Signs Charles Ling Should Be The Next Golden Bachelor (His Reaction To Stardom Says A Lot)

The inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette introduced Joan Vassos to 24 great single men, but Charles Ling stands out as someone who could be The Golden Bachelor. Joan, a 61-year-old private school administrator from Maryland, made her television debut during Gerry Turner's season of The Golden Bachelor season 1. After leaving the show early to deal with a family emergency, the widowed mother of four was given a second chance at finding love when she was cast as the spin-off's first female lead.

Like Joan, 66-year-old Charles is also a widow. He lost his beloved wife to a brain aneurysm six years ago, after 36 years of marriage and two children together. One of the most endearing things about Charles is how much he obviously loved his wife and is still mourning her deeply. The retired financial analyst from Philadelphia was encouraged to join the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1 by his daughters, who want their father to find love again. If he doesn't win Joan's heart, he'd make an excellent replacement for Gerry on The Golden Bachelor.

Charles Is The Internet's New Boyfriend

He Values Commitment

After Jenn Tran's disastrous season of The Bachelorette introduced multiple men who were accused of being on the show for fame, not love, Bachelor Nation fans were ready for some authenticity. While some of Jenn's men may have been there for social media fame, most of Joan's men were widowers looking to get back into the dating pool, including Charles. Television audiences and the internet fell in love with Charles' soft-spoken sweetness, and his unwavering commitment to the memory of his late wife.

Fans instantly fell in love with the sweet, humble Charles as he talked about missing his late wife. It's clear that he values family and commitment, and Joan would be lucky to end up with a man like that. During a recent episode of The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Charles finally got some closure about his wife's death. A fellow contestant, who happens to be an ER doctor, finally answered some questions about the death of Charles' wife. He was finally able to let go of some of his pain.

Charles Had An Endearing Reaction To His Stardom

Humble As Always

Fans may be ready to give Charles their final rose, but Charles had no idea how popular he had become. NBC News recently caught up to let him know that he had become a fan favorite, and Charles had no idea. The Golden Bachelorette season 1 contestant told NBC that he didn't use social media much, so he had no idea that the internet wanted him to be their boyfriend. Charles' humble reaction to his sudden fame is a perfect example of why he deserves every ounce of said fame.

Charles Ready To Be The Golden Bachelor?

He's Got Stiff Competition

The Golden Bachelor season 1 was a meteoric success for ABC, and they're already casting women to appear in The Golden Bachelor season 2. There are many speculations as to who would replace Gerry, including The Golden Bachelorette contestant, 58-year-old Mark Anderson. Mark made his television debut on The Bachelor 28, when his daughter, Kelsey Anderson, brought Joey Graziadei home for her hometown date.

Like Mark, Charles is a fan favorite who is also being speculated about as the lead of The Golden Bachelor season 1. Charles would make a great lead. He's sensitive and empathetic, and he clearly believes in the process. Though he's a profoundly likable figure who'd make an entertaining lead, it doesn't seem like he's ready to really open his heart again. Though he and Joan are hitting it off during The Golden Bachelorette season 1, he's still not over the death of his late wife.

The Golden Bachelor season 1 can be streamed on Hulu.