The second week of The Golden Bachelorette has yet to air, and drama has already arisen behind the scenes. It was revealed that one of the contestants, Gil Ramirez, has a past that was missed during the background check before production began. The educator from Southern California received a rose during the first night.
It is alleged that the 60-year-old educator has a past of stalking and that an ex-girlfriend has filed a temporary restraining order against him. According to People, this filing occurred days before production began and insiders close to the reality TV show claimed that the restraining order was filed after the vetting process of the contestants. While it’s unlikely that Ramirez will be removed from the show, a source claims his screen time will be edited and limited in later episodes:
“This filing occurred in the brief period between completion of our thorough background investigation and exhaustive vetting process, and the beginning of production.”
Ramirez’s first impression of the show’s lead, Joan Vassos, was throwing a baseball and ending with a pun. This caught the attention of the 61-year-old former Golden Bachelor contestant, and probably contributed to him securing a rose in the first episode.
Gil Ramirez’s Ex-Girlfriend Filed a Restraining Order Against Him
According to the court documents obtained by People, Ramirez was accused of emotional harassment. It was filed on June 11 and a temporary restraining order was granted. July 2 was meant to be the scheduled hearing, but it was postponed to July 24. Unfortunately, the case was dismissed without prejudice for “lack of prosecution for lack of service.”
The alleged victim, who remained anonymous, told People that Ramirez would come to her house and would make repeated unwanted contact toward her, her family, and friends. She also alleged that he made “25 attempts” to contact her, whether it was through phone, text, or video. The harassment took place in a two-week period, and despite living an hour away from each other, he would show up in places she would frequently visit.
The Bachelor franchise isn’t immune from controversy, whether it’s from its contestants, stars, or the general message it tries to convey. But when it comes to criminal allegations, Ramirez’s case isn’t the first. In the latest season of The Bachelorette, Jenn Tran chose to leave with front-runner Devin Strader, who ended up breaking her heart. Shortly after, Strader’s criminal past resurfaced, where he, too, had a restraining order filed against him.
