Susan Lucci Turned Down Becoming the ‘Golden Bachelorette’ Twice: Sources

Susan Lucci knows what she wants — and what she doesn't!

Even though the 77-year-old has said she's a big fan of The Golden Bachelor, sources exclusively tell Life & Style that she turned producers down twice about becoming the first Golden Bachelorette — and the soap opera legend would have been the ideal first pick.

As reported in January, ABC saw Susan as "the perfect candidate" with a "widely known narrative of losing her longtime spouse," Helmut Huber, who died in 2022.

"Who doesn't want to see Susan find love again?" asks a source.

Show fans will first see how Joan Vassos fares in her search.

The Bachelor franchise revealed its new leading lady during the ABC upfront on Tuesday, May 14. Fans watched the beauty self-eliminate during season 1 of The Golden Bachelor with Gerry Turner.

"The secret's out," Joan, 61, shared via Instagram following the announcement. "I'm honored to be #TheGoldenBachelorette."

Gerry formed a deep connection with Joan during their onscreen romance, but she had to decline her rose and go home after she learned her daughter wasn't doing well after giving birth.

"It wasn't a normal, everyday delivery at all. Things go wrong. Even if everything went right, you need your mom," Joan said in a confessional during her exit. "My family will always be first. Once you become a mom, you're always a mom, even when your kids are older. Nothing is more important."