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Kelsey Anderson Reveals She Would ‘100 Percent’ Support Dad Mark Becoming the Next Golden Bachelor
Kelsey Anderson weighed in on how she would feel if her dad, Mark Anderson, is named the next lead of The Golden Bachelor, revealing she would be fully supportive.
“If that’s what he wants to do, I would fully support him,” Kelsey, 26, told Us Weekly in an interview published on Wednesday, October 23. “I think that my dad has grown so much through this journey of The Golden Bachelorette. So, yeah, I would 100 percent be excited for him and support him.”
Kelsey added that Mark, 57, “grew a lot from” his time on the debut season of The Golden Bachelorette and said she’s “really proud of him.” The former Bachelor contestant continued, “I’m also really thankful for Joan [Vassos] in helping my dad through all of this.”
Mark initially seemed like a frontrunner while vying for Joan’s heart, and he received a one-on-one date during the October 16 episode. Following their date, Joan, 61, sent him home before the remaining contestants went on their hometown dates.
While speaking to the outlet, Kelsey acknowledged that Joan had “stronger connections” with her other contestants.
“I know that after he left, he was pretty sad because he did really appreciate Joan and he really did care for her. So I think he had a hard time leaving,” Kelsey said.
She added that Mark also created strong bonds with the other contestants on the show. “But I think that he really valued his experience through it all and he had the best time. He was like, ‘I made 21 best friends,’” Kelsey continued. “He had the best time and I think that it helped him grow a lot with his grieving as well.”
Mark bonded with the other men over the shared experience of being on the show, while many of them also experienced the grief of losing a spouse. Kelsey’s mom, Denise, died in 2018 following her battle with breast cancer.
While Mark didn’t find love during his time on The Golden Bachelorette, Kelsey said it was “great” to watch her dad on TV. However, she admitted that she “didn’t want to see him kissing somebody.”
“It’s funny, but I mean, I’m sure he had the same experience watching me on The Bachelor,” Kelsey, who got engaged to Joey Graziadei during the season 28 finale, said. “So it’s all fair.”
Kelsey then said that it was “really cool” to share the experience of competing on the dating reality show with her father. “Joey and my dad were talking about it for a while, just like the relationships you build,” she explained. “It’s cute for us to all have something else to bond over.”
After Mark’s elimination played out on the show, Kelsey took to Instagram to share a supportive message with her father. “So proud of you for putting yourself out there dad,” she wrote. “I love you so much.”
Meanwhile, Mark looked back on his experience on the show in his own Instagram post. “I am thankful…I am hopeful…I feel blessed,” he wrote alongside a cast photo. “I started a journey hopeful for a future. I departed with so much more than I [started] with. I am blessed to have met Joan, a radiant, and caring woman who stood tall and navigated this with poise and grace. I met this incredible group of men that have enriched the core of my being. Thank you for the encouragement and support that has been shared throughout this journey it has truly changed my life for the better!”
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