‘The Golden Bachelor’ Contestant April Kirkwood Had a Decades-Long Affair With Frankie Valli
April Kirkwood became somewhat of a household name a few months ago when she appeared on The Golden Bachelor. The therapist from Florida had a brush with fame before the reality show, albeit in a much more indirect way.
In 2015, April Kirkwood penned a book about her decades-long affair with Frankie Valli, the famed singer who inspired Jersey Boys. The sordid love affair began when Kirkwood was a teen, and Valli was already closing in on 40.
April Kirkwood carried on a decades-long affair with Frankie Valli
April Kirkwood had an interesting and intense love life before she appeared on The Golden Bachelor. Married twice and in a long-term partnership for 20 years before The Golden Bachelor, Kirkwood has a lot of experience in the dating world. That wasn’t uncommon for the ladies who vied for Gerry Turner’s heart on The Golden Bachelor, though. Still, she was unique. Her decades-long affair with Frankie Valli set April Kirkwood apart from the other contestants.
In 2015, Kirkwood published a book that recounted her time traveling to meet up with Frankie Valli. Kirkwood explained that she met the singer when she was a child, but at 16, she began a sexual relationship with him.
While they were never in a committed relationship, Kirkwood insists she was something of a confidant to Valli. He complained about his wives and girlfriends to her and often took him on tour with her or asked her to fly out to meet him.
The revelations in her book, Big Girls Do Cry, raised plenty of questions about the infamous womanizer and whether he groomed Kirkwood. She doesn’t wish to look at it that way, and Valli has never commented on Kirkwood’s allegations.
April Kirkwood insists the love affair wasn’t all bad
Despite understanding the seriousness of the age gap and questioning Valli’s intentions throughout her book, Kirkwood now has a different take on the scandalous romance. In an interview with Vulture, Kirkwood insists she and Valli simply had a connection.
She told the publication that she personally did not believe he “groomed” her and that the media ran with the idea that Valli was a “pig.” Despite spending decades carrying on an affair with the well-known performer, they have not had any interactions as of late. Still, she insists she loves him.
Valli is now 89, but he’s still making big moves. He married his fourth wife, 60-year-old Jackie Jacobs, in June. The duo have known each other for more than 15 years.
How many times has Frankie Valli been married?
While Valli and Kirkwood never made it official, the musician didn’t shy away from commitment entirely. Valli has been married four times. His first marriage to Mary Mandel lasted more than a decade. Valli and Mendel wed when they were still 20-somethings, and Valli’s career was just beginning.
Following the end of his first union, Valli tied the knot with MaryAnn Hannigan. After eight years, the duo divorced, and Valli moved on to his third wife, Randy Clohessy. They were married from 1984 until 2004. His fourth marriage took place earlier this year.
April Kirkwood contends that she stayed in touch with Frankie Valli during his first three marriages and often met up with him for rendezvous despite his relationship status.
