'Golden Bachelorette' fan favorite Charles Ling had no idea he's the internet's current boyfriend

“Golden Bachelorette,” breakout star Charles Ling’s endearing personality had viewers ready to give him the final rose from episode one.

“Golden Bachelorette,” breakout star Charles Ling’s endearing personality had viewers ready to give him the final rose from episode one. But Ling himself is perhaps unaware of how hard fans have fallen for him. 

Ling, 66, a contestant on the first season of the senior-led “Bachelorette” franchise, made an immediate impression on fans for his sweet, soft-spoken demeanor and willingness to open up about the difficulty he’s had after his beloved wife’s death. But with the season underway, Ling admits he “didn’t see much of the TV show yet” and hadn’t quite seen the internet response. NBC News, in an exclusive interview, even had to recap some of the fan feedback and scenes for him. 

“I would say it’s a surprise. And a big surprise,” Ling said said over a zoom call while traveling in China. “I don’t read so much feedback from the fans.” 

He added that he wanted to “thank them and tell them I love them too.” 

ABC's “The Golden Bachelorette.” Ricky Middlesworth / DisneyLing, a retired financial analyst and father of two from Philadelphia, is one of two dozen men vying for the heart of lead Joan Vassos. Just three episodes in, he’s drawn lots of love for his oh-so-relatable moments, including one scene in which he moseys around, admiring all the glitzy kitchen appliances in the bachelor mansion. There’s another in which he decides to take matters into his own hands and resolve a snoring problem in the house by heading to the drugstore for a sleep aid haul. 

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/asian-america/golden-bachelorette-charles-ling-joan-vassos-rcna173731

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