Exclusive: Golden Bachelorette Shock — Why Chock Chapple and Joan Vassos Have Been Forced Apart for Nearly a Month, the Secret Project Keeping Them Busy, and What It Means for Their Future Together
Reality TV romances rarely come without challenges, but for The Golden Bachelorette stars Chock Chapple and Joan Vassos, love after the cameras stopped rolling has brought its own set of hurdles. Fans who have been closely following the couple’s journey were left puzzled when eagle-eyed followers noticed that the two hadn’t been spotted together for several weeks. Now, in an exclusive update, Chock has revealed the surprising reason why he and Joan “haven’t seen each other” in nearly a month — and what they’re doing to keep their relationship thriving despite the distance.
According to Chock, the main reason behind the separation is Joan’s involvement in what he described as a “special project,” one that has been keeping her schedule packed and her time tied up. While he didn’t share the full details, he admitted that the circumstances have made it nearly impossible for the two to enjoy a normal, everyday routine like other couples. “We haven’t had this real life that people normally have because you’re living in the same town, you see each other all the time,” he explained. “That just hasn’t been our story yet.”
Instead, their romance has been largely maintained through communication. Far from letting distance weaken their connection, Chock shared that he and Joan made a pact during the fantasy suite stage of filming to never let a day go by without talking. They’ve honored that promise ever since. “We talk at least twice a day, usually for 30 minutes to an hour,” Chock said. “That’s really been the lifeline of our relationship while we’ve been apart.”
Of course, fans are curious about whether this separation is a warning sign for their future, but Chock was quick to shut down speculation of trouble in paradise. On the contrary, he suggested that change is on the horizon. “Something’s probably going to change pretty soon,” he teased, hinting that Joan’s project may be nearing completion and that more time together is just around the corner.
For now, the couple is already looking ahead to their next big milestone. Chock confirmed that they plan to spend the upcoming holiday season together in New York City, a romantic backdrop that also doubles as a scouting ground for a more permanent arrangement. The two have been exploring the possibility of making the Big Apple their home base, a move that could solve the distance issue once and for all.
Despite the current pause in face-to-face time, both Chock and Joan seem determined to keep their love story strong. For fans, their resilience is a reminder that romance — whether found on a dating show or in everyday life — is less about grand gestures and more about the consistent effort behind the scenes.
As Chock summed it up: “We’re not worried. We know what we have, and we’re making it work until we can be together the way we want.”
