Former television host Alan Hamel, 88, has confirmed he is dating actress Joanna Cassidy, who co-starred with his late wife, Suzanne Somers, in Hollywood Wives. The Canadian entertainer, who lost Somers to cancer in 2023, recently opened up about his new relationship with Cassidy.
Are Alan Hamel and Joanna Cassidy dating?
Veteran TV entertainer Alan Hamel has found love again with Blade Runner star Joanna Cassidy. Hamel spoke about his connection with Cassidy, which spans over 45 years, in a recent chat with Page Six.
The Alan Hamel Show host admitted, “I don’t know where this relationship is going.” He has known Cassidy since the time she appeared on his talk show, Hamel added.
“Joanna was a guest star on [daytime talk show] The Alan Hamel Show in Canada in the ’70s. 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,” the TV personality noted.
After that, Hamel and Cassidy’s paths crossed again when the latter was starring in Hollywood Wives. Hamel recalled, “I ran into her in the mid-’80s many times during the production of Jackie Collins’ Hollywood Wives.”
Several decades after their first meeting, the duo reconnected via Hamel’s son, who played matchmaker. “My son met Joanna at a screening and, after a long conversation, suggested to Joanna that she and I would get along and should meet. Stephen did not know we knew each other,” the celebrity said.
Almost two years since his wife’s passing, Hamel is also reflecting on her final wish, as she urged him to “live” his life (via Page Six). Speaking of his wife’s last wish, Hamel said, “Since Suzanne was my only date for over 50 years, I’m a virgin dater. Suzanne told me when we knew the end was near not to ‘mope around’ and live my life.”
Even after years away from dating, Hamel has remained his characteristically gracious self. He praised Cassidy as “extremely accomplished” and “easily the hardest-working and most active actress in Hollywood for well over 50 years.”
The producer also admired her dedication as a mother, her support for first responder fundraisers, and her genuine, down-to-earth nature. He added, “She is no Hollywood BS, and we laugh a lot.”
