Who will be giving out the next roses?

While rumours were swirling that Bear had connected with host Samantha Armytage, he ultimately sailed off into the sunset with Sunny during the final rose ceremony.

The Golden Bachelor is dedicated to helping older Australians find love, and after its 2025 debut, fans are wondering if it will be back for another run.

So, has The Golden Bachelor been renewed, and if so, when will it air?

Find out everything we know about the show’s renewal below.
Bear found love with Sunny (left) on The Golden Bachelor’s first series. (Credit: Channel Nine)

Will The Golden Bachelor Australia return in 2026?

Yes! Applications are already open for the 2026 season of The Golden Bachelor.

“Are you in your 50s or 60s and looking for love in your golden years? Or do you know someone who deserves another shot at their happily ever after?” a casting notice reads.

“We are looking for Australia’s next Golden Bachelor and many incredible women who are excited to find love again. Join us today for an adventure of a lifetime!”

People can also nominate a loved one for the show.
Will another Golden Bachelor find love like Bear? (Credit: Channel Nine)

Who will be the next Golden Bachelor?

Casting is officially underway, and there are already some frontrunners being considered for the role.

New Idea exclusively revealed that Craig Trinder is one of the hot favourites to be the season two suitor.

According to well-placed insiders, the Gold Coast-based sport commentator and former professional motorcyclist has never married.

He has recently been linked to Bianca Dye, who appeared alongside Bear on The Golden Bachelor‘s debut run, and glamorous socialite Sonia Hill.

He was said to have been in the running to be the 2025 Golden Bachelor, before things fell through at the 11th hour and Bear was cast instead.

“There are three guys still in the mix,” one source told PEDESTRIAN.TV. “They’re all totally different, so producers are basically running three casting processes at the same time. It’s… a lot.”

According to the Daily Mail, another key contender for the role is Neil McIntosh, who appeared on Nine’s dating show My Mum, Your Dad in 2022.

Neil was labelled as “husband material” when he made his dating show debut, but he didn’t find lasting love on the program.

However, sources said producers are hoping he will still be single after growing close to Catherine Kirwan, who featured on The Golden Bachelor‘s first season.
Craig Trinder (right) is in the running for The Golden Bachelor after losing out on the role to Bear (left). (Credit: Channel Nine/Social media. )

When will filming for The Golden Bachelor Australia 2026 begin?

Channel Nine has not yet confirmed when filming will take place, but it is expected to get underway soon.

Insiders told New Idea that the network is determined to avoid any more off-screen scandals, such as the next suitor being romantically linked to Sam again!

Will Samantha Armytage return to host The Golden Bachelor Australia?

Samantha is expected to reprise her role as host of the reality dating show.

In fact, New Idea understands that Sam will once again have a say over who steps into The Golden Bachelor role.

Before the debut 2025 series aired, Sam revealed that she had done chemistry tests with the final three men being considered to lead the show.

“I did get to meet them, the final three before we chose, and Bear was the very obvious choice,” she told Yahoo! Lifestyle.

After the success of the first season, producers reportedly want to make the right pick for season two, and Sam will play a key role in that.

“Samantha’s gut instinct was proven right last time, so she has more power than ever,” a production source told New Idea. “If she doesn’t feel it, it won’t happen.”
Samantha Armytage hosted the first season of The Golden Bachelor. (Credit: Channel Nine)

Will there be a Golden Bachelorette?

Channel Nine has not confirmed any news of a potential Golden Bachelorette spin-off.

Despite this, many women have already thrown their hat in the ring to be the leading lady, if the show gets a green light.

Janette Bendle, who vied for Bear’s heart on the first season of The Golden Bachelor, told New Idea that she would be up for the role.

“Yes, yes I would,” she told us. “I just say yes, even if it scares me. I say yes.”

Big Brother Australia housemate Jane, 67, also revealed that she would like to find love on the reality TV show.
Big Brother star Jane, 67, wants to be Australia’s first Golden Bachelorette. (Credit: Network 10)
“I wouldn’t mind being on the Golden Bachelor; maybe I could be the Golden woman,” she told New Idea.

When asked what type of man she’d be looking for, Jane quipped, “An honest person with a sense of humour! You’d have to have a sense of humour to be with me.”