Who is Joan Vasos? Meet the first ‘Golden Bachelorette’
Joan Vasos, 61, is making history as the first lead actress on “The Golden Bachelorette,” which premieres Sept. 18 on ABC.
She quickly became a fan favorite while competing for Gerry Turner’s heart on “The Golden Bachelor” last year. However, her quest for love ended prematurely when she exited the show after just three weeks of filming to focus on her daughter, who had just given birth.
Vasos said she was “so excited” to have the opportunity to look for love on “The Golden Bachelorette” when her casting was announced in May, and has since revealed what she really wants in a man.
Read on to learn more about Vasos and what kind of guy could steal her heart on “The Golden Bachelorette.”
She is a mother of four and grandmother of three
Vasos, a native of Rockville, Maryland, raised four children with her late husband John Vasos: Alison, Nicholas, Erica, and Luke.
The reality star has proven time and again that being a mother is her top priority.
After her elimination from “The Golden Bachelor,” she posted on her Instagram Story to thank fans for their concern and said she’s “blessed to be a mom to four amazing kids.”
He told TVInsider in September 2024 that his daughters gifted him a digital picture frame before filming began on his season so he could look at fresh photos of his family, which includes three grandchildren, according to his ABC profile.
“I would come home from shooting every night exhausted. My little body would send me to the grandchildren on the Fourth of July or take me to the swimming pool. It was the most amazing experience,” she recalled.
She was married for 32 years
Joan’s marriage lasted 32 years, until her husband John died of pancreatic cancer in January 2021.
In a touching Instagram post from January 2024, she described John as someone who “always” made her feel “safe and cherished.”
During a September 2024 conversation with People, Joan said she never fully mourned the loss of her husband because she was “in charge of being strong.”
He also said he felt “really guilty” about having developed feelings for Turner while he was filming her season of “Golden Bachelor.”
“I felt like I was betraying John, which is crazy because he’s dead,” she said.
However, she confirmed that John had given her his blessing to love again before he died.
She ended her relationship with Turner for the sake of her daughter
Joan’s daughter gave birth to her first child 15 days before she left to film “The Golden Bachelor.”
When the mother of four learned her daughter was dealing with postpartum depression after a difficult delivery, she thought she should be there for her.
“My family will always come first,” she told Turner when she told her she would be leaving the show. “Once you’re a mom, you’re always a mom, even when your kids are grown. There’s nothing more important than that.”
However, she was not planning to stay away for long and wanted to continue the relationship with the single man despite being deeply attached after losing her spouse.
“I came home, and my plan was to [my daughter] Some care — I needed to get him some mental health care,” she told TheWrap in November 2023.
“I was supposed to come back, probably four or five days after I left,” she added. “And then my daughter wasn’t well again.”
“We haven’t taken it very far yet – I haven’t arranged a doctor for him yet; I’ve had calls, but it just can’t happen quickly enough.”
she is a school administrator
According to LinkedIn, Joan started a job in alumni relations at the Landon School in her home state of Maryland in 2021.
Previously, she worked as an interior designer and special projects consultant.
Joan is a college graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in computer science from the University of Maryland in 1985.
She is looking for a gentleman
Joan wants a true gentleman, which includes someone who can help her with garden work and grocery shopping.
“I grew up with a father who was the ultimate gentleman,” she told The Wall Street Journal in September 2024.
“He would never let my mom carry heavy groceries in. He would always jump up whenever anybody came into the room. He would always open doors.”
She also said what she dislikes most are men who treat waiters rudely, since she was a waitress in college.
He and Turner are still friends
Joan revealed in June 2024 that she and Turner are “very, very good friends[s]After having such an instant connection on his season of “The Golden Bachelor.”
“He did it really well,” she told People magazine about his time as the first Golden Bachelor.
“He kind of laid out the road map that we have now. There’s no rulebook, and he kind of wrote it a little bit.”
She praised him, saying he was “very open and sensitive”.
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She got advice from members of Bachelor Nation before filming
Joan revealed that Turner gave her helpful advice before she began filming “The Golden Bachelorette.”
“He said, ‘Don’t invest in anybody too early,'” he recalled speaking to Business Insider in September 2024.
He also told her to “let the story unfold with each person, date them as if they were the only person there.”
Additionally, Jane Tran shared some of her wisdom with Joan via an interview with Page Six in September 2024.
Focusing on what it’s like to rewatch the season, Tran advised Joan to lean on her family and friends and stay off social media as much as possible.
