The Golden Bachelorette: What Happened To Joan Vassos And Chock Chapple? (Are They Still An Item Or Is There Trouble In Paradise?)

The Golden Bachelorette season 1 ended with Joan Vassos and Chock Chapple getting engaged, but are they still together? They got engaged in November 2024, so it's been a few months. They both had circuitous routes to find each other. Joan made her television debut during The Golden Bachelor season 1. The 62-year-old widower was one of the 24 single Golden women who dated 72-year-old Gerry Turner, but she had to leave his season early due to a family emergency. Joan thought her Golden Bachelor journey was over, but it was just getting started.

When things didn't work out between Joan and Gerry, she was disappointed. The two had hit it off during a group date, but she had to put her family first. It turned out to be the best thing to happen to Joan. She was cast as the spin-off's first female lead, and she kicked off The Golden Bachelorette season 1 by greeting 25 single Golden men. Among the impressive older men was 60-year-old Chock, a divorced father of two from Kansas. The two fell in love and got engaged at the end of the season. Are they still together?

Joan & Chock's Second Chance At Love

A Shared Sense Of Loss

With people living longer than ever before, more widows and divorcees are out there starting new relationships. That's why the inaugural seasons of The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette were so well-received by the audience. Everyone wants to believe in the possibility of second chances, and that's what Joan and Chock came to represent. Their relationship shows it's possible to find love again later in life, and it's a lovely message.

Long before Joan and Chock joined the casts of The Golden Bachelor and The Golden Bachelorette, they lived very different lives. Joan was a widowed private school administrator living in Maryland. She was married to the love of her life, John Vassos, for 32 years before he died in 2021. They had four children together and were, by all accounts, very deeply in love. Joan never expected that she'd find herself reentering the dating pool in her golden years, but life has a way of pulling the rug out from under people.

Chock was no stranger to loss before joining the cast of The Golden Bachelorette season 1. He was married to Heather Chapple for 12 years, and they had two children together, but their marriage ended. After a painful divorce, Chock fell in love with Katherine Goree. They were engaged for nine years before she got sick and passed away in 2022. Chock suffered even more loss when his mother died while he was filming The Golden Bachelorette. Like Joan, he had to leave the show early, but, unlike Joan, Chock hurried back to be with Joan.

Chock Was Recently Traveling Solo

"Joan Was Living Her Best Life In NYC"

Since getting engaged during The Golden Bachelorette season 1 finale, Joan and Chock have tried to spend as much time together as possible. Chock was recently out on his own, and he posted the photos to Instagram. While Joan was in New York, Chock attended a sneak-peak party for The Golden Bachelor season 2. ABC recently announced that former NFL player Mel Owens would be the show's next romantic lead. Chock shared many photos of himself posing with other former cast members, like Jonathan Rone and Mark Anderson.

Despite being engaged, Joan and Chock don't live together yet. Joan kept her house in Maryland, while Chock continues to live in Kansas. They travel back and forth to be together. Though a long-distance relationship doesn't seem ideal, it has worked for the couple so far. The couple is looking into eventually buying a third place in New York City, but can't find the right place yet.

Relationships Are Never Easy

Joan & Chock Are Refreshingly Transparent

Relationships are never easy, and starting a later-in-life relationship presents unique challenges. Instead of pretending to be perfect, Joan and Chock are honest about their struggles. While many people use social media to pretend their lives are perfect, The Golden Bachelorette couple has been refreshingly honest. Instead of presenting an impossible picture of an idealistic love story, Joan and Chock are a real couple with real problems. Their radical relationship transparency could explain why fans flock to their social media.

Since getting engaged, Joan and Chock have focused on getting to know each other and blending their families. Between them, they have six adult children. They were determined to bring all their kids together, but things didn't go as smoothly as they'd hoped. In December, Joan made some comments that suggested there could be trouble in paradise. Joan posted a clip on Instagram of her and Chock discussing their relationship. During the clip, when Joan talks about family, she admits bringing their families together has been a "little harder right now."

Are Joan & Chock Still Together?

Yes, But They're In No Rush To Get Married

Joan and Chock have seemed happy since getting engaged on The Golden Bachelorette season 1. They're still together, but are in no rush to walk down the aisle. This is in stark contrast to the first Golden Bachelor couple. 72-year-old Gerry and 70-year-old Theresa Nist got married just a few weeks after going public with their relationship, and announced their divorce after only three months of marriage. Joan and Chock are much smarter about their relationship. Being so thoughtful about their relationship is a good sign that Joan and Chock will go the distance.