This Golden Bachelorette Star Announces He's Single Again, Opening The Door For Him To Be The Golden Bachelor

The Golden Bachelorette star Jonathan Rone has announced that he and his girlfriend, Michelle Zimmermann have broken up, which could open the door for him to become the next leading man of The Golden Bachelor. Jonathan, 61, was a fan favorite when he appeared on The Golden Bachelorette season 1 with Joan Vassos. They formed a strong connection, but it became more of a friendship than a romance. During Joan's "Men Tell All" episode, Jonathan announced that he was in a relationship.

In an Instagram post, Jonathan announced that he and his girlfriend, Michelle, had broken up. In the caption of the post, he wrote, "With a heavy heart, I want to share that I’m no longer in a relationship [broken heart emoji]. Thank you all for your support as I continue my journey toward happiness. I know my person is out there, and I’ll find them when the time is right. Thank you all for the love and support @joan_vassos."

Jonathan also shared a video, in which he spoke about the breakup. He said, "Hello, everyone. Jonathan here. I have some news to share. I've been waiting for the right moment to do this, and I believe today is the day. I just wanted to share with everyone that I am no longer in a relationship. It was fun, it was fast, and it just didn't last."

However, Jonathan isn't bitter about the split. He shared, "But I'm grateful for all of the experiences that we shared together with each other. Had the opportunity to meet her amazing friends and her family. And nothing is wasted in the universe of time. And so, I think moving forward, I only hope and wish the best for both of us."

Jonathan then revealed that some of his old insecurities had resurfaced, but his relationship with Joan gave him validation. He said, "And, so, that being said, I'm just left with these feelings and these reflections of thinking: why is it that my relationships always end in a way that I don't see coming? Where do I fall short? Am I not enough? Am I not worthy enough? [Laughs] And so, those are silly things to think about because I know that I am. I started this journey, and Joan gave me some validation. And that meant a lot to me."

Jonathan concluded his post by looking to the future with hope. He shared, "So I know that I am worthy. I know that I have enough. I have a big heart, and I show up. I'm open, I'm loyal, I'm honest, I'm committed."

Jonathan added, "And, so I know that, in time, things will get better. And, if it's meant to be, I'll find the right person who will truly see me for who I am, and will value me and love me and not let go and not break my heart. So, that's it. Kit and caboodle. Single as a dollar bill. So I wish you all the best today. Cheers."

Hello, everyone. Jonathan here. I have some news to share. I've been waiting for the right moment to do this, and I believe today is the day. I just wanted to share with everyone that I am no longer in a relationship. It was fun, it was fast, and it just didn't last. But I'm grateful for all of the experiences that we shared together with each other. Had the opportunity to meet her amazing friends and her family. And nothing is wasted in the universe of time. And so, I think moving forward, I only hope and wish the best for both of us. And, so, that being said, I'm just left with these feelings and these reflections of thinking: why is it that my relationships always end in a way that I don't see coming? Where do I fall short? Am I not enough? Am I not worthy enough? [Laughs] And so, those are silly things to think about because I know that I am. I started this journey, and Joan gave me some validation. And that meant a lot to me. So I know that I am worthy. I know that I have enough. I have a big heart, and I show up. I'm open, I'm loyal, I'm honest, I'm committed. And, so I know that, in time, things will get better. And, if it's meant to be, I'll find the right person who will truly see me for who I am, and will value me and love me and not let go and not break my heart. So, that's it. Kit and caboodle. Single as a dollar bill. So I wish you all the best today. Cheers.

Jonathan Rone & Joan Vassos' Golden Bachelorette Journey

Joan Helped Jonathan To Feel Worthy

It's no surprise that Jonathan tagged Joan in his post, even though he didn't receive her final Golden Bachelorette rose. Throughout the show, he opened up to her about his past heartaches, and he later gave her credit for helping him to heal from them. During episode 2, Joan chose Jonathan to be the Prom King during the '80s prom group date, which meant that he received the group date rose.

Earlier in the night, he'd told her that he didn't attend his own senior prom because he'd asked a girl to go with him, and she'd said yes, but later changed her mind and backed out. He was the only student of color at his high school. Jonathan admitted to Joan that this incident completely destroyed his ego, but he added that this new prom had healed his heart.

During The Golden Bachelorette season 1 episode 3, Joan chose Jonathan for a one-on-one-date, during which they went horseback riding. He told her about his divorce, and how the breakup was sudden. They had a lot of fun, sharing great conversation and even some kisses, and Joan gave him the date rose. However, Joan eventually ended her relationship with Jonathan.

During The Golden Bachelorette "Men Tell All" episode, Jonathan cried as he watched a montage of his Golden Bachelorette journey with Joan. However, he said that they were happy tears. Jonathan expressed how grateful he was to Joan and to his fellow Golden Bachelorette contestants, including Mark Anderson, for making him feel worthy. Mark had written encouraging post-it notes for Jonathan, which inspired him. In the end, even though Joan chose to end her relationship with Jonathan, he found that his experience on The Golden Bachelorette had healed him after he was hurt so deeply in the past.

What Jonathan Rone Being Single Again Means For The Golden Bachelor

The Door Is Now Open For Jonathan To Take The Lead

After his time on The Golden Bachelorette, while fans were happy to hear that Jonathan was in a relationship, they were also disappointed because he was considered a frontrunner to be the next star of The Golden Bachelor, and having a girlfriend would've made that impossible. Now that Jonathan's relationship is over, it's possible that he could take on the lead role of the dating series for seniors, although he obviously didn't mention it in his Instagram post.

The Golden Bachelor season 1 and The Golden Bachelorette season 1 were both filmed in the summer, so the timing of Jonathan's breakup is ideal for his chances of being on the show. From what he said about his breakup, it doesn't seem that it was his idea, so he might need some time to get over Michelle. If filming begins in the summer, it will give Jonathan enough time to process and get through his breakup, so that he's ready for his next relationship, if he decides to take on the lead role of The Golden Bachelor.

Our Take On Jonathan Rone Being The Golden Bachelor

Jonathan Would Be The Perfect Golden Bachelor Lead

Not only is Jonathan handsome and charming, but he truly wants to find love, so he's the perfect man for the Golden Bachelor lead. During Joan's Golden Bachelorette season, he had some major breakthroughs with feeling worthy of love, which was something that he'd struggled with for a long time. Now that Jonathan has experienced another relationship with Michelle, he's learned that he's enough, and that has a lot to offer. Hopefully, Jonathan will become the lead of The Golden Bachelor season 2, and he'll find true love and live happily ever after.