Is Mark the Next Golden Bachelor? He Has One Challenge to Overcome

Warning: The Golden Bachelorette Season 1 spoilers ahead: With his journey on Joan’s Golden Bachelorette season coming to an end, fans can’t help but wonder whether Mark could be the next Golden Bachelor and become the first father of a Bachelor Nation alum to take on the leading role. Well, he sure has a shot but he has one challenge to overcome.

Is Charles L. the Next Golden Bachelor? He Didn't Know He Was a Fan Favorite

Related: All The Golden Bachelorette spoilers including Joan’s winner

Mark Anderson, a 57-year-old Army Veteran from Leesville, Louisiana, was one of 24 contestants on the first season of The Golden Bachelorette led by Joan Vassos . Joan, a 61-year-old Private School Administrator from Rockville, Maryland, was previously a contestant on Season 1 of The Golden Bachelor with Gerry Turner , where she sent herself home in 12th place in Week 3 to care for her daughter, who had a medical emergency.

Related: Which couples are still together from The Bachelor ?

As Bachelor Nation fans know, Mark is no stranger to The Bachelor franchise . He’s the father of Kelsey Anderson , the winner of The Bachelor Season 28 and Joey Graziadei’s fiance . Mark also appeared during Kelsey A.’s Hometown Date on The Bachelor Season 28, where he met Joey and became a fan favorite for his support toward his daughter and his good looks. “Kelsey’s dad….. respectfully, hello…..” a user tweeted at the time.

Mark is the second parent of a Bachelor Nation alum to appear as a contestant on The Bachelor franchise after Patty James, the mother of Season 25 Bachelor Matt James , who was sent home in Week 1 on The Golden Bachelor Season 1. Despite his history with Bachelor Nation, fans could tell that Mark wasn’t as far along in his journey to love with Joan as some of her other contestants. But what about being the next Golden Bachelor?

Is Mark the next Golden Bachelor?

At the time of writing, ABC hasn’t announced the next Golden Bachelor, however, Mark is a frontrunner, with fans campaigning for him to be the lead of The Golden Bachelor Season 2 long before he went home on The Golden Bachelorette Season 2. (According to Reality Steve, Mark went home on The Golden Bachelorette Season 2 in the week before Hometown Dates, so he didn’t make it to Joan’s final four.

“Kelsey’s dad as the NEXT GOLDEN BACHELOR PLEASE!!” a user commented on Reality TV’s Instagram post of Joan’s Golden Bachelorette finale spoilers. Another user wrote, “Kelsey’s dad better be golden bachelor!” One more user commented, “Now I am so open to Kelsey’s Dad being our next Golden Bachelor!🥳”

Other users expressed their surprise at Mark not making it to Joan’s final four. “Mark not being top four is crazy!!” a user wrote. Another user commented, “Wait Kelsey’s Dad didn’t even make the final 4 😱😭?” One more user wrote, “Mark for next golden bachelor please.”

While Mark is for sure a frontrunner to be the next Golden Bachelor, he does have one contestant to beat: Charles Ling, a 66-year-old Retired Financial Analyst from Malvern, Pennsylvania, who was sent home in Week 4, and became a fan favorite among Bachelor Nation for his authenticity throughout The Golden Bachelorette and his journey to love again after the death of his wife six years prior.

“NOOOOO NOT CHARLES L GOING HOME! I need to see him on DWTS or the Golden Bachelor. This can’t be the end 😭,” a user wrote on X after Charles L.’s elimination. Another user tweeted, “officially starting the campaign to makes Charles L the next golden bachelor!!!” One more user wrote, “I STG IF THEY DO NOT LISTEN TO US AND GIVE US A CHARLES L GOLDEN BACHELOR SEASON.”

Related: Meet The Golden Bachelorette cast

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly , Charles L. confirmed that he would “consider” becoming the next Golden Bachelor if the opportunity presented itself to him. “Oh, boy. It is a new idea to me. Let me see. If the opportunity knocks on my door, I’ll consider,” he said.

What Happens to Jordan on The Golden Bachelorette? Exactly How Far He Makes It With Joan

He also addressed the love he’s received from Bachelor Nation since starring on The Golden Bachelorette. “This is really beyond my imagination. I’m grateful to the fans. Maybe there’s a message there. A lot of things, what I did or what I said, I guess related to themselves or related to their relatives. Or maybe they just want to see a world where people really care for one another rather than fight,” he aid.

When asked whether he’s been recognized in real life, he said, “Not really. As you know, I’m away. They want to see me in the supermarket or they love to see me in the gym, particularly. I got message from my gym, ‘Where’s Charles?’ And I don’t know how to deal with it when I’m back, when I return to the supermarket or the gym. I’ll prepare myself when I return.”

Who is Mark from The Golden Bachelorette ?

Mark Anderson is a 57-year-old Army Veteran from Leesville, Louisiana. His Instagram handle is @ mark.t.anderson .

Mark is also the father of Kelsey Anderson, the winner of The Bachelor Season 28, who is engaged to former Bachelor Joey Graziadei. Kelsey introduced Mark to Joan on night one of The Golden Bachelorette. “I have someone I would like to introduce you to. It’s my dad,” Kelsey said. “Well, hello, Joan,” Mark said, to which Joan responded, “I’m so excited!”

Mark shared Kelsey with her mother, Denise, who died in 2018 after being diagnosed with breast cancer that “metastasized on her bones,” Kelsey said on The Bachelor Season 28. “They gave her six months,” Kelsey told Joey on a one-on-one date. “After that, it was just very aggressive and after I think about 2 months, she passed away.”

Kelsey also told Joey that, ever since her mom’s death, she sees her in butterflies. “Whenever I see butterflies it feels like it’s my mom there. Right before I came on here, I got off work and I was walking down and I saw butterflies in the middle of the city of New Orleans. And I don’t know, that kind of was reassuring to me,” she said.

Kelsey also honored her mom in a TikTok video of her and Joey’s engagement shoot after The Bachelor Season 28 finale. “6 years ago my beautiful mom passed away. But during my engagement shoot this orb was all over me in the videos my photographer sent me. I’m not fully sure what it means.. but it means a lot to me,” Kelsey wrote over a video of an orb of light following her and Joey during their shoot. She captioned the video, “Every time I watch the videos it gets me emotional ❤️”

Read Mark’s official Golden Bachelorette biography and fun facts ahead:

“Mark is ready for love after loss. You may recognize Mark as Kelsey Anderson’s dad and Joey Graziadei’s future father-in-law! Inspired by Kelsey and Joey’s love story, Mark is excited about this chance to find love again. Mark is empathetic and warm and has dedicated his life to working for the military. His five children are his greatest accompaniment, and he can’t wait to have grandchildren one day. Mark loved watching “The Golden Bachelor” because it made him realize he’s not alone in his grief, and others are also hoping to find love again in this chapter of life. He loves traveling to visit his kids, and he hopes to meet a woman to plant roots with again. Mark is truly here to find his person and hopefully return home with Joan by his side.

Fun Facts:
• Mark is terrified of ostriches.
•; Mark’s favorite movie is “Elf.”
• Mark can wiggle his ears.”

The Golden Bachelorette is available to stream on Hulu .