip often outperform him. Turner cautioned Owens that a narrow focus on youth and fitness risks missing out on something that could be truly special.

Gerry Turner had preferences of his own, but he says they were a mistake

Gerry Turner is speaking from experience. The retired Indiana resident helped make the concept of a seniors dating competition a reality. Turner was the first-ever golden bachelor, and he admits that he, too, had preferences when he was walking into the process. Years removed from the experience, Turner, who remains friends with several of the women who competed for his heart, thinks having a narrow view would have been a mistake.

Turner said that while preparing for the competition, he informed the executive producers that he would prefer women over 65 years old. Turner, who was 72 when he signed up for the series, was asked to keep an open mind; he agreed. It turned out well enough for him. His contestants ranged in age from 60 to 75 years old. He left the series with Theresa Nist, who was a 70-year-old widow. His runner-up, Leslie Fhima, was a 64-year-old fitness instructor. While Turner certainly didn’t do everything right, he did keep an open mind and didn’t seem interested in entertaining age as a factor in romance at this stage of his life.

Turner and Nist went on to marry but divorced after three months. He is now in a new relationship. His current partner, Lana Sutton, is in her “mid-50s.”