Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos Addresses Restraining Order From Finalist’s Ex: ‘It Doesn’t Completely Surprise Me’
For Golden Bachelorette Joan Vassos the revelation that one of her suitors, Guy Gansert, had a protective order filed against him by his ex-wife isn’t completely surprising. Vassos addressed the topic during the Wednesday, October 23, episode of “The Viall Files” podcast hosted by former BachelorNick Viall.
“The Golden franchise is a little bit unique because we come here with a lot of past. We’ve lived a lot of life and it doesn’t completely surprise me that there are things that they’re maybe not proud of later on,” Vassos said.
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Guy Gansert’s ex-wife Heidi filed for a temporary protective order in October 2021 but voluntarily dismissed the filing a month later. People reported that the Gansert’s ex claimed he “physically tried to threaten” her and, in another incident “motioned like he was going to shoot me with his hand shaped like a pistol.” Gansert is in Joan’s top three alongside Chock Chapple and Pascual Ibgui.
Vassos, however, made it clear her experience with Gansert didn’t reflect this. “I never saw that side of Guy or of anybody. My interactions with all the guys were pure and lovely and I would have never had any indication that there was any kind of past that he had. I had no idea what the interactions with his ex-wife were at that time.”
Instead, Vassos spoke about Gansert in a positive way. “He was so kind to me and he was so open and he was so vulnerable. He cried. He talked about, you know, finally feeling happy for the first time in so many years. I never in a million years would have guessed that there was any kind of past there,” she told Viall.
And despite the revelations, her opinion of Gansert hasn’t really changed. “I still believe that he’s a kind and good person. You know, maybe he made a mistake. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about [it] other than what you guys know.”
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Gansert addressed the filing in a statement shared via Instagram on October 10, explaining that he and his ex-wife resolved their issues after this was filed.
“This was an unfortunate situation that occurred during an incredibly stressful time for me and my former spouse and was ultimately resolved when she voluntarily dismissed her request for a protective order. Together, we crafted a resolution that was agreeable to both parties.”
The Golden Bachelorette contestant went on to explain that both he and his ex-wife asked the court to seal her application, but added, “I know that being in the public eye comes with responsibility.”
Production was already aware of the temporary protective order, according to Us Weekly. However, since the protective order wasn’t granted and his ex voluntarily dismissed the filing, Gansert was cleared for casting.
