Alan Hamel, Suzanne Somers’ Widower, Enters New Romance With Her Former Co-Star Joanna Cassidy

More than a year after the death of actress Suzanne Somers, her longtime husband and television producer Alan Hamel has found companionship again—this time with someone closely tied to his late wife’s legacy. Hamel, 89, has revealed he is now dating actress Joanna Cassidy, Somers’ co-star from the 1985 miniseries Hollywood Wives.

The news, shared in an interview with Fox News Digital, marks a poignant and unexpected chapter in Hamel’s life following his nearly five-decade marriage to Somers, who died in October 2023 after a long battle with cancer. Their relationship, described by friends and fans as a model of enduring love in Hollywood, lasted 46 years.

“I’ve known Joanna for over 45 years,” Hamel said. “Joanna was a guest on The Alan Hamel Show in Canada back in the ’70s. She was a great guest—it was a dynamic show—and we liked each other, not romantically, but with respect. Both of us were married at the time.”

The pair reconnected recently after a serendipitous encounter involving Hamel’s son, film producer Stephen Hamel. According to Hamel, Stephen met Cassidy at a film screening and, after a lengthy conversation, suggested that the two should meet—unaware that they already knew each other.

“We got together and I told Joanna I’d never been with an 80-year-old,” Hamel recounted with a smile. “She replied that she’d never been with an 89-year-old. But it was certainly age appropriate.”

Hamel spoke warmly of Cassidy’s energy, talent, and authenticity. “Joanna is extremely accomplished. She is easily the hardest working and most active actress in Hollywood for well over 50 years,” he said.

Indeed, Cassidy’s Hollywood resume is both deep and diverse. Best known for her roles in Blade Runner, Six Feet Under, and Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead, she also co-starred with Somers in the glitzy 1985 ABC miniseries Hollywood Wives, based on the bestselling novel by Jackie Collins. The show boasted an ensemble cast that included Anthony Hopkins, Candice Bergen, and Angie Dickinson.

While Cassidy and Somers didn’t share much screen time in the miniseries, Hamel recalled crossing paths with Cassidy during production. “It was very cordial,” he said.

But beyond professional admiration, Hamel emphasized that what draws him to Cassidy today is more personal than Hollywood history. “She’s no Hollywood BS,” he said. “We laugh a lot. She’s also a wonderful mother and does a lot of fundraising for first responders.”

Though the relationship is still new, Hamel credits his late wife for the strength to move forward.

“During Suzanne’s last few days, she told me twice, ‘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.”

For Hamel, the new relationship represents not just companionship in later life but a continuation of the joy and vitality he once shared with Somers. Their marriage began after they met on the set of The Anniversary Game in the late 1960s, and they were married in 1977. The two became not just romantic partners, but also business collaborators, building a wellness and media empire that extended beyond Somers’ iconic roles on television.

Reflecting on where the relationship with Cassidy might go, Hamel said, “I don’t know where this 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.”

His sentiment reflects the emotional complexity of loving again after loss—a journey that many widowed individuals face later in life. Hamel’s story offers a rare glimpse into how grief and hope can coexist.

While he’s clear that no one could replace Somers, Hamel also recognizes that new love doesn’t diminish the old. Instead, it stands as a tribute to a life shared and a future still worth living.

As the sun sets on one chapter of his life, Alan Hamel appears to be embracing what comes next—not with denial, but with a heart still open to connection, laughter, and, perhaps, love once more.