Bachelor Nation swoons over Downey's Golden Bachelorette
Edith Aguirre was a contestant on the Golden Bachelor. (PHOTO BY ALEX DOMINGUEZ)
DOWNEY - She may not have found love, but Downey’s own golden bachelorette captured the hearts of Bachelor Nation.
Edith Aguirre, 60, was recently a contestant on ABC’s first ever “The Golden Bachelor,” the current installment of the popular, long-running romance reality television series “The Bachelor.”
A retired realtor, Aguirre has divorced twice. It was her daughter who submitted her application for the Bachelor.
“I was stunned when they called me. I thought it was a prank; I didn’t believe that,” said Aguirre. “After the second call, they wanted to get an interview and I was like, ‘Okay, this is real.’”
Aguirre was one of 22 women vying for the affection of 72-year-old Bachelor Gerry Turner. During the season premiere, she was the first woman to exit the limo.
“My nerves were going crazy. I was so nervous because this was the first time I was going to meet him,” said Aguirre. “Just being on TV, with all these cameras and all that, I was pretty nervous.”
She said Turner was “a big ham.”
“Looking into his beautiful blue eyes, he just made me feel so comfortable with him,” said Aguirre.
Aguirre would greet Turner in Spanish; a very important detail to her.
“I wanted to show that I’m Latina, and that I was representing Latina,” said Aguirre.
According to Aguirre, all the ladies on the show were very supportive one of another.
“What we wanted to do is give support. We wanted to make it a change. We wanted to make it a show that was supportive between all us ladies, and that we were going to date one man,” said Aguirre. “I was not going to bring no drama, I wanted just to show the love that we got along with everybody.”
Despite making it through the first two weeks and feeling like she had a connection with Turner, Aguirre would find herself without one of the coveted roses after week three.
She admits to being surprised at her elimination.
“I was in shock when I didn’t get the rose,” said Aguirre. “They did interview me after about how I felt. I said I was surprised, but if he didn’t see the love that I have in me, I’m sure somebody out there is going to see it.”
Still, she says it may have been the perfect time for her to leave.
“Now that I look at it, what happened to me, I guess it was the perfect time for me to leave because if there was not any connection between me and him that I thought I had, then it’s the perfect time for me to leave.”
Aguirre hasn’t given up on love, either.
“This had not made me feel sour or anything,” said Aguirre. “I know deep in my heart that ‘he’s’ out there; I just haven’t found him.”
While not on the show long, Aguirre managed to swoon an endearing and adoring fanbase, many of which took to X (formerly Twitter) after her elimination.
“GERRY. You fumbled. JUSTICE FOR EDITH,” one X user posted.
“I’m convinced Kathy got Edith’s rose and now I’m upset again,” said another.
Some have even called for Aguirre to make a return to the show down the line, whether it be on Bachelor in Paradise, or as the first ever Golden Bachelorette.
If given the chance, it’s an opportunity she is more than willing to accept.
“I would do it again in a heartbeat, but this time I would go back and not be so… reserved,” said Aguirre. “I was more reserved than anything else, and I think I need to show a little bit more, the people, that I’m funny too, and that I’m silly, and I love to dance in the kitchen, and laugh, and I didn’t show that part of me.”
Ultimately, she just wants to show off the love in her heart.
“The only thing I want to do is just show love, I don’t want no chaos.”