Golden Bachelorette star Joan Vassos addressed contestant Guy Gansert’s past after reports surfaced that his ex-wife filed a temporary restraining order against him in 2021.
The reality star, 61, opened up about the doctor, 66, on the Wednesday episode of The Viall Files podcast, where she said that the Golden franchise is “unique” because participants “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 in response to host Nick Viall’s question about Gansert, who is still competing for Vassos’ heart on the ABC reality series.
Vassos added that she had “never seen” that side of Gansert or any of the other contestants on her season.
“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,” Vassos shared. “I had no idea what the interactions with his ex-wife were at that time. He was so kind to me, and he was so open, and he was so vulnerable.”
Vassos went on to say how Gansert “cried” and talked to her about “finally feeling happy for the first time in so many years.” She added that she would have never thought in a “million years” that Gansert had an alleged history of domestic disputes.
“I still believe that he’s a kind and good person,” Vassos said. “You know, maybe he made a mistake. I don’t know. I don’t know anything about [it] other than what you guys know.”
Gansert’s ex-wife, Heidi O’Gara, filed a temporary protective order against him in Reno, Nevada, three years ago, People reported in early October. She dismissed the filing, in which she requested Gansert only contact her about their children via email, in November 2021 before it was granted.
In the filing, O’Gara alleged that Gansert “physically tried to threaten” her and sent her text messages “trying to reconcile” before “flipping to anger,” according to People. She claimed the day she filed the order, Gansert allegedly placed an item under her tire and “motioned like he was going to shoot me with his hand shaped like a pistol” after running into her at the gym.
Gansert addressed the reports about his past in a statement posted to Instagram on Oct. 10, saying that he will “always continue to work to improve myself.”
“This was an unfortunate situation that occurred during an incredibly stressful time for me and my former spouse and was ultimately resolved when she voluntary [sic] dismissed her request for a protective order,” he wrote on the social media platform. “Together we crafted a resolution that was agreeable to both parties.”
“The past few years have caused me to conduct a deep personal evaluation, and I will always continue to work to improve myself,” he continued. “I am so appreciative of The Golden Bachelorette and Bachelor Nation as well as my family, who have been exceptionally supportive during the most difficult times of my life. I am eternally grateful for them.”
O’Gara also addressed the reports in a statement to People, saying that she and Guy “share four amazing children and a new grandson.”
“While our divorce was very difficult, to protect our family’s privacy and to move forward, we reached a mutual resolution and have chosen not to comment about it publicly,” O’Hara said.
ABC has yet to publicly comment on Gansert’s background.
Gansert is just one of a number of Bachelor Nation men, who it’s been revealed in recent months, had restraining orders filed against them. Fellow Golden Bachelorette contestant Gil Ramirez had a temporary domestic violence restraining order filed against him in June from an ex-girlfriend over allegations of stalking. And, in September, it came to light that the winner of the most recent season of The Bachelorette, Devin Strader, was arrested and had a restraining order filed against him by an ex-girfriend several years before his appearance on the reality dating show.