Mel Owens was a divorced senior in his 60s looking for a second chance at love. The former NFL player went on The Golden Bachelor to find his match. But his divorce remained unfinished until recently. He was ordered to pay big money to his ex and finally made good after nearly losing his home. Keep reading for all the details.
Mel Owens Ordered To Pay Big Money To Ex
After Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor ended in divorce, fans were hesitant to give the show another chance. Mel Owens was named the lead for Season 2. He turned to law after his NFL career ended. But the highly successful attorney seemed reserved, unwilling to commit to any of his contestants.
In fact, he skipped the usual engagement and offered his final rose winner, Peg Munson, a promise ring. He opened up on the show about his heartbreaking divorce from his ex. Fabiana Owens filed for divorce in 2020 after nearly two decades of marriage. The former couple shares two sons, both of whom made appearances on the ABC dating show.
The divorce took a shocking turn in 2024 when Mel Owens was ordered to pay his ex-wife over $1 million. By November 2025, he still hadn’t paid, so his ex took drastic action.
He Finally Makes Good After Nearly Losing Home
Mel Owens dragged his feet paying his ex-wife, so she dragged him back to court. According to TMZ, the Golden Bachelor star was ordered to pay up by November 7, 2025. If he didn’t, his ex-wife demanded his 2,768-square-foot mansion be sold off.
Mel Owens reportedly missed the deadline, but managed to save his home. TMZ reported that the former NFL player put a $1.1 million loan against the property and used that to pay $1,024,887 to his ex-wife.
Golden Bachelor Couple’s Relationship Status
Season 2 of The Golden Bachelor ended with Mel Owens and Peg Munson happily in a relationship, despite the haters. The retired firefighter from Las Vegas, Nevada, defended him for not proposing. She recently opened up about their future plans together.
There have been rumblings of trouble in paradise, but by all accounts, Mel Owens and Peg Munson are still together. They reportedly attended the Super Bowl together in early February. Peg Munson shared a glimpse at their Christmas vacation to Rio in late 2025.
However, they don’t post about each other much on social media, preferring to keep their love life quiet after reality TV fame. Mel Owens made headlines before The Golden Bachelor started filming for dissing the idea of dating women over the age of 60. He spent weeks apologizing, but taking so long to pay his ex-wife likely won’t help the public’s perception of him. Tell us your reaction in the comments.
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger