Joan Vassos, a 61-year-old contestant on The Golden Bachelorette season 1, opens up to Us Weekly about her experience on the show. She shares that her family, including her four children, have been excited and supportive but also worried about her journey on the reality dating series. Despite concerns that she might get her heart broken or embarrass them on national television, her family is looking forward to the finale and having their lives return to normal after the show.
Joan’s late husband, John Vassos, passed away in 2021 after battling pancreatic cancer. She shares her children, Nicholas, Erica, Allison, and Luke, with him. Her children have been actively following her journey on the show, with one of her daughters even calling her after each episode to critique her actions. Joan left the competition early on The Golden Bachelor to help one of her daughters who had recently given birth. She was announced as the first-ever lead for The Golden Bachelorette in May.
Throughout the season, fans have watched Joan develop romantic connections with several contestants before narrowing down her final three to Chock Chapple, Pascal Ibgui, and Guy Gansert. Pascal, 69, surprised Joan by self-eliminating before their date in the fantasy suite, expressing that he wasn’t ready for an engagement. Joan, who initially felt confident and ready to find love, admits that the experience on the show has made her realize that she wasn’t as prepared as she thought. She struggled to balance her feelings for John with the potential for a new relationship.
Despite still being in love with John, Joan learns that her heart is capable of loving more than one person. The experience on The Golden Bachelorette has challenged her to explore her emotions and confront the idea of moving on while still honoring her late husband’s memory. The finale of The Golden Bachelorette airs on ABC on November 13th, where fans will see Joan’s final decision and if she finds love with one of her remaining contestants. The journey of Joan Vassos on the show has been a mix of emotions, growth, and self-discovery.
