Fans are turning on The Golden Bachelor’s Gerry Turner thanks to his brazen pursuit of fame, and it is not in the least bit surprising. The retired restaurateur turned reality TV star skyrocketed to international renown when he starred in the inaugural season of the new Bachelor spin-off series in 2023.
ABC originally issued a casting call for The Golden Bachelor in early 2020, but the global COVID shutdown of that year pushed production forward. The first installment finally debuted in September 2023, with Turner (then 72) courting 22 women, all aged 65 and over.
The Bachelor couples whose relationships keep going depict the genuine side of the popular franchise, but Turner would appear to have agreed to participate for a completely different motivation.
Gerry Turner’s Double Life Was Exposed After His Time On The Golden Bachelor
ABC appeared to have struck gold with their first ever Golden Bachelor in Gerry Turner, but things went south after an expose revealed his not-so-golden past just a day before the Season 1 finale aired on November 30, 2023.
The Hollywood Reporter was responsible for the write-up, which referenced “secret girlfriends, a juiced-up résumé and the selling of a septuagenarian stud.”
That first season of The Golden Bachelor had been a ratings goldmine for Bachelor Nation and the network at large. The premiere was the highest-rated episode within the franchise—and for any unscripted ABC series—for two years.
In the course of the show, Turner leaned strongly into a lack of love in his life since his wife had died.
The narrative was very quickly debunked by THR, however.
In fact, the widower had reportedly dated and even moved in with a woman 14 years his junior soon after he lost Toni, his former spouse of 43 years.
At the same time, there were strong questions raised about the true status of his career. While he was sold on The Bachelor as a retired restaurateur, his links to the industry reportedly dated nearly four decades back.
He also appeared to have worked different jobs in the years leading up to his casting.
Fans Have Called Out Gerry Turner For His “Smoke And Mirrors” Routine
There wasn’t much negative noise surrounding Gerry Turner while most of the episodes of his Golden Bachelor season were aired. Things have swung in the complete opposite direction since, though, as fans seem to grow weary of his apparent duplicity.
On Reddit, the overwhelming sentiment among many was that his thirst for fame was always visible from the beginning.
Fan Comments on Gerry Turner
– “Never was phased at all, some [thing] about him just didn’t grab me. He might be a good guy but I was not sold.”
– “I never watched [Gerry and The Golden Bachelor], because I had no desire to watch seniors act like petty 20-somethings.”
– “I’d rather see an old fashioned love story with Mr. John Simple and Ms. Susie Quiet who could be from anywhere, USA. Gerry came off as Mr. Used Car Salesman.”
– “Being older & wanting TV fame doesn’t mean you’re better than the usual suspects,” one such comment read.
That particular user went on to say: “I knew it was all an [illusion] from day 1 – smoke & mirrors.”
A separate, even more damning opinion was shared by yet another Redditor. They wrote: “I never got the hype and people were too quick to call him wholesome in the beginning. His crying was terrible acting to me.”
Turner had previously claimed that part of his vetting process for the show had even involved the FBI, but the same user rued that ABC had not been even more meticulous. “I wish they did a more thorough background check for an actual wholesome and lovable golden bachelor,” they insisted.
Gerry Turner’s History Hurt The Golden Bachelor
The final episode of The Golden Bachelor aired on November 30, 2023. Nine months later, there had been no announcement regarding a second season of the spin-off show, which prompted questions about the impact of Gerry Turner’s history on the series beyond his season.
Taken independently, the ratings for that season alone would have all but guaranteed a renewal. So adored was the new concept in the franchise that fans were already starting to demand a female version of the same, titled The Golden Bachelorette.
The fact that all talk of that appeared to go completely silent in the aftermath of the revelations about Gerry Turner’s life would suggest that it had some kind of impact on the plans. Even so, many who fell in love with GB sound convinced that one man’s actions should and will not kill such a beloved production.
“I’d love for there to be at least one Golden Bachelorette . But I’m afraid Gerry might have killed this franchise,” a pessimistic fan shared.
They were laughed off for the most part, however, with many arguing that Bachelor Nation had actually witnessed far worse.
Are Women Really Chasing Gerry Turner After His Golden Bachelor Fame?
While a majority of fans continue to pile on Gerry Turner for his said dishonesty, the TV personality himself has claimed that women won’t stop sliding into his DMs to hit on him. This comes on the back of his split from Theresa Nist, the New Jersey financial consultant that he proposed to at the end of his Golden Bachelor season.
Turner clearly reveled in the attention that he and Nist received in the aftermath, which strengthened public opinion that this had always been his motivation to be on the show in the first place. Their marriage lasted only four months, before they filed for divorce in April 2024.
“Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations, and we’ve looked closely at our situation, our living situation, and we’ve come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage,” he said during a joint appearance that the couple made on Good Morning America .
Turner definitely came off as a charming and loyal man on the reality show, but the skeletons uncovered in his real life projected a significantly different image. Sources close to the mystery woman he reportedly cohabited with also claimed that they broke up after he pushed unrealistic expectations during their relationship.
If these patterns are anything to go by, fans are not outside reason to question whether Turner’s claims of women flocking his DMs are even credible.
