“Golden Bachelor” Franz Stärk: “Many people in my generation are very lonely”

Franz Stärk throws himself into dating life again. As Germany’s first “Golden Bachelor”, the 73-year-old is looking for the right person for a second spring from 18 women. His adventure starts on December 3rd on the streaming platform RTL+.

With his participation, he wants to encourage other people of his generation “not to waste away behind the stove,” reveals the retired deputy school director in an interview with the news agency spot on news. He also talks about how his son made him the “Golden Bachelor” and what, for him, is the most important prerequisite for love.

Franz Stärk: The motivation came later (laughs). Actually, it’s my son’s responsibility that I’m sitting here today. He once signed me up for a different format. I was then called at a later date to ask whether I was generally available for a casting. There would be a completely new, still secret dating format. I was in Tenerife at the time and then recorded a little video and sent a few pictures. That’s how the whole thing got rolling. When I later found out that it was about the “Golden Bachelor”, I dealt with it. And then I said to myself, it must be exciting to get the chance to date 18 women at my age. Getting to know dating again in this way, especially at my age, motivated me. And I am generally very interested in people.

Stark: Yes, that’s exactly what he wanted (laughs). He wanted to get me under the hood. He had already tried this in another way and put me in touch. But that didn’t work.

Stark: He totally celebrated it. I still remember how he came to me on my birthday, I had just finished the first interview. I said they still haven’t told me what it’s all about. That I was just told that I would meet several women in a Mediterranean place. Then he says to me: “Dad, this isn’t about the ‘Golden Bachelor’?” He had heard about it somewhere. Then the whole thing was said, we googled – and I thought, well, that’s it.

Stark: No, I didn’t know that. But when I suspected that it was about the “Golden Bachelor,” I of course watched a trailer. I was a bit inspired and thought, okay, that’s how it can work. But I still didn’t even remotely think that I would be able to stand there myself.

Stark: I didn’t understand the marriage thing. This big, pompous wedding was one big production. I’m less interested in that sort of thing. By the way, I don’t want to get married anymore either. I think this is something that has happened and I can no longer imagine it. Unless there is something in common in the partnership that both of them are reinventing for themselves and that somehow fits together, then maybe. But in general not really.

Stark: Of course I’ve been to portals like this before. I tried it and looked, what is it like, what does it do to me? But I think I chose the wrong time. That was right after the breakup. I always thought that women didn’t inspire me at all, that they didn’t offer me what I was looking for. You want to have back what you lost. But at some point I realized that it wasn’t the fault of the women, it was my fault. I hadn’t processed the past, not yet. I wasn’t ready for it and wasn’t open at all. If I compare that to today, it’s a completely different situation. My things from the past have been sorted out. That gives me the access to get involved in something like this now. And I really do it with joy and with everything I have.

Stark: I think that is the basic requirement for you to be at peace with yourself. And above all, you have to be open to new things, you have to say goodbye to the old. I always talk about three lives here: you have to leave the second life in your backpack sometimes and don’t keep taking it out, but rather look forward and get involved. This includes a lot of empathy and intelligence. You have to be very active to achieve something. Otherwise you’ll end up rotting in the oven.

Stark: Yes, that is actually the case. I also believe that I can be a protagonist who encourages people. Based on the response so far, I can imagine that people are saying: “Look, it’s possible. He’s showing us how to do it. We just have to move and have courage.” Many people in my generation are very lonely. There are so many lonely people. In my own environment it is enormous how many singles there are. Not everyone is prepared to access any dating exchanges. Sometimes it’s too difficult. You don’t even know your way around anymore; as you get older, it’s difficult to find your way around these apps. But you have to be brave.

Stärk: It was a real joy to get to know so many great women with life experiences and to hear about their stories, to laugh and dance with them and to just feel a part of them. But of course that does something to you. That was also highly emotional. Above all, to sort things out for yourself again and again: Where am I? What do I do? And above all to ask myself, who am I and if so, how many? (laughs) I didn’t really understand it anymore. This was especially the case when I was so torn. Then I was unsure and didn’t know what to do next. Then I needed some time to let it sink in.

Stärk: My brother has a large event agency and he has a huge screen in the hall. There is public viewing! I have a huge family with eight siblings. They all want to meet and that’s where we’ll see it. I’m excited about that! Yesterday my aunt even called me, she is 88 years old. Then she whispered into the phone: “Franz, can I also apply?” (laughs) She would celebrate it like that and definitely watch it too. That was very sweet.