When The Bachelorette premieres this fall, Joan Vassos will embark on her own love journey. On May 14, ABC announced that the fan-favorite actor from Gerry Turner's season of "The Bachelor" will lead 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 role. In the official video, 61-year-old Joan wears a shimmering gold dress and matching rosette, all set for a new beginning in Natasha Bedingfield's "Unwritten 》(Unwriting).
Joan's Golden Bachelorette Journey
If you've watched The Bachelor (which had record-breaking viewership numbers), you may be familiar with Joan's story. She and Gerry formed a strong bond on the show, both looking for love after the loss of a loved one. "For the first time in my life, I thought, I really have to do something for myself, " she told him. "I think I'm ready and this is an opportunity I can't pass up."
However, the timing was wrong. Joan's daughter gave birth shortly before labor started and needed the support of her mother back home. At the time, Joan wrote on Instagram that she had no regrets when she left. "As for me and my love journey... I guess we'll have to see where that takes me next," she added.
Joan also previously told Bustle that she's open to a double season of The Bachelor , singling out her roommate Sandra Mason as a potential co-star, like Gabby Windey and Rachel Same as Rachel Recchia. It looks like Joan will be going the solo route, but given the strong bonds forged on "The Golden Bachelor," you might see some familiar faces lending their support to Maryland school administrators.
Gerry's sweet message to Joan
Speaking of support, Gerry was one of the first members of King's Bachelor Nation to wish Joan well on her next adventure. "You will be extraordinary as the new representative of a generation," he wrote in an Instagram post, encouraging her to "relax, breathe, and enjoy" the experiences ahead.
While the timing didn't work out with Gerry, Joan previously told The Bachelor that meeting Gerry rekindled her confidence in dating. "My heart probably took some comfort from Gerry," she said. "He helps... because as you get older, you become more invisible. People don't see you anymore. Like, you don't matter as much as you did when you were younger."
The Bachelorette will premiere this fall, but don't tune in Thursday night like usual. The spinoff will actually air in a new time slot: Wednesdays from 8 to 9:30 p.m. ET.
