Golden Bachelorette Joan Gave Her Family A Warning Before Filming

Joan Vassos knows her Golden Bachelorette journey might be hard on her family, so she’s preparing them accordingly. In a new promo clip for the upcoming season, which premieres on September 18, Joan is shown having dinner with her children, grandkids, mother, and mother-in-law to discuss her quest to find love on the reality dating show.

As the family sits down to enjoy their meal, Joan’s daughter Allison asks how she feels about “kissing another guy on TV.” The Golden Bachelorette then admits, “Oh geez ... I’m going to have to get used to that because you don’t want to be with somebody that you don’t want to kiss, so you have to try it out.”

Joan then jokingly warns her family, “I’m going to probably kiss a fair amount of guys on camera; I’m sorry guys,” prompting her daughter to respond, “Yeah, we were not expecting that answer.”

The reality star also requests some advice before filming the new season, asking her family, “What is a good question to ask each one of these men the first night?” Joan’s son Nick suggests she ask potential suitors about their “three top priorities in life,” while her mother-in-law, Elaine, says Vassos should ask if they like to travel.

In the promo video, Joan also says she’s “very picky” when it comes to finding a partner, adding that she wants “somebody with a big heart, somebody who is generous, and also somebody who is humble.”

Joan concludes the family gathering by reassuring her kids that she’s “not here to replace Dad,” referring to her first husband, John Vassos, who died in 2021. Before his passing, the couple were married for 32 years and welcomed four children together: Nicholas, Erica, Allison, and Luke.

Joan’s Golden Rule

Joan joined Bachelor Nation in 2023 as a contestant on Gerry Turner’s season of The Golden Bachelor. ABC later announced in May 2024 that the fan favorite would lead the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette. “The secret is out!” Joan wrote on her Instagram story, adding that she was “honored” to be selected for the role.

Speaking to CNN after the announcement, Joan revealed that while she’s excited to meet the show’s contestants, she’ll “never leave my family” for a man.

“They are the most important people in the world to me obviously, and I would expect that to be the same for the person that I end up with,” she said. “Family is so important to me, that would have to be a key part of their personality.”