What Happened To Joan Vassos After The Golden Bachelor Season 1?

The Golden Bachelor star Joan Vassos became the first Golden Bachelorette, but what happened to her after leaving Gerry Turner’s season of the series? Throughout her time on The Golden Bachelor, Joan was one of the women who was hoping to win Gerry’s affections on the brand-new spin-off. While The Golden Bachelor had been talked about for years, the series didn’t come to fruition until late 2023. When the series finally materialized, Bachelor Nation was excited to see some more mature relationships in the franchise after years of young twenty-somethings dominating the series.

The Golden Bachelor season 1 had some similar issues to the rest of the Bachelor franchise. The relationships weren’t given enough time to form, which made it difficult for Gerry to choose who he wanted to be with in the end and commit to them. Though he proposed to Theresa Nist and the couple married just a month later, they were quick to separate, divorcing after only three months of marriage. While Theresa found love with Gerry, the rest of the The Golden Bachelor cast found themselves adored by the public. Even Joan, who left The Golden Bachelor early, was beloved.

Joan Left The Golden Bachelor Early In The Season

Her Daughter Needed Her

Although Joan was one of the early contenders in The Golden Bachelor ‘s initial episodes, her departure shocked Bachelor Nation and Gerry alike. Upon their first meeting, Joan and Gerry had a good rapport. The pair spoke about their families, trading stories of their kids before opening up about their past relationships, which was a bit more difficult. Gerry, who had lost his wife Toni Turner after 40 years together in 2017, could relate to Joan, who lost her own husband in a surprising turn of events. Joan shared that her husband of 32 years, John Vassos, to pancreatic cancer.

While Joan and John had been together for more than half of Joan’s life, she’d decided to open her heart to something else after two years of grieving. Though Joan wasn’t certain about opening herself back up to love, she knew that she wanted to leap a way that wouldn’t allow her to turn back. Joining The Golden Bachelor was a huge step for Joan, and the fact that she had to leave early was a tough decision to make. Joan was quiet about the details surrounding her departure, but she shared that her family needed her back at home.

Joan Became A Grandmother After Departing The Bachelor Mansion

Family Is Important To Joan

While Joan didn’t share much about her reason for leaving The Golden Bachelor early, it was clear that something was going on with her children. After the show was over, she revealed more details surrounding her departure. As a mother of four, Joan’s kids may be adults but they still come first for her, even ahead of finding love in the next chapter of her life. Joan revealed that her daughter, who was pregnant with her second child during the time of filming, needed her during the run of The Golden Bachelor. While she didn’t provide details, Joan was there.

After leaving the Bachelor mansion, Joan became a grandmother for the second time. She’s shared photos of her grandkids online, and revealed how much she’s enjoyed becoming a grandmother and seeing her kids become parents. Though she’s taking a leap of faith with The Golden Bachelorette on the horizon, Joan will always be present in her children’s lives and grandchildren’s lives, as she’s made it clear they are her primary concern. Joan has been open about the fact that she wants to find happiness outside of her kids’ lives in the future, but her family will always be her priority.

Joan Was The First Golden Bachelorette

Joan’s Pilot Season

In her time away from the Bachelor franchise, Joan realized that she was still hopeful about finding love, whether it was on reality TV or not. The Golden Bachelor contestant may have chosen to end her time on the series, but she didn’t feel there was much of an option with her family in need of her help. Even though she chose her kids over herself in leaving the show, she was still ready to find someone to spend the rest of her life with, albeit a bit delayed.

During the Women Tell All special, Joan was reunited with the rest of The Golden Bachelor cast as well as Gerry, who she shared she felt there may have been some unfinished business with. Though Gerry was happily engaged, Joan felt sparks with the lead, and knew that she was ready for a love of her own. She accepted the challenge of becoming the first Golden Bachelorette, happy to be the hero of her own story. While her time on The Golden Bachelorette may not have been a success, Joan was hopeful that her second shot at love will be successful.

Joan Found Love On The Golden Bachelorette

Joan Got Her Wish

Bachelor Nation‘s Joan started her The Golden Bachelorette journey with 24 eligible Golden men, including The Bachelor winner Kelsey Anderson’s dad, Mark Anderson. Joan had several one-one-one dates with her frontrunners and enoyed group dates with the rest of the men. She told several of the men she loved them, albeit platonically. Joan narrowed down her search for love to four men, Jordan Heller, Chock Chapple, Guy Gansert, and Pascal Ibgui. She went on hometown dates with each, but sent Jordan home because he was too closed off.

Joan took Chock, Guy, and Pascal to the island of Moorea in Tahiti. There she spent more exclusive time with each of the men. However, in a shocking turn of events, Pascal self-eliminated, citing that he still had his walls up and could not give Joan what she wanted. Joan was heartbroken, but focused her attention of Guy and Chock. Chock had been overtly smitten with Joan from the beginning, and he was her top choice throughout the competition in an obvious way. But Guy still shot his shot.

Unfortunately for him, Joan relayed that she was in love with Chock and had no room to love anyone else.

Chock proposed to Joan and she accepted during the final rose ceremony as the pair professed their love for each other.

Joan and Chock were reclusive after becoming engaged and while The Golden Bachelorette was airing, but they are now in the spotlight and as happy as can be.

Joan and Chock are looking into getting a place together in New York. They’ve also been making the rounds doing interviews about The Golden Bachelorette process and their love for one another. Joan has found the second love of her life, and the pair have agreed not to hasten getting married.

The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette are available to stream on Hulu.

Source: Joan Vassos/Instagram, Bachelor Nation/YouTube

• 

  The Bachelor returns to TV with The Golden Bachelor, a romantic reality competition series created for ABC. The show will focus on an older generation of hopefuls, with one senior male hoping to court and win the heart of one of several older female contestants.

• 

  The Golden Bachelorette: This reality series offers one woman in her later years the opportunity to find love, as a group of seasoned men compete for her affection. Participants bring diverse romantic histories, seeking a meaningful connection and a chance to build a promising future together.