While the first season of The Golden Bachelor received a warm reception from Day 1, Mel Owens’ follow-up Season 2 was swirled in controversy before it even began. ICYMI, the new lead’s comments about planning to “cut” women aged 60 and above — and his desire to “stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs” — led some steadfast Bachelor Nation viewers to skip the season entirely.

Still, others tuned in to see how Mel and the show would respond and move forward. And indeed, the Sept. 24 premiere didn’t shy away from the scandal, and neither did the women. Here’s a recap of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 premiere’s most shocking moments.

Addressing Mel’s Comments Head-On

The premiere didn’t waste any time acknowledging the controversy. First, it replayed Mel’s comments from the p

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