‘The View’s' Ana Navarro Wants Queer ‘Bachelor’ Instead of ‘The Golden Bachelor’: “Maybe It’s the Time”

As everyone is raving over The Golden Bachelor, it seems the show has not been met with universal acclaim. The View offered their opinions on the eagerly awaited dating program that will premiere on the network this autumn after Gerry Turner was unveiled as the network's first established star suitor for ABC's Bachelor spinoff.

The panel began their discussion after some exclaiming over Turner's silver fox status — "He could buy me a drink at a bar," Sunny Hostin commented, while Alyssa Farah Griffin shared, "That is a good-looking 71-year-old" — and then got down to the main business, per Decider. Turner is "right up my alley," Ana Navarro admitted, but she wasn't shy about expressing her doubts about The Golden Bachelor.

“I actually don’t like these shows. I hate the idea of people competing when it comes to love,” Navarro said. She also added that she is aware that her opinions are not very common given the years-long rise in reality dating shows on networks and streaming services. “You know what I would like to see? I’d like to see some queer Bachelor competition if we’re gonna compete. I’d love to see that,” Navarro said.

Although The Bachelor and some of its spinoffs have featured LGBTQ+ contestants, and previous cast members have since come out as queer, ABC has never aired a queer season of the show or any of its offshoots. In 2019, competitors Demi Burnett and Kristian Haggerty got engaged, marking the franchise's first-ever LGBTQ proposal.

Elizabeth Corrigan, who came out as queer in June, and Colton Underwood, who starred as The Bachelor's Season 23 lead, are two more stars who came out after their experience on the program.

Even as ABC hasn't made any official plans for a queer Bachelor spin-off, one celebrity has already expressed interest in hosting the potential show. Lance Bass, who got married to Michael Turchin in 2014, said in a 2016 interview with Variety that he would "be so down" to host the program.

“If you want the most dramatic season ever, do an LGBT version,” Bass told the outlet, adding, “I think maybe it’s the time for The Bachelor to do a gay Bachelor. I think that would be so much fun.”

He said although he appreciates The Bachelor for all it's branching out, he wants to see queer versions too. “I love the fact that they’re really branching out,” Bass said, adding, “They’re doing the seniors next, which I think is such a great idea. I like that they’re trying different things and I think the next step, the obvious step, would be an LGBT version. I would love to see a show where you had lesbian, gay, trans, bi. To me, bisexual is just such an interesting thing to watch because everyone is an option.”

References:

https://decider.com/2023/07/17/the-view-ana-navarro-forget-golden-bachelor-time-for-queer-bachelor/

https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/lance-bass-bachelor-in-paradise-host-gay-bachelor-1235052344/