The Golden Bachelorette: Mark's Romance With One Tree Hill Star Barbara Could Have A Fairytale Ending (Mark Doesn't Need The Franchise Anymore)

Mark Anderson didn't win Joan Vassos' heart on The Golden Bachelorette season 1, but did he find his happy ending after the cameras stopped rolling? If anyone deserves to find true love, it's Mark. Not only does he seem like a genuinely nice guy and a loving father, he's been through so much over the last few years. Mark wasn't a stranger to Bachelor Nation fans. He first appeared on The Bachelor season 28, during the hometown dates episode. His daughter, Kelsey Anderson, took Joey Graziadei home to meet her family.

Kelsey would go on to win Joey's final rose, and the couple went on to get engaged. Mark was thrilled for his daughter, and inspired by her journey because he agreed to join the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1. Joan was excited about meeting Mark for the first time outside the iconic Bachelor mansion on night one, but her interest quickly waned. After an awkward solo date on a luxury boat, Joan told Mark there was "something missing," and sends him home. He was down, but he had bounced back and been spotted with a new woman.

Mark Anderson Can Make A Long-Term Relationship Work

He's Deeply Devoted

It's unfortunate Joan didn't fall in love with Mark, because he proved he can make a long-term relationship work. Long before appearing on The Bachelor season 28, Mark was a widowed single father of five. He was married to the love of his life, Denise Anderson, for 18 years. Their love story reads like a grand adventure. They both served in the Army and had met overseas while serving their country. They went on to get married and have five children together, including Kelsey.

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Mark and Denise thought they had their whole lives ahead of them, but, as Mark told Joan, they ran out of time. In 2021, Denise was diagnosed with cancer. According to Kelsey, she was gone less than two months later. It's clear from the way Mark talks about his wife that he adores her. When Kelsey first brought Joey home, Mark gave them a photo album of photos of him and his late wife throughout the years.

During his final date with Joan during The Golden Bachelorette season 1, he explained that he hadn't dated much since his late wife passed away. She'd been gone for six years, but he still hadn't moved on. Sadly, things between him and Joan didn't work out, and Joan sent Mark home before that night's rose ceremony. She said she couldn't sleep last night thinking about what went wrong between them. Though Joan didn't choose Mark, she missed out on a man who would have stayed by her side forever. Joan's loss is another woman's gain.

Mark Anderson Looked So Happy With Barbara Woods On Halloween

Cinderella And Prince Charming

Mark was devastated when he was sent home from The Golden Bachelor season 1, but he wasn't down for long. He was recently photographed with Barbara Woods, a television actress known for her work on the series One Tree Hill. In the photo, Barbara is in a Cinderella costume and Mark is dressed as Prince Charming. Some fans of ABC's The Golden Bachelorette season 1 and One Tree Hill were excited about the potential match between Mark and Barbara. The post has 5.4K likes and Barbara's caption reads, "When Cinderella and Prince Charming have a baby..."

To be clear, Mark and Barbara have neither confirmed nor denied their relationship status. There was even some online speculation the photo was a publicity stunt designed to set tongues wagging. Tongues were certainly wagging, but, at this point, Mark and Barbara appeared to be friends. Regardless of their status, there's no doubt plenty of women out there want to date Mark.

Will Prince Charming Mark Find His Cinderella?

It Would Mean He's Not The Next Golden Bachelor

Custom Image by César García

Since appearing on The Bachelor season 28 and The Golden Bachelorette season 1, Mark has become a big star and a highly eligible bachelor. It would be surprising if he wasn't meeting interesting single older women all the time. If he's already dating, that may be a clue about Mark's future with the Bachelor franchise. Since the franchise often casts contestants from past seasons, Mark was a fan favorite to replace Gerry Turner for The Golden Bachelor season 2.

Recent episodes of The Golden Bachelorette season 1 have featured ads asking women to apply to appear on The Golden Bachelor season 2, though the identity of the show's lead remains unclear. Mark has a lot going for him, but he doesn't need The Bachelor franchise to find true love. He may be tempted to do the show because he saw it work for his daughter, who's happily engaged, but Mark doesn't need the show's producers to introduce him to dozens of women.

Though Mark is extremely popular, he may not be well suited to finding love on an unscripted reality show. During The Golden Bachelorette, he struggled to let his personality shine through. The single father may just be too soft-spoken to excel in the environment. Check this space often for updates on the status of Mark and Barbara's relationship. Prince Charming may have found his Cinderella after all.

Source: Barbara Woods/Instagram

The Golden Bachelorette: This reality series offers one woman in her later years the opportunity to find love, as a group of seasoned men compete for her affection. Participants bring diverse romantic histories, seeking a meaningful connection and a chance to build a promising future together.

Cast Joan Vassos , Jesse Palmer , Gary Levingston , Pascal Ibgui , Jonathan Rone , Charles Chock Chapple , Charles Ling , Keith Gordon , Guy Gansert , Jordan Heller , Mark Anderson , Daniel Roemer , Gil Ramirez , Charles King , Kim Buike , Gregg Lassen , Michael Stevens

Character(s) The Golden Bachelorette

Release Date September 18, 2024

Seasons 1

Streaming Service(s) Hulu

Showrunner Bennett Graebner