Joan Vassos' season of "The Golden Bachelorette" officially has a premiere date.
On Wednesday, ABC announced that fans will be able to see how Vassos' story unfolds beginning Sept. 18.
"Hi, I'm Joan," Vassos says in a new promo video. "Join me on my journey to find true love on 'The Golden Bachelorette.'"
Joan Vassos announced as 1st 'Golden Bachelorette'The announcement of the show's premiere date comes one day after "Bachelor" host Jesse Palmer shared a sweet photo with Vassos at the Bachelor Mansion.
Fans are excited to see what lies ahead for Vassos, who competed for Gerry Turner's heart on the inaugural season of "The Golden Bachelor" last year.
Read on to learn more about Vassos.
Vassos was married to her late husband for 32 years until his death in 2021. In a moving Instagram post shared in January, she marked the three-year anniversary of his death.
"Some days it seems like it just happened and I can't catch my breath, still feeling the shock of it," she wrote alongside a photo of her and her husband and their four children. "Other days it feels like he's been gone a lifetime, those days are worse because I'm afraid the memories are fading. I think that's what scares me the most."
"I always knew that the hole he left in the universe when he passed away could never be filled, but I didn't realize that maybe people might just stop noticing it was there," she added. "He was the husband that always made me feel safe and cherished."
In early episodes of "The Golden Bachelor," Vassos and Turner bonded over their shared grief and lost love.
Gerry Turner shares note for Joan Vassos after 'Golden Bachelorette' castingVassos' journey to find love on "The Golden Bachelor" was cut short when she announced she that she had to leave the show to go back home to be with her daughter, who had just given birth at the time.
In an early episode of the show, Vassos was on a group date when she won a one-on-one with Turner after impressing him with an original poem.
The duo had a "strong connection" and Turner even gave her a rose at the end of their date, but she had to leave the show the next day.
"My journey to find love took a detour this week as I traded the mansion for motherhood and headed home to be with my family," she shared on Instagram at the time. "Family comes first, period. Once a mother, always a mother, I'll always choose my kids first."
Not only is Vassos a mom of four children, she is also a grandmother.
Vassos has shared several photos on Instagram of her family and regularly celebrates their milestones.
During the "Women Tell All" episode, Vassos talked about the challenges of finding love at her stage in life and said that "Gerry opened my heart."
"It's about that whole conversation about being invisible," she shared. "Society makes us feel like we've had our chance, and we've raised our children and it's time now to support the next generation and take a back seat."
Following the announcement of Vassos as the Golden Bachelorette, Turner shared a sweet note to her on Instagram and congratulated her on the role.
"You will be phenomenal as the new representative of a generation," he said. "From one Golden to another….relax, breathe and enjoy."
Vassos' journey on the "Golden Bachelor" may have ended quickly, but her bond with the women who competed alongside her on the show appears strong.
Since the show wrapped, Vassos has shared photos of herself spending time with fellow former "Golden Bachelor" contestants including Susan Noles, Theresa Nist, Faith Martin and Kathy Swarts.
In April, she joined several of the women from the show on "Celebrity Family Feud," as they played for a charity of their choosing.
When Vassos was announced as the Golden Bachelorette, she took to Instagram and said she "can't believe it."
"I'm positively overwhelmed by the love and support you are all sending my way," she said. "Thank you @abc for picking me and @bachelornation for rooting for me!"
"As I embark on this journey, I hope to make you all proud, follow my heart, and have a lot of fun along the way," she added. "I'm honored to represent all of the golden ladies out there, turns out we aren't invisible after all."
In a video she shared with "Good Morning America" in 2023, Vassos said self-confidence in a partner is something she's attracted to.
"I like a man with self-confidence," she said. "I think it's kind of sexy, like he's been through life and earned swagger."
"Like he's saying, 'I got this,'" she added.
