‘Bachelor’ Contestant Requirements: How Old Is Too Old?
Bachelor fans are used to seeing women in their 20s compete on the franchise’s flagship show. But how old is too old to be a contestant? What are the age requirements for the popular dating show? Keep reading for the scoop.
Who Was The Oldest Bachelor Lead?
The ages of the leads of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette seem to be more flexible than that of the contestants. The show’s current lead, Joey Graziadei, is 28.
Jesse Palmer has the distinction of being the show’s youngest lead. He was 25 when he filmed Season 5. He’s now the host of the franchise after replacing Chris Harrison.
The oldest Bachelor? That honor goes to Season 6 lead Byron Velvick, who was the oldest at 40.
The network finally debuted a senior citizen version of the popular dating franchise in 2023. 72-year-old Gerry Turner found love and marriage with Theresa Nist, 70.
What about The Bachelorette? Bachelor Nation alum Clare Crawley was 40 when her season was filmed in 2020.
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Bachelor Contestant Requirements
Some fans think the young ages of the Bachelor contestants are why so many of the relationships don’t work. Joey’s season got heat from fans over it.
The contestants’ ages were never more important than it was during Arie Luyendyk Jr’s season. Contestant Bekah Martinez kept hidden the fact that she was 22, fourteen years younger than him.
Age is also a hot topic in Season 28. Contestant Maria Georgas found herself in an argument with some of the others about whether women her age (29) are old or not.
What does ABC officially stand on Bachelor contestants’ ages? According to the eligibility requirements, contestants must be at least 21 to apply for the show.
Distractify speculates that the minimum age requirement is due to the drinking age being 21 in the U.S. A lot of drinking happens on the show, including at the cocktail parties before the elimination ceremonies.
How Old Is Too Old?
How do you know if you should apply for The Bachelor or The Golden Bachelor? Well, that’s not so clear. While the application has a minimum age, it doesn’t have an age limit. Could the show be afraid of appearing ageist or opening itself up to a discrimination lawsuit?
However, according to Distractify, the average age of a Bachelor contestant is 26. The network was specifically looking for older contestants for The Golden Bachelor. The women chosen for Season 1 were between 60–75.
Do you think the casting department has an unspoken age limit in mind when choosing contestants? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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I just turned 29 and I am not at all “old” haha. Your brain doesn’t even stop growing until your mid-20s anyway! Lots of life left to live. 🙂