“Golden Bachelorette” Joan Vassos has some new bling on her left hand.
Chapple, Vassos’ final pick, was married for 12 years, and shares two kids with his ex-wife.
During the ceremony, Vassos told Chapple that she loves him (Chapple had told Vassos he loved her on their final date, but Vassos wanted to wait to say it back), and Chapple vowed to honor Kathy and John.
Chock Chapple: It feels great.
Joan Vassos: It feels great to be with our friends and family, and actually be together with our friends and family — instead of separate, like we’ve been doing for all these months.
Joan Vassos, star of “Golden Bachelorette,” has some new jewelry on her left hand. As the season came to an end, the first lead of the ABC program that helps seniors find love gave Chock Chapple her last rose after he proposed to her with a Neil Lane ring.
On Gerry Turner’s first season of “The Golden Bachelor,” Vassos, a school administrator with four kids and two grandchildren, competed for love. She left during the third week to assist her daughter in experiencing a medical emergency, despite appearing to be an early frontrunner.
While dealing with her own grief following the death of her 32-year husband, John, from pancreatic cancer in 2021, Vassos narrowed down the field of 24 contestants in her historic “Golden Bachelorette” season.
Vassos’s last choice, Chapple, was wed for 12 years and has two children with his former spouse. Later, the insurance executive became engaged to Kathy, who he spent almost ten years with before passing away in 2022 from a brain tumor.
Even though Vassos and Chapple had a strong chemistry and he even got the first date, their journey nearly ended tragically and suddenly when Chapple’s mother passed away while the movie was being filmed. In a confessional, Chapple said, “There was no way I was not coming back… I’ve got a unique opportunity that very few people in the world do with a great woman.” He had left the mansion to visit his family, but he soon returned. “”.
They maintained their relationship as Vassos narrowed down her list of potential suitors. She was so sure that Chapple was the one for her that she finally weeded out runner-up Guy Gansert prior to their last date.
“At this point, I’ve only had one romantic interest. I want to be with Chock for the rest of my life because I’m in love with him. When the proposal was made, Vassos told the producers, “He gives me hope for the future again.”.
Chapple vowed to honor Kathy and John, and Vassos told her that she loves him during the ceremony. Chapple had told Vassos he loved her on their last date, but Vassos wanted to wait to return the favor. I promise to honor him by loving you each and every day. For me, that is what matters most,” he stated.
Variety interviewed Vassos and Chapple about their touching proposal, their future plans as a couple, and their pick for the next “Golden Bachelor.”.
How does it feel to no longer have to hide your relationship?
Chock Chapple: I love it. Yes, it does. We are prepared to move forward with our lives together.
Joan Vassos: It’s wonderful to be with our loved ones without being apart, as we’ve been doing for months.
Chock, did you feel certain that you were Joan’s last choice as you approached her to make the proposal and as you entered the conversation?
Chapple: The previous day, something occurred. When Joan came to visit us at the bungalow, I tried for three weeks to convince this lovely woman that she loved me, but I was unsuccessful. And believe me, there are moments when I can be convincing. We then went outside after talking on the couch. I wanted—I needed—the “I love you,” but the kiss just took care of everything. I brought Joan in for a kiss. It had a mystical quality. And I’ve said, “Unless they truly, truly love you, someone wouldn’t kiss you like that.”. I needed that.
Even a mature guy gets butterflies every time, but as soon as I turned the corner and saw her standing there in that white dress, I felt better because she was so beautiful and smiled at me.
When, Chock, you mentioned honoring John and Kathy in the proposal, I started to cry a little. What was it like to hear that from Chock, Joan?
Vassos: It’s crucial because both he and I will always have Kathy and John in our lives, respectively. For many years, they were simply a part of us. It would be very difficult for me to let go of that or to never speak of him again. I feel the same way about Kathy because of the way he embraces it so openly and even discusses it with my children, saying things like, “I want to honor your dad’s memory, and I’m not here to replace him.”. That greatly simplifies our situation. It simply eases our relationship and removes the entire source of conflict.
