Plus, his thoughts on whether or not Nicolle really went on the show to find love after her comments on the Women Tell All.

Golden Bachelor host Jesse Palmer shares who he thinks ‘should be in the running’ to become the next Golden Bachelorette

Plus, his thoughts on whether or not Nicolle really went on the show to find love after her comments on the Women Tell All.

By Emlyn Travis

Emlyn Travis is a news writer at **. She has been working at EW since 2022. Her work has previously appeared on MTV News, Teen Vogue, and *NME*.

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October 29, 2025 10:30 p.m. ET

Jesse Palmer on 'The Golden Bachelor'. Credit:

Disney/John Fleenor

*Each week this season, *The* *Golden Bachelor *host Jesse Palmer will answer a few questions about Mel's "journey" to find "love." Today, Jesse shares his thoughts via email on whether or not Nicolle truly went on the show to find love, who *really* won the roast, and who he absolutely thinks should be in the running to become the next Golden Bachelorette.*

**: Nicolle received a lot of backlash for her influencer comments and the infamous Lemon Bar Incident at the Women Tell All. Do you think she was being genuine about going on the* Golden Bachelor* to find love?**

**JESSE PALMER:** While Nicolle admitted that she had some [missteps] throughout her journey, I personally don’t feel that she truthfully regrets many of the things she said. With that in mind, after seeing her emotion at Women Tell All, I do believe she did have authentic feelings for Mel and was hopeful that they would find love together.**

Cheryl and Jesse during the 'Women Tell All'.

Disney/John Fleenor

**One of my favorite things from the Women Tell All was seeing the camaraderie between all of the women — especially when they were holding hands and standing up for one another. Did you feel that connection between them right off the bat or did it evolve over the season? How does their bond compare to previous Golden seasons?****

From the very first date card drop off, I could tell there was something very special about this group of women. One of the things I’ve really enjoyed from all of our *Golden* casts, men and women, is that they’ve all been so supportive of one another and have formed authentic friendships from their time together. It’s always so heartwarming to be around them and see the camaraderie they build, and I thought our amazing group of women from Mel's season put that on full display at Women Tell All!**

**Cheryl mentioned that she wished she’d been “braver” when it came to putting herself out there and flirting with Mel while on the show. Do you have any advice for individuals who might feel hesitant about how much to share with the bachelor/bachelorette (*Golden* or otherwise)?****

I applaud Cheryl because I think she was just being her true authentic self throughout the entire journey, and that’s all you can be at the end of the day. I, of course, encourage our cast to always be vulnerable and unafraid to lower their walls and share pieces of themselves throughout the process, but I think true authenticity is the single most important thing at the end of the day.**

'Golden Bachelor' host Jesse Palmer reacts to Debbie's 'heartbreaking' exit

'Golden Bachelor' host Jesse Palmer reacts to unexpected exit ahead of hometown dates: 'It’s a personal decision'

**Debbie is such a star and it really felt like she had the full support of the audience, her Golden costars, and the entire world behind her during her sit-down interview. Is there any chance she could be in the running to become the next Golden Bachelorette?****

I personally love Debbie, and I think her incredible story resonates with many. I absolutely believe she should be in the running to be our next Golden Bachelorette!

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**Now that we’ve seen the full clip, who do you consider to be the winner of the Golden Bachelor roast?****

Monica B. was the star of the show in my opinion! Great comedic timing and delivery. Absolutely hilarious!**

Jesse and Debbie during the 'Women Tell All'.

Disney/John Fleenor

**The preview for next week’s episode shows Mel and the ladies in Antigua driving dune buggies and swimming with sting rays. Is there anything you can tease about their upcoming island adventures?****

The scene is finally set for Mel to make one of the most difficult decisions of his life. But… expect the unexpected!

*This interview has been edited for length and clarity.*

*The Golden Bachelor *airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.**

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW TV”