'Golden Bachelor' star Mel Owens paid off the nearly $1 million he owed his ex-wife, Fabiana Owens, under their divorce settlement ... TMZ has learned.
According to court docs, it looks like the reality star has officially resolved the 7-figure debt he owed Fabiana in their December 2024 divorce settlement.
The divorce turned ugly in late 2025, when Fabiana told the court Mel had yet to pay the money owed to her, despite him being on "The Golden Bachelor." She asked for Mel’s 5-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 2,768-square-foot home to be sold off to come up with the cash if he didn’t cough up the dough.
Gerry Turner is leveling up with fiancée Lana Sutton -- the couple just dropped nearly $1 mil on a house together.
The former "Golden Bachelor" and his leading lady showed off the digs on IG, and the new-build stunner in the sought-after Chatham Village does not disappoint -- five bedrooms, five bathrooms, and a sprawling 4,455 square feet.
'Bachelor' babe Corinne Olympios is celebrating another year of being hot as hell ... it's her 34th birthday, and we're taking a look at some of her hottest shots ... because it's our little way of celebrating.
The reality TV star is aging like fine wine and she's still a super babe ... and the proof is in the photos.
Corinne's hot shots check all the boxes ... she's got bikini photos, suggestive poses, and even some lingerie snaps in her bedroom. Safe to say she knows how to work her angles.
3:17 PM PT -- Gerry Turner's disputing Theresa Nist's version of events a bit ... telling TMZ, "I laughed. That’s preposterous."
Gerry Turner seems to have had an exit plan in case his marriage to Theresa Nist didn't work out ... straight-up telling her where he'd hide her body if he killed her!
Nist exhumed the morbid story during an episode of the "Dear Shandy" podcast ... telling the hosts they were out on a walk near his house along a lake, when Theresa says Gerry pointed out a shed to her.
She then claims Gerry said, "That’s where I’m going to hide your body after I kill you and chop you up" -- a statement Nist swears he deadpanned.
Gerry Turner is opening up about the brutal public backlash after his split with Theresa Nist ... admitting the 'Golden Bachelor' heartbreak hit him so hard, he spiraled into suicidal thoughts.
TMZ has obtained an excerpt of Gerry's upcoming memoir, "Golden Years" ... and he writes that after announcing his divorce just 3 months in last year, the negative reaction got so brutal he hit rock bottom ... writing, "One night, while I was lying in bed and staring at the ceiling, it all became too much, and for the briefest moment, I thought about putting a gun to my head."
In the excerpt, Gerry explains he’s always had a "marathon mentality" -- pushing through pain knowing it would pass. But he admitted that at the time, the agony felt endless.
Freddie Freeman's aunt was with the rest of the family at Dodgers Stadium last night for that epic victory ... but she nearly missed her nephew's heroics!
Carol Freeman -- who was also a fan-favorite on this season of "The Golden Bachelor" -- tells TMZ ... She damn-near missed Freddie’s epic walk-off home run in the 18th inning … ‘cause she was hunting for ice cream at concessions.
She had to book it back to her seat ... but Carol tells us she made it in time to say a little prayer Freddie wouldn't be the final out after the huge battle between the Dodgers and Blue Jays that went until midnight.
Gerry Turneris officially off the market -- he popped the question to his girlfriend, Lana Sutton, and she said yes!
Gerry broke the news Friday on Instagram, posting beachside photos of the happy couple and writing ... "We've got BIG news. The Golden Bachelor is OFF the market. I found my perfect match and she said 'YES.' I love this woman."
Lana's beaming in the post, showing off her engagement ring -- a round cut diamond set on a sparkling, diamond-encrusted band.
'Golden Bachelor' star Mel Owens is shaking off the recent age-shade and diving into the good life -- spotted on the beach, cameras rolling and a whole squad of stunners by his side!
Hit play on the clip -- Mel was living it up at Zuma Beach in Malibu Friday with a whole crew of gorgeous gals, looking like one hell of a group date. Age? Who cares! Mel’s face said it all -- he clearly thought they were all 10s.
