Leesville Man To Be On ABC’s “The Golden Bachelorette”

It feels like a never-ending show, but the next spin-off of the Batchelor is set to begin its next season in a few weeks, and this year it will have a bit of local flavor on it. It was announced on Tuesday that a local Louisiana guy will be featured in a brand new series called "The Golden Batchelorette."

ABC launched the American dating reality series The Golden Bachelor on September 28, 2023. It is a spin-off of The Bachelor featuring a cast of senior citizens as the contestants and a single man. Well since then, ABC announced that it had ordered an equivalent spin-off for The Bachelorette, The Golden Bachelorette, for its fall lineup in 2024.

On Tuesday, ABC revealed the 24 single men who will be competing for love in Season 1 of the Golden Bachelorette. The first season will feature a no-doubt fan favorite and a SWLA man from a previous season of The Bachelor.

Flashback to January 2024 to the Season 28 Bachelor. Fans will remember Kelsey Anderson was crowned the winner of the show. Kelsey Anderson is a 25-year-old girl from New Orleans, but her hometown is Leesville, Louisiana. She tags herself many times in Vernon Parish at Leesville High School.

Leesville is buzzing with excitement as one of its own, Mark Anderson, has been selected as a contestant on ABC's upcoming show The Golden Bachelorette. Anderson, 57, is no stranger to the spotlight, having earned the nickname "Kelsey's Hot Dad" after his appearance on The Bachelor Season 28, where his daughter, Kelsey Anderson, won the heart of Joey Graziadei.

Mark Anderson captured the hearts of "Bachelor Nation" during the hometown dates episode when Kelsey brought Joey to New Orleans to meet her family. Fans were immediately charmed by Mark's warm personality and dashing looks, leading many to hope he would be featured in a future installment of the franchise.

Their wishes have been granted, as Anderson will now be one of the 24 senior men competing for the affection of Joan Vassos on The Golden Bachelorette. Vassos, who first appeared on The Golden Bachelor last fall while dating Gerry Turner, is getting another shot at love after the passing of her husband of 32 years.

The premiere of The Golden Bachelorette is set for Wednesday, Sept. 18, from 8-10 p.m. ET on ABC, with new episodes available for streaming on Hulu the day after their initial airing. As Leesville rallies behind Mark Anderson, fans can't wait to see if this local hero will find love once again in the golden years.