Celebrity Celebrity Weddings Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner Wants to Find Love Again at 72 Because 'It's Really Lonely to Be by Yourself' (Exclusive) After the death of his wife Toni in 2017, Gerry tells PEOPLE he gets "reminders constantly, every single day that, 'You don't have anyone'" By Kelly Martinez Kelly Martinez Kelly Martinez is a TV writer-reporter at PEOPLE. She has been working at PEOPLE since 2023. She was previously a Staff Writer at BuzzFeed for over three years. People Editorial Guidelines Published on September 29, 2023 08:00AM EDT Close Photo: ABC/Brian Bowen Smith The Golden Bachelor's leading man Gerry Turner is ready to put himself out there. Speaking to PEOPLE during a set visit for the show's first group date, the 72-year-old widower opens up about why he wants to find love again. "After all those years of being married and being with someone and feeling like part of the team, it's really lonely to be by yourself," Gerry shares. "There's reminders constantly every single day that you don't have anyone." "You may experience the most beautiful sunset, [but] when you walk back in the house there's no one to talk about it with," he adds. Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner Says 'It's Never Too Late to Fall in Love Again' ABC/Brian Bowen Smith The Golden Bachelor was married to his high school sweetheart Toni for 43 years until she suddenly died from an illness in 2017. The couple share two daughters, Angie and Jenny, who are now in their 40s. Six years after his wife's death, the Indiana native is ready to date again — something he says he hasn't done since "the mid-1960s." He explains that his daughters, along with his granddaughters Charlee and Payton, encouraged him to join the show. "They just want me to be happy," he notes of his family members. "They've given me a lot of support, and they laugh at some of the things that I say and do that [aren't] quite on point with trendy culture." Gerry Turner on His 'Golden Bachelor' Survival Guide, from Helen Mirren Hopes to Being Someone's 'Grandzaddy' Gerry was announced as the star of ABC's new Bachelor spinoff in July. The series follows the first-ever Golden Bachelor as he dates 22 senior women — including Bachelor alum Matt James's mother, Patty — in hopes of finding love. "Golden Bachelor" stars Patty, Christina, Theresa, Peggy, Ellen, Susan, Faith, Leslie, Sandra, Kathy, Nancy, Maria, Edith, Pamela, Marina, Sylvia, Natasha, Joan, April, Anna, Renee, and Jeanie. ABC/Ricky Middlesworth Meet Gerry Turner's 22 ‘Golden Bachelor’ Ladies — Including a Mom of a Former Bachelor! In a preview clip that aired as part of The Bachelorette: Men Tell All, the reality star opened up to host Jesse Palmer about how he hopes to "find my person," while emphasizing that he in no way intends to replace Toni. "What I look for at the age of 70 is different than what I look for when I was in high school and college," he explained. "So I believe I'll find my person, the new person that will make me whole again, and I think we’ll knit a wonderful relationship." "But I don't think it'll look like the relationship I had with Toni," he added. "And I don't think it would be right to do it that way." Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.