The absurd setback to Sam Armytage's new reality TV show, The Golden Bachelor.

Alert the group chat and dust off the cheese board because The Bachelor is back! Well, sort of.

ICYMI: earlier this year it was announced that after a decade of wonderful television, Channel 10 had said farewell to The Bachelor. The news wasn't a huge shocker as the reality show had seen dwindling in ratings in recent years — a far cry from the glory days of Bachie, when finales would be must-watch TV and draw in more than one million viewers.

So, we said farewell to Bachie as we knew it.

But following a successful first season in the US, The Golden Bachelor is getting an Australian season, which will feature a senior suitor on his search for love. One thing is for sure: I'm ready to get hurt again.

The franchise has found a home on a new network: say buh-bye to the nostalgia of tuning into Channel 10 on a Wednesday and Thursday evening, as the Nine Network has secured The Golden Bachelor. The news was confirmed at Nine's Upfronts in Sydney this week, as they unveiled their lineup of content for 2025. Amid updates on MAFS and The Block, the new version of Bachie has been confirmed.

The only question left to answer is: who will host the new Bachie?

While fans are used to seeing Channel 10 host Osher Günsberg on our screens, a new network means a new host.

After exiting Farmer Wants A Wife, the one and only Sam Armytage will be taking up hosting duties on The Golden Bachelor.

"I am so excited about this show, this has been huge in America and I have a feeling it's going to be huge in Australia too," Armytage told Nine.

"It's love for the golden ages. It's something we haven't seen before, it's very exciting."

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But there's just one problem facing Sam and the crew behind The Golden Bachelor: the golden oldies are struggling to apply.

A casting producer at Warner Bros has told Yahoo Lifestyle they've faced an "unexpected setback" while trying to find people to be on the show.

"A lot of the applicants don't know how to fill out the application form and upload pictures and videos. A lot don't even own an iPhone or computer to do it themselves after hearing about the show on the news," the source said.

"Applications started off slow but now we've pushed for people to nominate their grandparents and it's picked up," they added.

Yes, that's right. Tech-savy teens around the country are being called upon to nominate their elders for this reality TV show. Have you got a grandparent? Are they single? Then hop to it!

Watch the moment Locky Gilbert chose his winner on The Bachelor.

The pivot to The Golden Bachelor comes after the first season aired in the US, casting 72-year-old widower Gerry Turner, and was a huge ratings success, drawing in 6.1 million viewers.

Gerry and his chosen winner Theresa Nist even aired their wedding as a TV special called The Golden Wedding, although the couple awkwardly divorced three months later. The magic of reality TV, folks.

I'm hoping the Australian version pulls through on the show's title and actually casts an older person to lead the show. Viewers are also begging for more diverse faces to be represented on Australian screens, so hopefully the entire crop of contestants will be a refreshing change of pace, showcasing a range of ages, ethnicities and body shapes.

In an age when reality TV is dominated by shows like Married at First Sight and Love Island — which don't often reflect the wide scope of Australian people — The Golden Bachelor could be just what Aussie TV needs.

Feature image: Ten/ABC.