Mel Owens has spoken out after his The Golden Bachelor Season 2 winner, Peg Munson, announced their split and claimed she had ended their relationship.
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Mel recently took to Instagram and posted a selfie at the gym.
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"Stay positive. Stay strong. Stay golden," Mel, 67, captioned his post.
He added, "And Stay Bizzy...#bachelornation #fyp #fypage #workouts #inshape."
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Fans rushed to the comments section to ask Mel what went wrong in his relationship with Peg, 63.
But one person argued, "Mel doesn't owe anyone an explanation of every detail of his breakup. Just because someone is in the public eye doesn't mean they surrender their right to privacy."
Mel replied, "Amen. Thank you."
Mel also thanked some people for their kind words" and clarified that his hard work in the gym doesn't mean he's on a revenge or "breakup diet."
Mel and Peg dated for about a year after they filmed the show.
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Peg announced her breakup with Mel in an Instagram video on October 21, which she captioned, in part, "Sometimes love is real, but the outcome isn't what you hoped for."
Peg began in the video, "I just want to take a moment, and I really want to thank everybody for being there on this journey with me this past year."
"And I'm really sorry that I haven't spoken out sooner," she added, "but it's been a really difficult 30 days for me."
Peg, a retired firefighter and bomb technician, said she had found what she was looking for when she competed for Mel's heart on The Golden Bachelor's second season in 2025.
"As a lot of you guys know, I went on The Golden Bachelor hoping to find love, and I did. And you know, for that, I'm grateful," Peg shared.
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"I did have to make the difficult decision to step away from the relationship, and you know, sometimes even when there's love, it just doesn't turn out the way that we hoped."
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Peg did not disclose the reason behind her split from Mel, but she said she's looking forward to her next chapter.
"I'm just focusing on healing my heart and just focusing on myself and my health," Peg explained.
Peg also wished Mel "the best of luck" and thanked fans for their support throughout her journey on the ABC reality dating series.
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"I'm very grateful for the experience," Peg said.
"I'm grateful for the memories and most of all, I'm grateful for you guys along this journey with me and all the wonderful DMs that I've been getting, and all the messages that I've been getting and just all the kind words of love and support."
Peg reiterated her appreciation for fans in the caption of her Instagram post.
"Thank you for standing beside me this past year. Your kindness means more than you know," Peg wrote.
"This is not the end of my story. It's the beginning of a new chapter. Stay tuned and follow along for more."
Peg later teased that she'll share more details about her relationship with Mel on a podcast she's launching with fellow The Golden Bachelor alum Terri Alani on November 14.
Mel, a former NFL linebacker who played for the Los Angeles Rams, selected Peg as his winner when The Golden Bachelor's second season was filmed in 2025.
Although Mel presented Peg with a 3.5-carat diamond ring during the Final Rose Ceremony, according to People, he stopped short of proposing marriage and instead expressed his commitment to their relationship.
When the season finale aired in November 2025, Mel declared that he was "in love" with Peg, who confirmed she felt the same way.
By the time the finale aired, Mel and Peg had already continued their relationship away from the cameras. The couple repeatedly said in podcast appearances in recent months that their connection had grown and their relationship was thriving.
While Peg had previously said she and Mel were discussing marriage and what their dream wedding would look like, she confirmed in late September on the "Bachelor Happy Hour" podcast that she'd reject Mel's marriage proposal if he asked her.
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Peg's revelation that she'd turn down Mel's marriage proposal raised eyebrows and made some fans question if there was trouble in paradise. After their breakup, those suspicions appeared justified.
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