Jesse Palmer has been a part of Bachelor Nation for many years, first as a contestant and then as a host. While Palmer has weathered more than a few troubled seasons at the helm of ABC’s iconic dating competitions, he’s keeping his distance from the most recent drama. Late last month, Mel Owens, the man tapped as the lead of season 2 of The Golden Bachelor, made several ageist comments, mocking women who are close in age to him and insisting he was going to “cut” any woman over 60. The criticism was swift, and rumors are swirling that Owens has been axed from the franchise. Jesse Palmer won’t confirm that, but he did reveal that the filming has not yet begun.

Us Weekly caught up with Jesse Palmer earlier this week and asked him for his thoughts on the drama surrounding Mel Owens and season 2 of The Golden Bachelor. Palmer kept things cordial, admitting that he doesn’t know Owens well enough to make a definitive call on the man, his preferences, and whether he belongs on the beloved series. For now, though, he seems willing to give Owens the benefit of the doubt.

Palmer told Us, “I haven’t spent a ton of time with Mel. In the small amount of time I have spent with him, he seems like a good guy. But I know I’m gonna get to spend a lot more time with him pretty soon.” He went on to insist that he imagines Owens’ feelings about older women will likely come up. Palmer’s wording is interesting. He seems confident that he will be getting the chance to interact with Owens on a deeper level. If Reality Steve is to be believed, Owens won’t be setting foot in the bachelor mansion.

Jesse Palmer did let it slip that filming isn’t underway

We would have liked to see Jesse Palmer take a more authoritative stance on the Mel Owens issue. He was unwilling to involve himself too deeply. Despite his lack of transparency, he let another vital piece of information slip while trying to explain himself. Palmer revealed that the cast had not yet converged on the bachelor mansion. While it may be entirely normal, filming should have likely been underway already.

The golden seasons are always filmed over the summer. The month the show is filmed might vary. Still, there is plenty of reason to believe Owens should have already been working on his season. A casting call for the potentially troubled season suggested filming would begin in June 2025. The posting was made public months before Owens’ scandal broke. Still, no one is at the mansion, and we can’t help but wonder if that was always the schedule or if Owens’ lack of tact has thrown the network a serious curveball.