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Passing the golden torch! The Golden Bachelor<\/em> star Gerry Turner<\/strong><\/a> reacted to the news that ABC selected Joan Vassos<\/strong><\/a>, who self-eliminated on season 1 of the Bachelor spinoff series, as the very first Golden Bachelorette<\/em> lead.<\/p>\n \u201cDear Joan, Congratulations on being named the first-ever Golden Bachelorette,\u201d the retired restauranteur, 72, wrote in a statement on Instagram<\/a> on Tuesday, May 14. \u201cYou will be phenomenal as the new representative of a generation. From one golden to another \u2026 relax, breathe and enjoy. Gerry.\u201d<\/p>\n In the caption, Gerry added, \u201cAnd, ABC makes History, once again!!!\u201d<\/p>\n Joan, 61, was revealed as the first Golden Bachelorette lead<\/a> during the ABC upfront on May 14. The network also shared a video of the Rockland, Maryland, native wearing a gold sequinned dress and picking up a gold rose.<\/p>\n Fans took to the comments to express their excitement, with one user writing, \u201cLET\u2019S GO JOAN!!!!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe put family first and ended up winning in the end,\u201d another user added.<\/p>\n Following the announcement, Joan took to Instagram to share the news herself. \u201cThe secret is out,\u201d she wrote via her Instagram Stories, sharing ABC\u2019s video. \u201cI\u2019m honored to be #TheGoldenBachelorette!\u201d<\/p>\n Joan and Gerry formed a connection during The Golden Bachelor<\/em> season 1, but she ultimately decided to remove herself from the competition<\/a> when she learned that her daughter wasn\u2019t doing well after giving birth.<\/p>\n \u200b\u200b\u201dIt wasn\u2019t a normal, everyday delivery at all. Things go wrong. Even if everything went right, you need your mom,\u201d Joan said on the show before her exit. \u201cMy family will always be first. Once you become a mom, you\u2019re always a mom, even when your kids are older. Nothing is more important.\u201d<\/p>\n Joan later said that her \u201cheart maybe got a little fix from Gerry,\u201d who went on to marry season 1 finalist Theresa Nist<\/strong>, although the two announced in April that they are planning to divorce<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s helped with the journey, because as you get older you become more invisible,\u201d she said. \u201cPeople don\u2019t see you anymore. You\u2019re not as significant as when you\u2019re young.\u201d<\/p>\n Fans of Joan took to Instagram following her departure from The Golden Bachelor<\/em> to wish her well, and she thanked them for their support.<\/p>\n \u201cA huge thank you to everyone expressing their concern for my family,\u201d she wrote in October 2023. \u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to be a mom to four amazing kids and a grandmother (they call me Jojo) to two beautiful grandchildren. But once a mom, always a mom and sometimes the timing doesn\u2019t work out with finding love.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n