Celebrity Celebrity Weddings Matt James Is a Proud Son as He Roots for Mom Patty Ahead of Her 'Golden Bachelor' Journey The 70-year-old former real estate professional will make her 'Golden Bachelor' debut on Sept. 28 as she competes for Gerry Turner's heart By Esther Kang Esther Kang Esther Kang is a writer at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023 and has previously worked for publications like TMZ and TooFab. People Editorial Guidelines Published on August 30, 2023 08:10PM EDT Matt James and Patty James. Photo: Patty James/Instagram Matt James is welcoming his mom to Bachelor Nation! With 70-year-old Patty James gearing up to compete in the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor, the 31-year-old reality star reacted to the news of his mother becoming one of the 22 ladies vying for Gerry Turner’s heart. "i ccc uuu mama," he wrote alongside a photo of Patty’s headshot posted to his Instagram Story. He added a heart on fire emoji while sharing his excitement for her new opportunity to find love. Matt James supports his mother Patty on Instagram. ABC/Ricky Middlesworth All About Matt James’ Mom, Patty, Who Is a Contestant on 'The Golden Bachelor' In her own announcement post on Instagram, the retired real estate professional shared a few screenshots of the promotional material for the upcoming season. “Sooo exciting…” she teased in the caption. Matt also showed more love in the comment section and left a series of heart on fire emojis. His girlfriend, Rachael Kirkconnell – whom he met on his season of The Bachelor – noted her support for Patty and wrote, "she's ready to find love ♥️♥️." Everything to Know About 'The Golden Bachelor' Earlier this month, the new Golden Bachelor revealed that he’s holding out hope for another chance at love in a teaser ahead of the upcoming season. “I want to fall in love, I really want to find my person who can put me in my place when I need it and make me smile at it,” Gerry explained. “The person who can lay down beside you at night, not have to say anything and you feel it. That’s love. That’s what I want and I know that person’s out there." In another promo clip, Gerry shared a little insight about some of the characteristics he’d like to find in his potential partner. "I’m thinking, 'What are the characteristics I’m looking for?' How do you like to spend your spare time? Do you like adventure? Do you like to cook?’" he said. "I want to find that person that I know is the right one. I know you guys have always wanted me to be happy and that one person is out there somewhere that will do that." Gerry Turner, 71, Is ABC's First-Ever 'Golden Bachelor': 'It's Never Too Late to Fall in Love Again' Though Gerry’s verdict on Patty still remains to be seen, Matt has expressed his adoration for his mom on numerous occasions. During an interview with Good Morning America in 2021, he shared that his mom has some of the same attributes he ultimately wants in a wife. “Just someone who you can experience life together with. Someone who is trustworthy, someone who is themselves, someone who's caring, honest, compassionate,” he said at the time. Matt James and Patty James. mattjames919/Instagram 'Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner Proves 'Some Things Get Better with Age' in 'Refined' New Promo — Watch! “Everything that she sacrificed for myself and my brother to be in the position that we're at, I want to be that for somebody else. And the way that she loved myself and John is how I want to love somebody and how I want to be loved,” he noted. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Golden Bachelor will premiere on Sept. 28 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC, followed by Bachelor in Paradise which will return for a two-hour premiere at 9 p.m. ET the same day.