PHOTOS10 Things to Know About 'The Golden Bachelorette' Lead Joan Vassos: Age, Family, Hobbies and More
Joan Vassos Looks Younger Than Her Age
Joan Vassos, who is the first Golden Bachelorette, will date eligible senior men during the show's premiere on ABC. Born on January 11, 1963, the TV personality is now 61 — though she looks younger than her age!
Joan Vassos Previously Had a Long-Term Marriage
Before being featured on The Golden Bachelor, Vassos was married to her late husband, John Vassos, for 32 years until his death on January 18, 2021, following his battle against pancreatic cancer.
In January, Joan posted a family photo on Instagram alongside a lengthy caption to mark three years without her late husband.
"Honestly, I think that's how he would want to be remembered...by not forgetting him. Please keep telling the stories, don't worry, they don't make me sad... let's be honest, most of them are funny! As the Greeks say, 'May his memory be eternal,'" the latter part of the caption read.
Joan Vassos Is a Mom-of-Four
Joan has four adult children: Nicholas, Erica, Allison and Luke. She also has three grandchildren.
Since she's a devoted mom, she left The Golden Bachelor to be with one of her daughters, who was suffering from postpartum depression. She has also been open about her children supporting her during this new journey.
"My first and third children are very into this," she told CNN. "They think it's really fun and like, what a cool experience for mom. My daughter Erica and my son Luke are a little, like a little cringey. Like, 'Don't kiss a guy on TV. This is gonna be really embarrassing. My friends are watching.' But overall, all of them want me to find love."
What Does She Do for Work?
According to her LinkedIn page, Joan graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor's degree in computer science in 1985. She has been working in Alumni Relations and Annual Giving at a school in Bethesda, Md., since 2021 while also being an interior designer for Metropolitan Interiors, LLC.
Additionally, Joan previously worked part-time for The Association of Independent Schools of Greater Washington.
Where Does She Live?
Joan and her family reside in Rockville, Md.
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Joan Vassos Loves Food… a Lot!
According to her ABC bio, the star loves a "big, juicy burger" in addition to cooking delicious meals. She usually shares videos of her cooking sessions on TikTok and Instagram.
Joan even makes some amazing chicken soup!
She Has Several Hobbies
Joan's ABC bio also reveals her love for music, dancing, hanging out with her dog and visiting a historical museum.
In addition, the matriarch loves spending time with her family — especially with trips to the beach!
Joan Vassos Disclosed Her Relationship With Other Contestants
As a social media fanatic, Joan has been documenting her friendship with her fellow The Golden Bachelor contestants.
In April, she and her costars appeared on Celebrity Family Feud.
"Never imagined we'd be on Celebrity Family Feud but yesterday we got to meet Steve Harvey and play to win funding for a charity of our choosing," she wrote on Instagram. "So thankful to have had this amazing opportunity with my Golden Bachelor ladies!"
She Reacted to Gerry and Theresa's Divorce
Speaking with CNN following the announcement that she was cast as the Golden Bachelorette, Joan shared how shocked she was when she learned about Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist's divorce. The pair called it quits in April after only three months of marriage.
"I loved watching their journey. I saw them fall in love," Joan said. "I believed, just like they did, that they were the perfect couple. And I applaud that they jumped into this process with both feet and they were ready to find love. And they knew what true love was, they both had it in their previous lives."
She added, "So I applaud them for doing that. And I also applaud them that when they discovered it wasn't perfect, they called it quits, and it's not the end of the world. And we have to let them live their journey and follow their hearts and it wasn't right for them, so they split up."
She Shared What She Wanted to Show Through 'The Golden Bachelorette'
In the same interview with CNN, Joan said she would love to redefine what it means to be 60 and older through The Golden Bachelorette.
"We were all very fit, we exercised, we shared great stories about raising our kids and we learned so much from each other. There's a lot of knowledge that we have inside of us because we've lived life," she explained. "In our culture, I feel like growing old is not a dignified thing. You're just supposed to kind of fade in the back, take a backseat to the next generation. I'm hoping that we change that a little bit. We're still fun and energetic and we know how to use our phones."
