Suzanne Somers' widower finds romance with late wife's 'Hollywood Wives' costar

Fox News

3 days ago

More than a year after Suzanne Somers' death, her widower, Alan Hamel, is dating again.
Hamel recently reconnected with Joanna Cassidy, Somers' former "Hollywood Wives" costar, whom he told Fox News Digital he has known for more than 45 years.
"Joanna was a guest star on 'The Alan Hamel Show' in Canada in the 70's," he explained. "She was a great guest, and it was a dynamic show, and we liked each other, not romantically, but mainly with respect. Both of us were married at the time."
Hamel married Somers in 1977 after they met in the late 1960s while working on the game show "The Anniversary Game," and were married for 46 years until Somers died.
Hamel said his producer, son Stephen Hamel, met Cassidy at a film screening recently, "and after a long conversation, suggested to Joanna that she and me would get along and should meet. Stephen did not know we knew each other."
"We got together and I told Joanna I'd never been with an 80-year-old," he said. "She replied that she'd never been with an 89-year-old. But it was certainly age appropriate. Joanna is extremely accomplished. She is easily the hardest working and most active actress in Hollywood for well over 50 years."'
During the production of "Hollywood Wives" in the 1980s, Hamel said he ran into Cassidy many times. "It was very cordial," he added of the meetings on the set.
Somers and Cassidy costarred in the 1985 miniseries, which was based on a Jackie Collins book. It also starred Anthony Hopkins, Candice Bergen and Angie Dickinson.
Hamel also praised Cassidy as a mother and for her fundraising work for first responders.
"She is No Hollywood BS and we laugh a lot," he said. "During Suzanne's last few days, she told me twice to 'don't mope around. Live your life. We will see one another after you cross over.' I'm fortunate to have Joanna in my life. Most men would love to have a Joanna in their life."
He said he doesn't know where the relationship is going, "but what I do know is that being in the cocktail hour of my life, I am blessed with a magnificent family thanks to incredible Suzanne, a privileged life, and our business that we created 50 years ago."
Somers died in October 2023, a day before her 77th birthday, following a battle with breast cancer.