When Chock’s mother passed away, it appeared as though his journey might be cut short. Apart from your evident deep sadness for Chock, what was going through your mind at the time, Joan? Were you concerned that you had lost the person you might ultimately be choosing?
Vassos: I felt precisely the same way. My initial thought was, “What a terrible thing to happen to anyone who couldn’t be there while they were filming.”. He had spent a lot of time with her just before he left, and I later found out that this had been a long journey for them with her cancer. Instead of simply returning after she had passed away, he was able to spend time with her while she was still living, which was such a gift. However, I knew he had loved ones, so when he informed me that [she had passed away], I knew he had to go. He had to visit them to check on them.
He insisted that everything was fine and kept saying, “I’m coming back,” but I had serious concerns that he wouldn’t return because I had no idea what he would discover when he arrived. I will return. I was aware that you couldn’t be absolutely certain of that. And that’s when I realized how much he meant to me. I was aware of it anyhow, but when I considered the possibility that he might not return, I truly wondered if I could go on with this journey because he is my front-runner, the person I truly care about, and we have already developed a strong bond. If he doesn’t return, there will always be a significant doubt in my mind.
Did someone ever ask you if you planned to return to the show, Chock?
Chapple: It’s fascinating to see how the people in your life affect your future. Joan strongly urged me to visit my stepdad when I returned. My brother also arrived by plane. But after three days, my stepfather George tells me, “You have to return.”. And I probably wouldn’t have returned if he hadn’t said that. In a situation like that, you’re unsure of what to do. But when I told George how important [Joan] is and how I bonded with her, he said, “Go back.”. “You have to return,” he says. “We have it all here,” he says. It was my great fortune that he assisted me in reaching that conclusion.
Joan, you live in Maryland, and Chock, you live in Kansas. Are you going to find a place in New York City in the interim? How will you two split up your time together?
Chapple: I can attest that the “Chock Lock,” as they refer to it, was a component of the present [I gave Vassos during the performance]. It was a key—a fake key to a location in New York. We had come to the conclusion that we both desired to visit there. And it hadn’t occurred to me for twenty years. And every young entrepreneur says, “New York, the Mecca, the World Trade Center,” along with all the other things you might have thought of about New York in the past. It was only fitting that Joan would express a strong desire to spend some time there. In reality, it was a gift for both her and me.
[Vassos had desired a scenario that was] their place, mine, and then our place together. We need to have some things come together first, but we know that eventually we will blend it. But that makes us very happy. We will spend the weekend in New York, where we are departing tomorrow. My two children will meet us, and on Monday, we have a full day scheduled with the realtor to begin our property search.
Do you have plans to get married in the future? Would you broadcast it like Gerry and Theresa Nist did?
Vassos: It’s something we discuss. I will definitely marry him, as evidenced by the fact that he asks me, “So, when are you gonna marry me?” roughly once every day. Given the holidays and everything that is going on, as well as the fact that we are a new couple, we both think that we will enjoy ourselves during the holidays simply by being ourselves. We can start discussing the wedding date and its details after the first of the year, possibly at the end of January, when everything is more settled.
At first, I thought I might want something modest and personal. Both he and I have planned large weddings in the past, so perhaps friends and family or a destination will be involved. However, as I’ve given it some thought, I adore that this journey is about people our age finding love, despite the fact that it’s difficult, frightening, and requires a slight leap of faith. In my opinion, it would be pleasant for people to witness the end of that journey through a televised wedding. We are therefore amenable to that.
Who ought to be the upcoming “Golden Bachelor”?
Chapple: There are at least eight outstanding men, and we’re not avoiding the subject; each has a distinct personality and has the potential to succeed. There were a few men I had considered, but you should remove them because they have already revealed that they are seeing someone else. I would put eight men in a pot and choose one, and it could be any of them: Jack [Lencioni], Dan [Roemer], Keith [Gordon], Jordan [Heller], or Charles Ling. Charles would be affectionate, Jack would be amusing.
Charles will either be the “Golden Bachelor” or he will be president in 2028, as I announced last night that I have endorsed him to run for president in that year. The crowd lost control. It was truly enjoyable. The guy is loved and supported by everyone.
For the purpose of clarity, this interview has been shortened and edited.
