Mel Owens was announced as the lead for the second Golden Bachelor season in April. According to the press release, he joined the show to find companionship and love again. The former NFL player was married for almost 20 years. He has two adult children with his ex-wife, Fabiana Owens. She recently broke her silence about the backlash Mel Owens received after recent ageist comments.
Jesse Palmer Responds To Golden Bachelor Controversy
Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor is scheduled to start airing in the fall. It hasn’t started filming yet. Rumors circulated online that Mel Owens had been cut as the season’s leading man after controversial comments he made about the women he wants on the show.
During a podcast last month, Mel Owens revealed that he doesn’t want to date anyone under 60. He also told the producers that he wants women who are fit and active, preferably without artificial hips or wigs. The comments were met with immediate backlash from Bachelor Nation fans.
Mel Owens was called a misogynist and an ageist, among other things. But despite rumors, ABC is sticking by him.
Jesse Palmer confirmed that Mel Owens is still the next Golden Bachelor. “I know I’m gonna get to spend a lot more time with him pretty soon. I’m sure that’s something we’re going to talk about,” he told Us Weekly.
Mel Owens’ Ex-Wife Speaks Out
Not much is known about Mel Owens’ first marriage. Several media outlets have reported that he was married to Fabiana Owens from 2002 until 2020, when she filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized in 2024.
His ex recently gave a short comment to the Daily Mail about her ex-husband as the next Golden Bachelor.
“Good luck. I mean, it’s going to be bad. But anyway, I don’t want to be involved in this,” she said. That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.
Her Massive Divorce Payday
Mel Owens and his ex battled it out in court for four years before the divorce was finalized. According the records the Daily Mail discovered, Fabiana Owens received one massive lump sum instead of ongoing alimony or other monetary support.
Mel Owens, who played with the LA Rams for nine seasons, had to shell out a whopping $980,000 in the divorce. The Daily Mail reported that some of that nearly million-dollar settlement was back child support. The settlement “includes past due and unpaid child support arrears in the amount of $81,629, plus $83,683 past due and unpaid spousal support,” the outlet found.
The court documents also revealed that Mel Owens claimed his monthly income was $1000, despite being a high profile lawyer in California. He pursued a law degree after retiring from the NFL.
