‘The Golden Bachelorette’: Joan Vassos Is First Leading Golden Gal

Calling all Golden Bachelor fans! Your first-ever Golden Bachelorette lead has finally been revealed…

Joan Vassos, come on down!

Back in February 2024, ABC announced that the highly-anticipated senior spinoff The Golden Bachelorette would premiere this fall, but didn’t name a lead. During ABC’s upfronts presentation on May 14, however, the first leading Golden Gal was finally announced!

In an interview at the 2024 Television Critics Association press tour earlier this year, Bachelor producers told Decider that they were hoping to cast a lead that Bachelor Nation already knew from The Golden Bachelor. Decider named Joan Vassos as one of our top eight picks for a Golden Bachelorette lead, and we’re eager to see Vassos get a second shot at an unconventional late-in-life love story.

Decider reported that The Golden Bachelorette was almost certainly a go back in January after casting calls and applications appeared online, but one question on The Golden Bachelorette application suggested the series didn’t have its leading lady just yet. The final question on The Golden Bachelorette application read, “If you are male, did you watch The Golden Bachelor? If yes, which of the women did you find yourself most attracted to and why. You can list more than one.” As noted in our previous piece, the language sounded as if The Golden Bachelorette team was using answers to inform their lead decision, or they’d already selected a Golden Bachelor alum to be our first Golden Gal and were casting contestants based (at least in part) on which men are interested in her. Either way, Vassos is our Golden Gal.

Who Is The Golden Bachelorette? Meet Joan Vassos

For those who need a refresher, Vassos’ official Golden Bachelor bio revealed, “She has four kids and two grandkids and is looking for love again after losing her husband of 32 years to pancreatic cancer.”

“Joan is proud of herself for starting a new career in this chapter of life and for how resilient she’s been through many unexpected life changes. When she’s not working, Joan loves listening to Elton John, hanging with her dog, and cooking a delicious meal,” the bio continued. “Joan describes herself as a loving mother and a hard worker who would love to find someone with whom to enjoy life. She’s happiest when she’s at the beach with her family and is looking for a family man with whom to blend her life.”

Joan Vassos And Gerry Turner’s Time On The Golden Bachelor Was Cut Short

Fans of The Golden Bachelor will recall Vassos left the debut season early, just three episodes in, due to a family emergency. After making a major impression during the group date talent show, she and Turner shared some deep dinner conversation and she revealed that her daughter back home had given birth just 15 days earlier. The following morning, cameras caught Vassos sobbing on the phone to her daughter, who was struggling post C-section. Next thing we knew, the 60-year-old Private School Administrator from Rockland, Maryland was crying and saying goodbye to her fellow contestants.

As noted in our previous piece, Vassos told Turner she had to go be a mom and thanked him for giving her the first deep romantic connection she’d felt since her husband passed. “I understand. I get it. But I can’t tell you how disappointed I am,” he said with tears in his eyes. “I was so excited this morning I was out of bed dancing. I was thrilled that we had a conversation like we did and there’s a moral compass that we both share and sometimes the right thing to do is the hardest.” The two hugged, cried, and said goodbye. Even after Vassos left the mansion, Turner remained outside sobbing.

Following the episode, Vassos shared a statement on Instagram reflecting on her Golden Bachelor experience and departure. “A huge thank you to everyone expressing their concern for my family. It’s a privilege to be a mom to four amazing kids and a grandmother (they call me Jojo) to two beautiful grandchildren,” she wrote in an Instagram Story. “But once a mom, always a mom and sometimes the timing doesn’t work out with finding love. Everyone at home is doing great and I hope one day I will get the chance at love again. 🌹” And look at that, she is!

Want to learn more about Vassos while you wait for her season of The Golden Bachelorette to air? You can follow her on Instagram at @joan_vassos for updates ahead of premiere day. Speaking of…during the May 14 upfronts presentation, ABC also revealed its 2024 fall schedule, announcing that The Golden Bachelorette will run 90 minutes each week (a bump up from hour-long Golden Bachelor episodes) and premiere Wednesdays at 8:00 p.m. ahead of Abbott Elementary.

Now that a Golden Bachelorette is coming, Bachelor producers also told Decider some future iteration of Golden Bachelor in Paradise — a spinoff that would allow Golden Bachelor and Golden Bachelorette singles to meet and mingle — isn’t out of the question.

Amidst dozens of personal questions about everything from vaccination status, net worth, past relationships, and family members to political views, religion, social media presence, and more, The Golden Bachelorette application also noted, “Production is scheduled for this summer. Do you have any conflicts during June-August 2024?” So her season is likely set to start filming this summer.

While we wait for more details on The Golden Bachelorette (and Golden Paradise for that matter), consider rewatching The Golden Bachelor for a Joan refresh.