Fans of ABC’s Bachelor franchise saw a familiar face in this week’s episode of Bachelor in Paradise. Nancy Hulkower, an Alexandria resident who appeared on the first season of The Golden Bachelor, joined the cast in Costa Rica in the latest episode.
Hulkower, 62, is a retired interior designer who has lived in Alexandria since 1988, according to IndyStar. She’s a widowed mother of three who said her interests included golfing, college basketball, and rom-coms.
She was a contestant on Season 1 of The Golden Bachelor, which aired in 2023. She left The Golden Bachelor after four episodes. Still, after her run on the show, she told Northern Virginia Magazine that she had a positive experience and would do it again.
“I remember being sort of on the fence, and then I thought, ‘What do I have to lose?’ My kids are out of the house. I’m retired. Why wouldn’t I? And again, it was a little unknown. And I vacillated a little bit. Then I thought, ‘Why not?’ I’m so glad I did,” Hulkower said.
Bachelor in Paradise brings together contestants from past Bachelor concepts in a beach resort. This season, the show combines contestants from the senior-focused Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette with contestants from The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, who are typically in their 20s and 30s.
Other new contestants in episode four included Lea Cayanan from The Bachelor and Faith Martin, also of The Golden Bachelor.
Feature image of Nancy Hulkower courtesy Disney/James Clark
