Joan Vassos is setting the rules for the Golden Bachelorette title . On May 14, ABC announced that Joan, who made a lasting impression on Gerry Turner's season of "The Bachelor, " will star in the spin-off's debut season.
"The secret is out!" Joan wrote on her Instagram Story, adding that she was "honored" to be chosen for the lead role. After the news was announced, Joan revealed in an interview with CNN that while she was excited to meet a qualified suitor on the show, she would "never leave my family for a man."
"Obviously, they are the most important people in the world to me, and I hope the same is true for the people I end up meeting," she explains. “Family is very important to me and that has to be a key part of their personality.”
Joan's strong family ties were on full display during her prime bachelor years . exist. She and Gerry formed a deep bond during the show. However, Joan's daughter gave birth shortly before filming began and she decided to quit. "Family comes first, period," she said of her decision to leave. "Once a mother, always a mother, I will always choose my children first."
In a recent interview with CNN, June outlined what a relationship with a future Golden Bachelorette winner might look like if they were from a different part of the country.
"You have to be willing to travel and be with that person, maybe for months or weeks at a time," she said. “Then maybe eventually, you’ll find a destination that’s just right for you and your family, or have another house where everyone can come together.”
As fans have seen with "Bachelor" couple Gerry and Teresa Nester, disagreements over where to settle can be a deal-breaker and a major factor in the pair's decision to divorce.
Joan's golden future
Prior to Joan's The Bachelorette announcement, she had already expressed interest in leading the spin-off. She previously said in an interview with Bustle that she would star with former costar Sandra Mason for two seasons, just like The Bachelorette 's Gabby Windey and Rachel Ray Same with Rachel Recchia.
The first person to congratulate Joan on her new season was Master Kim himself. "You will be extraordinary as the new representative of a generation," Gerry wrote in an Instagram post, encouraging her to "relax, breathe and enjoy."
The Bachelorette Season 1 is set to premiere this fall in a new time slot: Wednesday nights from 8 pm to 9:30 pm ET.
