ABC initially approached Susan Lucci, the famous *All My Children* star, to become the first *Golden Bachelorette*. However, Lucci, who lost her husband Helmut Huber in 2022 after 52 years of marriage, respectfully declined the offer. At 77, she shared in a *People* Magazine interview that she had recently become fond of *The Golden Bachelor*, but felt it wasn’t for her. Instead, ABC announced Joan Vassos, 61, from Season 1, as the lead for this fall’s *Golden Bachelorette*. Vassos expressed her desire for love on the *Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour* podcast, saying, “I really want love” and preferring the experience over traditional dating websites