Joan Vassos chooses Chock Chapple

SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from “The Golden Bachelorette’s” Season 1 finale, which aired Wednesday night on ABC.

Joan Vassos’ journey as the first ever “Golden Bachelorette” has come to a dramatic end.

Vassos, a school administrator, gave her final rose to insurance executive Chock Chapple — who proposed to her — and sent emergency room physician Guy Gansert home.

The episode picked up in Tahiti, where Vassos felt defeated because her second best man, Pascal Ibgui, voluntarily eliminated himself after he felt he couldn’t fall in love with her, leaving Chapple and Gansert as the final two men.

Vassos soon returned to her final two dates with her remaining suitors, who had the added stress of meeting some of Vassos’ family. Chapple’s date went exceptionally well, and he even told Vassos that he loves her. Although Vassos did not say the three words back, she felt that she had made up her mind and that she had to say goodbye to Gansert.

As Gansert was getting ready, she visited his Bora Bora bungalow and ended their trip before their last date. “My heart belongs to someone else now… This is the last thing I wanted. I’m so sorry,” she told a tearful Gansert. Gansert then told Vassos that he had fallen in love with her, to which Vassos replied: “I love you, but I love you in a different way.”

Gansert and Vassos then met live at the After the Final Rose taping (the show is taped months before), where they hugged and exchanged friendly greetings. “Was something missing?” Gansert asked Vassos after reflecting on how their relationship was a “slow burn”.

“In any other situation, I would have been with you because we would have had more time… It was absolutely not something you did,” Vassos replied, adding that she hopes they can double date in the future.

The finale then jumped back to Tahiti to show Vasso and Chapple’s final rose ceremony and proposal. “I’m in love with Chock and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. He makes me see a future again, a hopeful Vassos told the producers.

The two shared a romantic proposal by the beach, where Vassos told Chapple she loves him and they FaceTimed Vassos’ mother to tell her the news.

The happy couple then took to the stage live, where they were delighted to no longer have to keep their relationship a secret. “Everyone deserves to have love and give love,” Vassos told the crowd, encouraging people to take a leap of faith to find love at every stage of life.

Chapple was the clear front-runner all season after getting the first one-on-one date (at Disneyland), though it looked like his journey might be cut short in episode 4 when he suddenly had to leave the show after his mother death. However, after spending some time with the family, he returned to the mansion and resumed filming. “There was no way I wasn’t coming back,” he said in a confession. “I have a unique opportunity that very few people in the world have with an amazing woman.”

Vassos was named ABC’s first “Golden Bachelorette” after competing on Gerry Turner’s inaugural season of “The Golden Bachelor.” Although Vassos was an early favorite, she volunteered during the third week of the season to help her daughter through a medical emergency.

The series follows the same premise as the traditional “Bachelor” series, but the cast consists of singles looking for love in their golden years instead of in their 20s-30s. Therefore, almost all the participants have been either widowed or divorced and have their own families before joining. Vassos, who has four children and two grandchildren, lost her husband in 2021 to pancreatic cancer. Throughout the season, viewers watched her move through her grief and find love again, all while honoring her late husband John.

Although Vassos’ season was less drama-filled than other “Bachelor” shows, and the suitors seemed to get along remarkably well for the most part, behind the scenes, the season was not scandal-free.

While the show was airing, a restraining order against runner-up Gansert resurfaced, filed by his ex-wife in 2021 and dismissed before it was granted, according to documents obtained by People. Gansert spoke about the temporary protection order, writes on Instagram last month: “This was an unfortunate situation that arose at an incredibly stressful time for me and my ex-spouse, and was ultimately resolved when she voluntarily denied her request for a protective order. Together we worked out a solution that was comfortable for both parties.”

Vassos later addressed the situation himself, saying, “The ‘golden’ franchise is a little bit unique because we come here with a lot of history,” on “The Viall Files” podcast. “We’ve lived a lot of lives and it doesn’t surprise me at all that there are things that they might not be proud of later.”

“I still think (Gansert) is a kind and good person. You know, maybe he made a mistake. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about (it) other than what you guys know,” Vassos added.

Another “Golden Bachelor” contestant, Gil Ramirez, also had a temporary restraining order filed against him, which was granted by a judge in June 2024, according to documents obtained by People. Ramirez was sent home during episode 4.

Next up for the ABC franchise is Grant Ellis’ season of “The Bachelor,” which will mark the show’s 29th season. His season premieres Jan. 27 on ABC, and “Bachelor in Paradise” Season 10 will follow in 2025.