Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos Shares Her Ideal Partner Vision and Desire for Completeness

Joan Vassos, the star of The Golden Bachelorette, is gearing up for her new adventure, as seen in the show’s first promo. The ABC reality series is set to premiere on September 18, featuring the 61-year-old school administrator from Rockland, Maryland. Vassos, who previously appeared on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor but left early, is now ready to find love again.

In the promo, Vassos is shown spending time with her family before embarking on her search for romance. When her daughter Ally questions her about kissing on TV, Vassos candidly admits she’ll need to get used to it. She humorously acknowledges she’ll probably kiss several men on camera, saying, "You don’t want to be with someone you don’t like to kiss."

Vassos outlines her criteria for an ideal partner, emphasizing the importance of a gentleman with a big heart, generosity, and humility. After the passing of her husband John in 2021, Vassos, a mother of four and grandmother of two, seeks to restore her family's sense of wholeness.

ABC announced Vassos as the first lead of The Golden Bachelorette back in May. She will be meeting a group of senior men following the success of Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor, which boosted the franchise’s ratings.

According to executive producer Jason Ehrlich, despite the success of The Golden Bachelor, the female-led version will feel like a fresh experience.