Bachelor Nation first met Mark Anderson during his daughter Kelsey Anderson’s Hometown date on The Bachelor Season 28. Fans quickly fell in love with his warm personality, and many even called for him to join The Golden Bachelorette cast. That wish came true when Mark joined the show, hoping to find love with Joan Vassos. Though his journey ended just before the Hometown visits, Mark has opened up about his experience, including the sparks he felt with Joan.
In a recent interview on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with hosts Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile, Mark shared insights into his time on The Golden Bachelorette and revealed some heartwarming details about his connection with Joan.
Since Mark’s daughter, Kelsey, had recently competed on The Bachelor, the hosts were curious if he had asked her for advice before joining the show. However, Mark explained that he hadn’t asked Kelsey or Bachelor alum Joey Graziadei for insights into the process, preferring to experience it all firsthand. The only thing he asked Kelsey was, “Do I need to bring towels with me?”—a lighthearted question that gave him peace of mind before entering the show.
When asked if he felt a spark with Joan right away, Mark was quick to praise the leading lady. “Anytime I talked with Joan, there was a spark because she’s just that kind of person. She’s wonderful, just a beautiful woman inside and out. She’s fantastic,” he said. Mark described how, during their conversations, Joan made him feel as though they were the only two people in the room. “You never thought about anybody else because she made me the most important person there. It was great.”
Mark also reflected on his memorable first kiss with Joan, which happened on the steps outside of the mansion. When Joe asked if it made him feel like a teenager again, Mark laughed and said, “Yeah, it was more like 13 or 14. I was nervous because you get to the point where you don’t really notice the cameras and stuff around you, you just kind of like void it out. And it was easy to do that with Joan because she’s just right there.”
The kiss, he explained, felt natural and playful. “We were just playing a game. I was trying to keep things light… but let her know stuff about me. It was nice. It was fun, it was playful; it felt very natural,” Mark said.
Although his time on The Golden Bachelorette came to an end before Hometowns, Mark clearly left with fond memories of his time with Joan. His reflections paint a picture of a genuine connection between two people, highlighting the charm and emotional depth that made his journey memorable. While Mark may not have found lasting love with Joan, his experience on the show is one he will treasure.
