Was this comeback rumour connected to Nine’s upcoming 2026 Upfront program slate, or was it more of a broader industry rumour?
1 Like
This.
“Tom tom drums suggest a reality TV comeback is on the cards for next year”.
Its almost definitely a reference to The Traitors coming back next year on 10
2 Likes
With The Block in the final weeks (October 19 is front yard reveal), it will be interesting to see how many nights The Golden Bachelor airs on its opening week.
1 Like
Wonder if Sam Armytage will make an appearance at the NRL Grand Final tonight, either on a panel or in the VIP crowd, for Nine cross-promotion? She’s been wheeled out a lot for publicity this year at events and it would appear almost certainly contracted to the network in some form, being seen sitting next to veteran TV boss Michael Healy multiple times.
Mondays and Tuesdays
1 Like
THE GOLDEN BACHELOR AUSTRALIA PREMIERES MONDAY, OCTOBER 20 AT 7.30PM ON CHANNEL 9 AND 9NOW
The Golden Bachelor Australia , the groundbreaking new reality series celebrating love later in life, premieres Monday, October 20, at 7:30 pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
After winning hearts in the United States, The Golden Bachelor is arriving in Australia to prove that the best love stories can begin in life’s later chapters.
Television favourite Samantha Armytage joins the 9Network as host, guiding 61-year-old Sydneysider Bear on his heartfelt search for a partner to share the joys and adventures of his golden years.
The women vying for Bear’s heart bring rich life experience — from love and laughter to resilience and renewal — each ready to embrace the possibility of lasting connection.
Get ready for laughter, tears and unforgettable moments when The Golden Bachelor premieres Monday, 20 October at 7.30pm on Channel 9 and 9Now.
Produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production Australia for 9Network.
Twenty incredible women are stepping into the spotlight, ready to capture hearts across the country as they pursue a chance at love with Australia’s first Golden Bachelor, 61-year-old Sydneysider Bear.
Bear will make history as Australia’s first-ever Golden Bachelor, in a heartfelt new series that will charm the nation. A strong, protective man with a deep love for family and adventure, Bear made the northern beaches of Sydney his home in 1998 with his late wife, Audrey, raising their three sons by the ocean.
Tragedy struck in 2011 when he lost both Audrey and his mother in the same year. For years, Bear prioritised fatherhood above all else, and he is proud of the men his sons have become. Now he is ready to open his heart again to love.
Bear said: “It’s quite surreal getting to be Australia’s first Golden Bachelor. It’s an incredible privilege that twenty remarkable women are willing to come on this journey with me, for all of us to have the courage to open our hearts and take the chance to fall in love again. I couldn’t be more grateful or excited to see where this trailblazing experience takes us.”
Samantha Armytage said: “I can’t wait to introduce Bear to Australia. We’ve found a one-in-a-million Golden Bachelor, full of integrity and compassion. He’s incredibly kind and, I might add, very handsome! I know you’re all going to want to join him on his journey to fall in love again.”
These vibrant women radiate elegance, strength, and a zest for life. From a hoist operator and a radio personality to a NICU nurse and an age transformation coach, they are rewriting the rules of romance. With decades of life experience – love, loss, searching, hope – they are all ready to find something real and lasting.
The women vying for Bear’s heart are:
- Angela, 52, Psychotherapist, VIC
- Bianca, 51, Radio Presenter, QLD
- Catherine, 56, Interior Designer, NSW
- Elizete, 54, Property Manager, NSW
- Gera, 52, Real Estate Business Owner, WA
- Hamidah, 60, Disability Support Worker, NSW
- Jan, 66, Age Transformation Coach, NSW
- Jane, 60, Interior Designer, NSW
- Janette, 61, Pilates Studio Owner, VIC
- Katrina, 55, NICU Nurse, QLD
- Kim, 60, Doctor, QLD
- Laura, 64, Primary School Teacher, QLD
- Lauren, 60, Dressage Team Manager, QLD
- Linda, 61, Stylist, QLD
- Nicolette, 55, Singer, NSW
- Pip, 60, Hoist Operator, VIC
- Shamse, 60, Interior Designer, VIC
- Shana, 60, Retired (Education Sales Executive), NSW
- Sunny, 58, CEO, NSW
- Terri, 61, Property Investor, VIC
Prepare for laughter, tears and unforgettable moments when the roses start flowing. The Golden Bachelor is the show winning hearts around the world, and now it’s Australia’s turn.
