Charles Ling quickly endeared himself to viewers as a contestant on The Golden Bachelorette, whether he was sharing vulnerable moments with Joan Vassos or giving a friendly tour of the Bachelor Mansion kitchen.
His happy-to-be-here sensibility didn’t preclude him from getting real about the grief of losing his wife — a kind, complex humanness (novel, on reality TV) that made him a unanimous high point for viewers. If you spoke about The Golden Bachelorette this season with your mom, friend, or a stranger at the store, you needed only invoke Charles’ name to hear a knowing “Yes! I love him.”
And although Charles and Joan weren’t a romantic match — he went home in Week 4 — the retired financial analyst embodied the earnest, brotherly demeanor that has made the show’s inaugural season a wholesome tearjerker. Upon his departure, he spoke movingly to the camera about finding a “different form of love” among his fellow contestants.
“Before the program, I was in a sad mood,” Charles, 66, tells Bustle, adding he used to be nervous about what his two daughters would think if he found love again. “But after the program, that worry is gone. They are happy to see me be a happy person, and they will support me [in] whatever way they can.”
Does that mean he’d be down to, say, appear on a theoretical debut season of Golden Bachelor in Paradise? “Honestly, you probably heard that I love the beach,” Charles teases, “and I’m still single.” Indeed, he’s said that he loves being near the water, and did you see the beach ’fit he chose for the Chippendales group date?
Below, Charles reflects on his Golden Bachelorette journey, self-care, and his picks for the next lead.
What was the first thing you did after getting home from the show?
Relax.
How did you do that?
Sit on my couch, try to recall a little bit of what happened. There’s so much information to process in my mind. Have a nice sip of coffee, listen to some music.
What music do you turn to when you want to relax?
Anything on YouTube. Sometimes you bump into nice music on TikTok as well.
One of my favorite parts of the show was when the guys were all choosing their bunk beds, and you said you were the fittest man there. What does your fitness routine look like?
I go to the gym four times a week. Sometimes I walk. I watch my diet and try to balance myself both physically and mentally. I do reading. I have a very good routine. I usually get up around 5 or 5:30 a.m.
That’s amazing.
I usually don’t answer the phone after 8 or 8:30 [at night]. Around 10, I grab a book, read a few lines, then go to sleep — that kind of pattern, day in and day out.
Looking back on the show, is there a behind-the-scenes moment you wish viewers got to see?
I loved to go to the swimming pool. There are some crazy men. They barely wear clothes [when] they jump into the pool. And [you] probably heard some gentlemen, they sleep without any clothes on.
Speaking of… what was Pascal [Ibgui] like?
Luckily, I was not in that room, but I heard [about] that the next morning. He said he’s French, and I said, “Do all French men [not] wear anything?”
You were married for 36 years. What’s your best advice for dating and relationships?
I would say, be yourself. Be sincere. Let the other person know about you, and in return, try to know as much as [you can] about the other person. Tell her or him what you’re looking for, what you expect, and any differences that you [notice], so you can see what the problems might be.
Everyone would love to see you on Golden Bachelor in Paradise, but would you like to lead The Golden Bachelor? Or are there any other men from Joan’s season who you think might be good for the role?
If you’re talking about the [lead], I try to brag — maybe I’ll be one of them. There are quite a few good candidates. I like Mark [Anderson], and I like Guy [Gansert], too.
I loved your Bachelor Mansion kitchen tour. What’s your favorite dish to cook at home?
Ideally, I’d like to [cook] some fresh fish — stir fry with some pepper, oil, sauce, vinegar, and wine. Add a little bit of hot water and steam for three [to] five minutes. At the end, you add a little onion on top of the fish. Boy, it should be delicious.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
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