Michael Stevens, a familiar face from The Golden Bachelorette, is still on the lookout for love after his journey with Joan Vassos didn’t lead to a lasting relationship. The 65-year-old shared his ongoing search for connection during a December 10 appearance on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast.
“I had the chance to meet a lot of amazing women from The Golden Bachelor, and I’ve been texting a couple of them,” Michael explained. “It’s all been on a friendly basis so far, and we’ve had some nice conversations.”
Though Michael didn’t find “The One” with Joan, he feels that the bond shared by the contestants from both The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette is special. Michael added, “Everyone has had such unique experiences, which has brought us all together in a really great way.”
While Michael hasn’t committed to anyone yet, he hinted that there may be potential matches among the women he’s met. “There’s definitely a couple who could be a good fit for me,” he teased, but acknowledged that it’s still early days.
One contestant he admires is Nancy Hulkower, who made an impression during Joan’s season by offering advice. Michael expressed interest in meeting her, noting, “All the guys would love to meet Nancy—she’s not only beautiful, but she seems very grounded. That’s intriguing.”
But it’s another woman, Kathy Swarts, who’s caught Michael’s attention. “Kathy is a really nice lady, very sweet, and I think she’s gotten a bit of a bad rap,” he shared. “She’s easy to talk to and really bright. We’ve been texting a little bit, and she’s been wonderful.”
Michael also shared his positive experiences with other contestants, including Sylvia Robledo, who he described as “very sweet,” and Sandra Mason, with whom he enjoyed conversing.
Despite these connections, Michael cautioned that it’s still too soon to tell if any of these interactions could turn romantic. “It was more of a group setting at the After the Final Rose event, so it’s hard to gauge chemistry yet. It’s still early.”
As for his ideal Golden Bachelor spinoff, Michael made it clear he’d be all in for a Golden Bachelor in Paradise—with one condition. “I’d love to be part of it, but I want my shirt on!” he joked. “Or maybe I’ll hit the gym for six months, move in, and just live there.” While he’s unsure if the show will ever come to fruition, he added, “I think it would be a blast, though. I’d be ready if they do it.”
