A few months back, ABC was in the process of choosing several women to star in the upcoming ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ series. Interestingly, they reached out to famed soap opera star Susan Lucci, best known for her iconic role as Erica Kane on ‘All My Children.’

Susan Lucci experienced a profound loss when her husband, Helmut Huber, passed away in 2022. He was 84 years old, and they had been blissfully married for 52 years. Helmut was an Austrian-born chef and a successful businessman. The couple got married on September 13, 1969, and remained devoted to each other until Huber’s passing on March 28, 2022. Together, Susan and Helmut have two children and cherish several grandchildren.

The 77-year-old Lucci shared with People Magazine that ABC approached her about possibly becoming the very first Golden Bachelorette, an offer she respectfully declined. During her interview with People, Lucci mentioned that she had recently become fond of ‘The Bachelor’ series, even calling ‘The Golden Bachelor’ a “new addiction for me.”

Moving forward, ABC announced on May 14 that Joan Vassos, who was a contestant from Season 1, will grace this fall’s edition as ‘The Golden Bachelorette.’ Joan Vassos is 61 years young and openly shared her intentions during a Bachelor Happy Hour: Golden Hour podcast. She expressed her genuine desire for love, saying, “I really want love” and “I want to have somebody in my life.”

“I feel like life is better when you share it with somebody. I truly believe all of that.” She emphasized that she preferred this experience over conventional dating websites.