The reality star says he didn't realize his comments were hurtful and that he apologized to the bachelorettes on the first night.The Golden Bachelor star Mel Owens is addressing the controversial comments he made about not wanting to date women over 60 on the reality dating show.

"Golden Bachelor" star Mel Owens has acknowledged that his recent comments about only dating women younger than him were "insensitive." The former NFL player turned lawyer and star of ABC's forthcoming sophomore season of "The Golden Bachelor" came under heavy fire in late June when he went on a sports podcast and said he told "Bachelor" producers that he only wanted them to find women between the ages of 45 and 60.

Mel Owens is correcting his recent fumble. The former NFL star, 66, revealed that while filming this season of “The Golden Bachelor,” some of the contestants confronted him for his ageist remarks. Owens had said in June that he refuses to date women over the age of 60.