Alan Hamel, the widower of Three’s Company star Suzanne Somers, says he adopted some interesting dating habits after his wife of 46 years died in 2023.
Hamel, 88, told People on Thursday that he spent last year “dating two women at the same time,” both of whom were married, on advice from his late wife not to “mope around” after her death.
He’s now down to just one woman: actress Joanna Cassidy, Somers’ one-time co-star.
For the first 18 months after his wife’s death, Hamel says he struggled to cope because “the last 42 years of our relationship, we did not spend even one hour apart.”
However, he eventually realized he “missed dating,” as he and Somers would have date nights at least once a week before her breast cancer diagnosis. Following her advice not to “mope around,” he decided to return to dating—with a catch.
“I thought, I don’t want to be sitting out there with one woman because the message that is going to make it into the media possibly is not going to be a good message,” Hamel explained. “So I started dating two women at the same time.”
However, Hamel insists it was all innocent fun: the “dates” were platonic, as the women were each married to his good friends.
“There’s nothing romantic going on there,” said Hamel. “They’re just really long-term friendly relationships.”
In fact, Hamel says the entire arrangement was inspired by advice that Somers gave to him after realizing her cancer was terminal.
“Before she crossed over, she said to me, ‘I don’t want you to mope around after I’m gone,’” Hamel told People.
“I said, ‘So you mean I shouldn’t sit at home and feel sorry for myself?’ She said, ‘I want you to live your life. You have a great life. You have a great family. You have great friends. I want you to live your life.’”
Instead of romance, Hamel says his stint “dating” two women helped him find out something about himself. “What I realized was I absolutely loved having dinner with two great women,” he explained.
“It was like the three of us experienced dating with different elements involved. When it’s one-on-two, it becomes a whole other experience.”
However, the widower is now all-in on a new romance. Hamel recently confirmed his relationship with Joanna Cassidy, 79, who appeared alongside Somers in the 1983 miniseries Hollywood Wives. The new couple, who first met in the ’70s, reconnected earlier this year after Hamel’s son ran into Cassidy at a film screening and offered to set them up.
Hamel told People that Somers “really liked” Cassidy before her death, and added, “She’d be very happy that I’m happy.”
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