The Golden Bachelorette contestant Mark Anderson was initially considered to be a nice guy, but lately he's taken a turn towards the dark side. Mark isn't like most Bachelor Nation contestants. Instead of applying to be on The Golden Bachelorette, he made his television debut during The Bachelor season 28. His daughter, Kelsey Anderson, was one of Joey Graziadei's final four women, and he visited Kelsey's hometown. When Mark gave Kelsey and Joey a photo album filled with photos of his love story with his late wife, women all over the country collectively swooned, and a star was born.
Though his screen time was brief, the 58-year-old retired Army veteran left quite an impression. When he was cast in The Golden Bachelorette season 1, hopes were high that he'd easily win the heart of 61-year-old Joan Vassos, but it hasn't worked out that way. Though Joan told Mark that she loved him, she went on to say that there was "something missing", and sent him home before her hometown dates. Though many fans clamored for Mark to be the next The Golden Bachelor, he may no longer be living up to their impossibly high expectations.
Mark Anderson's Red Flags Getting Noticed?
He's Already Back Out There
Things seemed so promising for Joan and Mark on the first night of The Golden Bachelorette season 1. Kelsey stepped out of the limousine with her father, to introduce him to Joan. Joan seemed genuinely excited about meeting Mark, but the spark quickly fizzled. After several weeks, Joan finally gave Mark a solo date, but it turned awkward for both of them, and Joan ended up sending Mark home before the next day's rose ceremony.
Mark wasn't down for long, as he was recently spending time with Barbara Alyn Woods, an actress best known for her work on One Tree Hill. With the Halloween season in full swing, Barbara recently posted a photo on her Instagram in which she's dressed as Cinderella and Mark is dressed as Prince Charming, with Barbara's daughter, Natalie Alyn Lind, dressed as a Star Wars character. Fans of The Golden Bachelorette and One Tree Hill lost their collective minds upon seeing the photo. The post has 4.7K likes and Barbara's caption reads, "When Cinderella and Prince Charming have a baby..."
Mark Anderson Is Losing His Nice Guy Image
Fans Are Starting To Ask Questions
It's interesting to note that Mark didn't wait long before getting back out there and dating new women. It's especially surprising because, during his excruciatingly awkward date with Joan on The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Mark claimed that he hadn't dated much after his late wife, Denise Anderson, passed away in 2018. When Joan sent him home, Mark talked about how being on the show helped change him.
It's possible that being on the show helped open Mark's heart to the possibility of finding love again.
If Mark doesn't tread carefully, he risks going down the same path as The Golden Bachelor season 1's Gerry Turner. The 72-year-old retired restaurateur was beloved by fans when he was announced as the Bachelor spin-off's first lead. The inaugural season of the series ended with Gerry giving his final rose to 70-year-old Theresa Nist, and they were quickly married in a lavish Golden Bachelor wedding. When they announced their divorce three months later, fans turned on Gerry. He went from hero to zero overnight, and Mark could find himself going down the same path.
Mark Anderson May Start To Shun The Spotlight
He May Prefer A Quieter Life
Unlike the gregarious Gerry, Mark is a much quieter man. Before appearing with his daughter on The Bachelor season 28, he had been living a life of relative obscurity. The retired Army native had been married to his late wife, Denise, for 18 years, and they had five children together, before she was diagnosed with cancer in 2018, and passed away only two short months later. Mark deeply loved his wife, and talked about her all the time. Joan was also a widower, and their shared loss was all they ever talked about.
Since Denise's death, Mark has focused on taking care of his five children, including Kelsey.
Mark deserves to find love and be happy, but he may come to find that he doesn't enjoy the spotlight after all. Sure, it may seem like fun now, when everyone is singing his praises, but he may eventually come to find the whole thing exhausting. These days, Mark is in very high demand, so he's having the time of his life. He should talk to Gerry about how quickly an adoring public can turn on a dime.
Mark Anderson May Not Want To Do The Golden Bachelor
His Bachelor Journey Could Be Over
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 episodes have recently featured ads asking women to apply to appear in The Golden Bachelor season 2, though the identity of the show's lead remains unclear. Mark had been a fan favorite to replace Gerry as the show's new lead, but there are multiple reasons to believe Mark didn't get the job. His photo with Barbara is one clue, as it suggests he may not even be single anymore.
Fans want Mark to be The Golden Bachelor , but they may not get what they want.
Though Mark has a lot going for him, he may not be the best choice to be The Golden Bachelor. For one thing, a Bachelor lead needs to be a great communicator, and Mark's very quiet. Another issue is Mark's relatively young age. At 58, the women he'd date would probably have to be younger, with some even being as young as their 40s. This would be a complete betrayal of the show's premise. That being said, Mark has been a very popular man since leaving The Golden Bachelorette season 1, so he may not be single for very long.
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Mark Anderson |
58 years old |
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Occupation |
Retired Army veteran |
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Location |
Leesville, Louisiana |
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Status |
Widowed |
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Children |
5 |
The Golden Bachelorette season 1 airs on Wednesday nights at 8 pm ET/PT on ABC.
