Susan Lucci has revealed she was in talks to potentially star on The Golden Bachelorette this year, a position that ultimately went to Joan Vassos.
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"I believe that they contacted my publicist and it wasn't for me," the actress, 77, told People in an interview published on Friday, May 24.
"I watched The Golden Bachelor," the All My Children alum noted, confirming she's a fan of Bachelor Nation. "I really enjoyed watching The Golden Bachelor. This is a new addiction for me."
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However, when ABC had called her publicist "to see if [she] would be interested" in being cast as The Golden Bachelorette lead, the soap star declined the opportunity.
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"It wasn't for me... I didn't pursue [it] when they called my publicist... But I do love watching," Susan added. "I'm a fan. I love watching."
People reported that ABC never officially offered Susan the role, and ABC has yet to confirm whether producers had intended to make Susan the franchise's first-ever Golden Bachelorette.
The actress apparently didn't start watching The Bachelor franchise until a "couple seasons ago," thanks to her assistant's recommendation.
While Susan recently became "engaged" in the show and was left wanting "to know more about" the contestants, Susan's late mother, Jeanette, had been a fan for quite some time.
"My mother used to watch The Bachelor and I made fun of her," Susan admitted to Us Weekly in March.
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"Now, years later, I'm totally addicted to The Bachelor -- including The Golden Bachelor!"
Susan was married to Helmet Huber from 1969 until he passed away in 2022. Helmet, who had worked as the soap star's manager, died at the age of 84. The pair shared daughter Liza and son Andreas.
After appearing on Gerry Turner's The Golden Bachelor season last year, Joan still found dating to be "hard," and she was announced as The Golden Bachelorette star earlier this month.
"If it ends up in engagement, I'm open to that," Joan told CNN on May 14, according to Us. "I do believe this process works. I've seen it work for so many couples on The Bachelor, so I believe in the process. If it ends up in engagement, that's great."
Joan continued, "I probably won't rush into a marriage right away -- and not only because of what happened with Gerry and Theresa. I think it takes some time to really get to know somebody. Out in the wild, in the real world, you need to spend some time there."
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ABC said she'll bring "grace and charm" to viewers' television screens on Wednesday nights at 8PM ET/PT this fall.
"She is a remarkable woman whose life has been defined by her resilience, zest for adventure and strong family values. It was those family values that led to her heartbreaking decision to leave The Golden Bachelor," ABC teased.
"Despite that and other challenges she's faced along the way... [Joan] remains an embodiment of strength and grace as a devoted mother of four, grandmother of two, and school administrator, while finding solace in the music of Elton John, spending time with her dog, and cooking."
Prior to Joan's casting announcement, Today anchors Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager had been hoping their friend Kathie Lee Gifford would be willing to star on The Golden Bachelorette's first season.
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Kathie Lee, however, was not interested in starring on the series.
"You get diseases when you get in hot tubs, you know what I'm saying? People should be far more careful, and I don't know where those lips have been on all those guys, so I'd be far more careful than those other ladies are," Kathie Lee told the magazine in March.
"They just get in the hot tub, get all over each other and get in bed, and I'm going, 'They don't even know your middle name.' So, I don't see that I'm going to be a part of that anytime soon."
On The Golden Bachelor: The Women Tell All late last year, Joan got emotional when watching her journey back on the show, and she told host Jesse Palmer how she felt really bad about disappointing and hurting Gerry.
"If circumstances had been different and you stayed, you think it might've worked out with Gerry?" Jesse asked the bachelorette.
"I think we had a good chance," Joan replied.
"Gerry helped make me feel visible. He looked at me and he cared about what I was saying and he wanted to get to know me. Society makes us feel like we've had out chance, we've had our children, and now it's time to support the next generation and kind of take a backseat. And Gerry opened my heart."
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Joan told The Wrap in November 2023 that, after quitting Gerry's The Golden Bachelor season, she briefly considered returning to the show and resuming filming once she helped her daughter because she felt like she had "unfinished business."
However, Joan soon came to realize that her daughter's mental health was still suffering and she needed to stay by her side as she struggled with postpartum depression.
Even though Joan didn't return to The Golden Bachelor, she admitted to Jesse on The Women Tell All that she "held out hope" Gerry would also quit the show and chase her down.
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"I did think a couple times maybe I would come around the corner, coming home from work, and [Gerry] would be sitting on my front porch," Joan confessed.
Joan said she sometimes caught herself thinking about what could have been with Gerry.
"I went from wanting to find somebody to craving it now. It was such a good feeling and I'm working hard to find it; I'm not giving up," Joan shared.
Joan took to Instagram shortly after The Golden Bachelor episode featuring her exit aired on ABC, and she gave "a huge thank you" to viewers for "expressing their concern" about her family.
She also hinted that she'd like to continue her journey to find love on TV, writing, "Sometimes the timing doesn't work out with finding love. I hope one day I will get the chance at love again."
Gerry ultimately selected Theresa Nist as his winner and the couple got engaged during the November 2023 season finale.
The Golden Bachelor couple got married in a live televised special dubbed The Golden Wedding on January 4 on ABC, but they announced their decision to divorce just three months later on April 12.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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