European Nets Fall For ‘The Golden Bachelor’ As ABC’s ‘Bachelorette’ Hits The Dating Scene

EXCLUSIVE: Ahead of the launch of The Golden Bachelorette on ABC tonight, four European broadcasters have fallen for The Golden Bachelor and ordered local versions.

Warner Bros. International Television Production has shopped the format, a spin-off of the long-running dating series The Bachelor, to France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. In the U.S., the series was ABC biggest unscripted series in almost four years, consistently perform gin as number one network show on its night of broadcast.

The French version is to launch tomorrow night on M6, with Warner Bros International Television Production (WBITVP) France making the show. In Italy, Warner Bros Discovery-owned Discovery Real Time has commissioned Fremantle to make a local version, while in Germany on RTL and the Netherlands on streamer Videoland, WBITVP production companies are remaking the format.

WBITVP said “numerous” other deals are in the works.

The Golden Bachelor is a seniors-focused take on the original Bachelor and is part of a franchise that also includes The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, The Bachelor Games and The Bachelor: Listen to Your Heart. The format sees a handsome, single guy in his later years looking to get a second chance at love later in life with a woman who shares his dreams. Warner Bros. Unscripted Television in association with Warner Horizon created the show.

Andrew Zein, WBITVP’s SVP creative, format development and sales, said: “The Golden Bachelor has proved to be a massive hit, shining a light on the whole franchise and allowing its halo effect to reinvigorate the wider 20-year-old brand. By focusing on more mature singles with fascinating life experiences, it successfully brings something fresh and unexpected to the world of reality dating and relationship formats and, as a result, has attracted new audiences and older demographics to these shows, while still maintaining their heartland viewers. 

“The Golden Bachelor is heartwarming and life-affirming. We couldn’t be more thrilled to see it adapted by leading international broadcasters and anticipate many more such ‘perfect matches’ to follow with this and, of course, The Golden Bachelorette.”

The Golden Bachelorette, will star the 61-year-old Joan Vassos, who appeared in The Golden Bachelor, as a woman looking for love among a group of golden years men. The show was announced at the Disney Upfronts earlier this year.