Plus, the rumored leading lady for the upcoming spin-off, The Golden Bachelorette
Enraged viewers insisted Gerry and Theresa’s whirlwind romance was fake and called for the ABC dating show to be axed.
The stars of the first season announced their divorce on Friday – just three months after their elaborate televised wedding.
Fans slammed the show on Instagram and demanded that The Golden Bachelor – which had previously been praised for featuring older contestants – doesn’t have a second season.
“Cancel The Golden Bachelor!!! Shouldn’t have rushed the wedding,” one wrote on Instagram.
“Just cancel Bachelor shows. Most of the relationships aren’t successful. I don’t understand why they are still on,” another added.
“These shows need to end. My Lord. How exploitative and superficial,” a third posted.
“In my humble opinion, this wasn’t love it was lust and fame,” another user claimed.
“Duhhhh. They all [get divorced]. This show needs to end already,” someone else said.
“Shocker… not really… this show is FAKE,” another viewer raged.
Gerry, 70, and Theresa, 72, discussed their sudden split on Good Morning America.
“Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations and we’ve looked closely at our living situation,” Gerry said.
“We’ve come to the decision mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage.”
When asked what has changed in their long-distance relationship, he said their families were a big factor.
The ABC bachelor lives at a lake house in Northern Indiana while Theresa resides thousands of miles away in New Jersey.
They revealed they looked for homes in South Carolina and New Jersey but couldn’t decide where to relocate.
Gerry said they were both dedicated to their families and it was “best for their happiness” to live apart.
The exes added that they still love each other and are looking for love moving forward.
These shows need to end. How exploitative and superficial
Gerry proposed to Theresa in the November 30 finale of The Golden Bachelor after they met on the show in August.
They wed in an extravagant ceremony at La Quinta Resort & Club in Palm Springs, California, in January.
All of Gerry’s exes from The Golden Bachelor were at the nuptials, including his runner-up, Leslie Fhima.
Fan favorite Susan Noles officiated the wedding.
Susan has been widely rumored to be the leading lady in the upcoming spin-off, The Golden Bachelorette.
The show is slated to premiere on September 1.