Samantha Armytage features on Stellar liftout inside News Corp papers today.
Full interview including BTS at her Stellar photoshoot
Some excerpts
Stellar: You’ve been away from our TV screens for a while but are coming back to host The Golden Bachelor. There’s a lot of excitement about this new series; how are you feeling about it?
Samantha Armytage: I’m really excited. I think everyone’s a bit excited about this show. It’s something completely new, with people who have lived a life. So it has real depth to it. And you don’t often say that about reality dating shows.
Stellar: Back on April 1, 2016, when I was in a previous role as an opinion editor, we published a story announcing that a new show was about to air called The Bachelor: The Senior Years. As we confirmed later that day, this “announcement” was of course an April Fool’s Day joke. And yet here we are, nine years later …
Samantha Armytage: What a prediction. And it made sense. It’s not like anything we’ve seen before. [The women] are in their 50s and 60s and Bear, the Golden Bachelor, is 61. This is a section of the community that has been ignored by television and society for way too long. We’re dealing with boomers here … These ladies were the wild girls of the ’60s and now they’re grown up. They’re in their power. They’re beautiful, accomplished, funny. They’ve raised children, some of them are enjoying being grandparents. They’re divorced or widowed. They didn’t know when they went into their marriages 20, 30 years ago how life would turn out, which none of us do. So they found themselves in this position, and they’re not ready to go out to pasture. They’ve still got so much living to do.
Promos featuring “The Golden Bachelor - Starts Next Monday 7.30 on 9” have aired in Canberra.
Series premiere
Monday 20 October
Australia’s first Golden Bachelor BEAR, meets 20 remarkable women in the search to find their next great love, sparks fly with some, before he says goodbye to three women.
Episode 2
Tuesday 21 October
Bear embarks on a romantic first single date. A revealing rom-com inspired group date turns up the heat and sparks jealousy before Bear must say goodbye to two women at the rose ceremony.
Nine and Warner Bros already casting The Golden Bachelor Season 2
Season 1 of Australia’s newest reality TV dating show The Golden Bachelor doesn’t start airing until next week, but production has already begun casting for Season 2.
In application materials seen by Mumbrella, Warner Bros and Nine invited residents Australia across Australia to apply or nominate a loved one.
“Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor is now casting,” it said. “Are you in your 50s or 60s and looking for love in your golden years? Or do you know someone who deserves another shot at their happily ever after?
“We are looking for Australia’s next Golden Bachelor and many incredible women who are excited to find love again. Join us today for an adventure of a lifetime.”
Similar to the Big Brother casting process earlier this year, it appears existing media employees and personalities would be excluded from applying.
The casting call-out comes ahead of Nine’s Upfronts this week.
1 Like
Mumbrella posting about a casting notice that went out 6 weeks ago, and like the ‘application materials’ aren’t public 
1 Like
Ouch 
Sam and Barry appeared on Today and Kyle & Jackie O (to name a few) to discuss the show.
I heard them being interviewed on Nova this morning. Had not realised Bear had a North American accent. I wonder if that will be a turn off for Aussie viewers.
Also, he had some responses to questions that might suggest he could make some bad slip ups in interviews. They asked whether “Bear" was his real name and they commented that it was a nickname used in the gay community for a large, hairy man. Rather than go along with the joke, he shut down the conversation by saying he was definitely not part of that community. He continued to say that he was Canadian and the nickname comes from “the right kind of bear".
1 Like
Not confident with this at all, but I feel there’ll be quite a few sucked-in to tuning-in to the first ever ep and the once beloved franchise has been off-air for some time now. Let’s see what Nine can make of it tonight.
Note: I’m including regional and bvod in that of course, with VOZ now the system. I think the latter (9Now) is where it could do best, including those catching-up on-demand before going to bed.
I hope it does decent things, but a part of me is a bit concerned this incarnation won’t resonate and won’t do well. I think they’re going after a very specific demographic. They’ve done a lot of publicity, perhaps Sam Armytage will also be key.
He’s from Canada
Ridiculous. Couldn’t find any Australian men?
4 Likes