Susan Lucci Says The Golden Bachelorette Approached Her to Star, But ‘It Wasn’t for Me’
We almost had a daytime TV legend handing out roses on The Golden Bachelorette.
Soap star Susan Lucci reveals that the ABC dating competition for seniors reached out to her to star in this fall’s inaugural edition. “I believe that they contacted my publicist,” she tells People magazine, but she decided “it wasn’t for me. But I do love watching.” (ABC tells People that Lucci was not offered the role, for the record.)
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Lucci wasn’t a Bachelor fan until a couple years ago when her assistant inspired her to check the show out. “I was immediately engaged,” Lucci remembers. “I cared. I wanted to know more about these people.” She’s also a fan of The Golden Bachelor, which debuted last fall with 71-year-old widower Gerry Turner looking for a second chance at love among a selection of women 60 years old and up: “I really enjoyed watching The Golden Bachelor. This is a new addiction for me.”
Lucci, of course, is a longtime member of the ABC family, starring as Erica Kane on the network’s long-running soap All My Children for more than four decades. Lucci infamously earned 19 Daytime Emmy nominations for the role without a win before finally taking home the statuette in 1999. Lucci was married to chef Helmut Huber for 52 years until his death in 2022.
ABC eventually found their Golden Bachelorette star in 61-year-old Joan Vassos, who competed for Gerry’s heart on The Golden Bachelor but left the show early to be by her daughter’s side through a medical issue. Vassos was revealed as the star earlier this month; her season of The Golden Bachelorette will air Wednesdays at 8/7c this fall on ABC.
Be honest, soap fans: Would you tune into The Golden Bachelorette if La Lucci were the one handing out roses? Head down to the comments to share your thoughts.
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