GOLDEN FOX
Who is The Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner?
Plus, who he gave his final rose to
IN July 2023, Gerry Turner was named the first bachelor on ABC's new series, The Golden Bachelor.
Since then, the senior dating show has kept the Bachelor Nation wondering more about the new stud who was open to love.
2
Who is The Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner?
On July 17, 2023, Gerry Turner was announced to be the first bachelor on the highly anticipated new series, The Golden Bachelor.
Gerry (pronounced as Gary) is a retired restaurateur from Indiana.
Turner's bio describes the senior as someone who is: "often busy hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling, and spending time with friends and family at restaurants and local haunts."
Touching on his new quest for love, Turner told Good Morning America: "It's never too late to fall in love again."
Read More on The Bachelor
Turner was previously married to his late wife, Toni, in 1974.
The two were married for 43 years before she passed away in 2017.
Talking to GMA about his wife, Turner said: "She got robbed. Every day that goes by, that's the thought I have.
"I have her picture on a dresser in my closet. Every morning I give her the nod, 'So what do you think about this?'
Most read in Celebrity
"For a while, it was like I was having a hard time figuring out if she would be OK. But we always told each other, when one of us goes, we want the other one to be happy."
Does Gerry Turner have kids?
Throughout Turner's long marriage to Toni, the couple welcomed two daughters together: Jenny Young and Angie Warner.
Who was Gerry Turner’s late wife, Toni?
The new Golden Bachelor is also a grandfather to two granddaughters from Jenny.
His family has been extremely supportive of his decision to find love again.
"With the support of his family, Turner is ready to put himself out there and find a love that will stand the test of time in his golden years," a press release states.
2
What happened during The Golden Bachelor finale?
The Golden Bachelor first premiered on September 28, 2023, with Jesse Palmer taking over as the show's host.
The two-hour finale aired at 8 pm EST on Thursday, November 30 on ABC.
During the finale, viewers learn that Gerry proposed to Theresa Nist.
Gerry told the New Jersey native during his proposal: "Theresa, I love you 1,000 per cent.
"I'm not ever going to stop believing that every day, I choose you."
"The best is yet to come," Theresa said. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you."
The pair tied the knot in a moving ceremony at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs that aired on ABC on January 4, 2024.
However, only four months later, the couple revealed they were divorcing on Good Morning America.
Speaking on their decision to split, Gerry said: "We’ve looked closely at our situation…and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage."
The pair revealed their divorce was partly due to their commitment to their families.
Gerry said, "The thing that strikes me the most in our conversations, it's been how dedicated both of us are to our families….
"So we look at these situations and I think we just feel like it’s best for the happiness of each of us to, to live apart.
"We looked at homes in South Carolina, we considered New Jersey, and we just looked at homes after home, but we never got to the point where we made that decision."
Read More on The US Sun
Theresa and Gerry said they still have love for each other, and despite the divorce, the two remain hopeful that they'll find their person.
On June 13, 2024, Gerry became a bachelor once again when the divorce was finalized in the Indiana court system.