As a contestant on The Golden Bachelor, Joan Vassos made her television debut in The Bachelor franchise. With its original take on the conventional dating reality TV format—casting a senior lead and participants to find love—the show immediately became well-known.

Witnessing a mature love that addressed topics of mortality and love in later age provided the viewers with a welcome change of pace. It was also fun to witness older folks, particularly women, embrace love with no regrets as they dressed up for swoon-worthy evenings and romantic vacations with the show’s hottie.

With Gerry Turner playing the starring role of a 72-year-old retired restauranteur who had to find love among the 22 alluring women on the producer-selected list, the show went on to become the highest-rated new reality TV program of 2023. Vassos, 61, was one of the contenders vying for Turner’s affection.

Despite the fact that Gerry Turner had the audience and competitors spellbound and the event was a huge success, Vassos had very little opportunity to build rapport with either the crowd or the man of the hour. After learning that her kid was suffering from postpartum depression, she was forced to leave the program in just the third week.

Even after leaving the event early, Joan Vassos had not completely given up on the possibility of falling in love with Turner. Vassos disclosed that she intended to return to the Golden Bachelor, according to People. But things didn’t work out, and Vassos never came back. However, it appears that Vassos was not part of the Bachelor Nation’s original objectives.

The Golden Bachelorette, a new reality show from the brand featuring a female lead and a similar concept to Turner’s show, was revealed. In May 2024, several months after this declaration, Vassos’ identity as the main star of the future series was made known. But for apparent reasons, Vassos’s casting was instantly viewed as a grave mistake by the producers.

The Recently Announced ‘Golden Bachelorette’ Is Hardly Golden

As a group of hand-picked suitors compete for her affection, Joan Vassos, the newly anointed and first-ever Golden Bachelorette, is creating history as the oldest woman chosen by ABC to be the center of attention. Being the star of a dating show is an amazing achievement for her at the age of 61.

We also don’t doubt that her season will be fascinating to watch because she will undoubtedly provide fans enough of reality TV moments to savor and discuss. Vassos is from the US, thus it will take her another four years to be formally recognized as a senior citizen.

Furthermore, Joan barely looks her age. When people learn that she is actually a grandma to two gorgeous babies, their eyes may well be opened by her youthful shine and taut skin. To be honest, Vassos can pull off a classic Bachelorette role, and if you don’t look closely enough, you might not notice many concerns. She hardly exhibits any symptoms of aging.

But even if, for some reason, the producers weren’t going for a new face, there were still plenty of other choices, including individuals who were not only older than Vassos but also had actually appeared on TV for longer periods of time, making them more recognizable to viewers.

In fact, Andy Cohen continued to provide his opinion on the matter, stating that he thought Luann de Lesseps, a former Real Housewives cast member, should be the Golden Bachelorette.

Comparatively Speaking to Other Leading Ladies on “the Golden Bachelor,” the Audience Simply Didn’t Get to Know Her That Well

Without a doubt, Joan Vassos has a charming personality and could have made a lasting impression on the audience had she stayed longer. Sadly, that did not work out, and viewers understandably became more invested in other competitors who had survived far longer on the show.

Her early departure from the show prevented viewers’ emotional attachment to the competitors from ever fully developing, and her scant appearance on the show hampered the audience connection required to have a lasting effect. Ironically, many fans came to sympathize with her and form fond memories of her because of her departure from the show due to family obligations.

Although her casting as the Golden Bachelorette has created some helpful marketing buzz, it hasn’t exactly created the warm and fuzzy stir that the producers may have hoped for. Another point of contention is that, if a member of the Golden Bachelor was required, why couldn’t it be one of the starring ladies? Any of the lovely women who advanced to the final stages may have been chosen by the producers.

A few months after getting married, in April 2024, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist divorced, giving the company a great chance to cast Nist as the Golden Bachelorette. This would foster discussions about the issues that arose between Turner and Nist, and all of this would take place against the backdrop of sincere audience sympathy and a bond with the Golden Bachelorette.

However, it’s also possible that Nist wasn’t in the best of condition when she decided to return to the show so soon after the breakup.

Leslie Fihma, the Golden Bachelor’s second runner-up, was also a strong contender. Up until Turner didn’t choose her, she was pretty sure he would. offered how unfortunate Fihma had been in the last series entry, the show might have offered her another opportunity at love. Even though he referred to her as “the one,” the Golden Bachelor ultimately gave Nist his last rose.

Fihma was unable to contain her emotions and opened up to Turner in the most heartfelt way possible. This could have been the ideal approach to start a conversation for the corresponding episode. “Everything you said to me was a total fabrication. Fihma remarked, “I’m heartbroken again, but this time I have to do it in front of everyone.”

If Fihma had been selected by Bachelor Nation as their senior Bachelorette, it would have been a great way to keep the show’s alumni riveted to their TVs. Faith Martin, who finished as the third runner-up, would have made a fantastic addition to the new program. Her candidness about finding it tough to put herself “out there” would have just encouraged her supporters more. She had a very endearing personality.

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