“The Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos is gearing up to start her journey for love. And who better to introduce one of her new suitors than his daughter and “Bachelor” nation royalty Kelsey Anderson?
In a new teaser for “The Golden Bachelorette,” “The Bachelor” alum greets Vassos on her first night and makes an introduction for her dad, Mark, who will date Vassos alongside a group of senior men.
“I have someone that I would like to introduce you to: my dad,” Kelsey said. “Well, hello, Joan,” Mark said as he stepped out of the limo. Watch the moment below:
Mark was first introduced on Joey Graziadei’s season of “The Bachelor” during Kelsey’s hometown date and won the hearts of “Bachelor” fans as Kelsey and Mark reminisced about Kelsey’s mother, who had recently passed away. After Kelsey got engaged to Graziadei earlier this year, “Bachelor” nation locked in their requests for Mark to seek his second chance at love on “The Golden Bachelorette.”
Mark is among the 24 men in their late 50s and 60s who will court Vassos, who is 61 years old.
Vassos, who was married for 32 years before her husband passed away, was first introduced to “Bachelor” fans as she dated Gerry Turner on “The Golden Bachelor” last fall. Her time on the ABC reality dating show was cut short due to a family health emergency, and she revealed she exited the show to help her daughter, who was suffering from postpartum depression.
Vassos told TheWrap that a producer from the show had gotten in touch with her following her departure to see if she wanted to return. Vassos told them she would “love to come back” and production booked her a flight to return to the “Bachelor” mansion, though it turned out it was too early.
“I was going to come back, maybe four or five days after I left,” Vassos said. “And then my daughter wasn’t good again. We just hadn’t made it far enough — I hadn’t gotten her a doctor yet; I had calls in but it just couldn’t unfold quick enough … It wasn’t in the cards.”
“The Golden Bachelorette” premieres Wednesday, Sept. 18 from 8-10 p.m. ET on ABC, with new episodes streaming on Hulu the day after their linear debut.