TBH, you’d think these ladies were fresh outta their 20s -- all slaying their summer 'fits as they strutted into Malibu West Beach Club. One even snuck in a quick touchy-feely move with Mel on the way in that didn’t go unnoticed.
Mel Owenshas been in the media plenty of times over his life, which has seen him go from being a professional football player to a sports lawyer -- before signing on as the second "Golden Bachelor" on the popular television show.
The thing is, the sports figure landed himself in hot water in 2025, when he told producers he wasn't looking to date anyone over the age of 60 ... which caused a stir within Bachelor Nation.
We're going to check out what the television figure's done to make a name for himself prior to his appearance on the hit ABC series ... and see what he's said about his past comments.
Mel Played College And Pro Football Back In The Day
Owens began his athletic career at the University of Michigan, where he served as one of the institution's linebackers for several years before ending his college career in 1980.
Mel brought his talents as a linebacker to the Los Angeles Rams, and he joined the team in 1981.
The professional athlete spent the entirety of his football career with the team, retiring from the NFL in 1989.
Following his stint with the Rams, Owens became a lawyer focusing on sports-related injuries and incidents ... he married and had two sons with a woman named Fabiana Owens in 2002, according to Us Weekly,and divorced his wife in 2020.
Mel Was Picked As The Next Golden Bachelor In April 2025
Owens' designation as the second Golden Bachelor was revealed to Bachelor Nation fans in April 2025.
The former professional football player will be following the first Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner-- who married and quickly divorcedhis own season's winner, Theresa Nist.
Jesse Palmer,who hosts "The Bachelor" and its various spinoffs, described Owens as a perfect candidate for the program in an interview with Us Weekly,where he said the former athlete had been through "hills and valleys in his personal life."
Palmer went on to describe Owens as a "great lead" and stated the lawyer "really wants to find a special person" through his involvement with the program.
Mel Set An Age Range For His Season Of The Show ... And Later Apologized
The thing is, Owens upset much of Bachelor Nation when he was asked his dating preferences by show producers, answering he only wanted women within the 45-60 age range to appear on his season of "The Golden Bachelor," according to an interview for the "In The Trenches" podcast.
Mel stated he'd told producers he wanted all the women "to be fit" and asked them to stay away from "artificial hips and the wigs."
Owens later told Glamour he'd spoken to a friend about his comments regarding the age of the show's contestants, and claimed he didn't realize they'd "hit that hard" in their conversation, after which he wanted to publicly apologize for what he'd said.
He then described the fact he'd made the statements as a "mistake" and expressed he would be working to earn back the trust of both the contestants and viewers "every single moment that I’m on the show."
Mel Owens is trying to make up for his insensitive comments about age as filming for "The Golden Bachelor" Season 2 gets underway ... revealing he apologized to all the ladies on the first night of shooting.
The reality TV star spoke to Glamour for an interview published Friday about a comment he made on a podcast in June, when he said he preferred to date a woman between the ages of 45 and 60 ... and, he said he told producers to "try to stay away from the artificial hips and the wigs, you know, that kind of stuff.”
The interview sent fans into a frenzy, and they called for his firing from the show ... which tipped Owens off to the fact that he'd said something wrong -- 'cause he admits until a respected colleague called him on the comments, he didn't see the big deal.
"The Golden Bachelor" Gerry Turner is weighing in onMel Owens' turn as the star of the show -- saying it’s fair game to call out the new guy for wanting to ditch women over a certain age.
Gerry makes it clear to TMZ that Mel’s own 45-to-60 age-limit window -- and his intention to immediately axe anyone older -- is a bad look ... and he's urging the 66-year-old to be more open-minded about age and all the possibilities that can come out of it.
The TV star reflects on his own 'Golden Bachelor' days -- saying producers told him to stay receptive when he asked for women 65 and up. They promised gems on both ends of the age spectrum ... and turns out, they were right.
"The Golden Bachelor" is returning and the new leading man has a past life in the NFL.
Mel Owens was announced as the new 'Golden Bachelor' for Season 2 by ABC on Tuesday. The 66-year-old was selected as the ninth overall pick during the 1981 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams. He now works as a lawyer in Orange County, CA.
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Owens was previously married and the two have two sons together, according to ABC.
