See Gerry Turner, Theresa Nist & Leslie Fhima’s Reactions to Joan’s Golden Bachelorette Announcement

Joan Vassos was announced as the first-ever leading lady for The Golden Bachelorette.

Gerry Turner and some other Golden Bachelor contestants took to Instagram to react to the news.

“Dear Joan, Congratulations on being named the first ever Golden Bachelorette. You will be phenomenal as the the new representation of the generation. From one Golden to another… relax, breathe and enjoy,” Gerry wrote on Instagram.

Theresa Nist’s Instragram story after the announcement.

Leslie Fhima also took to Instagram to wish Joan for her new journey to find love.

On her own Instagram Story, Joan wrote that she was “honored” to take on the role, adding that she’s “positively overwhelmed by all the love and support.”

The 61 years old was a contestant on Season 1 of Gerry Turner’s The Golden Bachelor.

Joan is a mother of four and a grandmother of two, who was widowed after 32 years of marriage. She works as a school administrator and is from Rockland, Md.

Joan left Gerry Turner‘s season early to care for her daughter who had recently given birth.

After her one-on-one date with Gerry — where the couple bonded over the difficulty of dating after losing a spouse, Joan got a call from her daughter, who just had a baby and was struggling with postpartum issues. She then decided that she needed to go home and support her child.

“I don’t want to leave our journey,” she told Gerry, “but I’ve got to be a parent.”

“My heart maybe got a little fixed from Gerry,” she said as she left the Bachelor Mansion. “As you get older, you become more invisible. People don’t see you anymore. Like you’re not as significant as when you’re young.”

And now, she’d be getting her second chance at love.

Per her ABC bio, she finds solace “in the music of Elton John, spending time with her dog, and cooking. She envisions a “future filled with shared moments by the beach and cherished time with family.”

Joan took to Instagram to post the news of her being the first lead of the Golden Bachelorette.

“The secret is out!” she wrote, adding that she was “honored” to be the first female lead of the spinoff.

Although the channel has not yet announced the premiere date Joan’s season yet, the episodes will air Wednesdays at 8 pm.

Would you be watching Joan find love again this fall on the Golden Bachelorette?