Gerry Turner was the first The Golden Bachelor lead, and there is potential for him to get his own spinoff. 72-year-old Gerry pioneered the Bachelor Nation spinoff which focused on highlighting the dating life of seniors. Gerry met 22 women at the beginning of his season and won viewers’ hearts with his charm and backstory. Gerry was married to his wife Toni Turner for 43 years before she passed away unexpectedly from a bacterial infection in 2017. Gerry came into The Golden Bachelor experience with an open heart, empathy, and a strong desire to find the woman he couldn’t live without.
Gerry made strong connections with many of The Golden Bachelor women, but he ultimately got the dating pool down to his top three: Leslie Fhima, Theresa Nist, and Faith Martin. He went on hometown dates with the three women and told Leslie and Faith that he loved them. However, he sent Faith home and took Theresa and Leslie to the fantasy suite dates in Costa Rica. Gerry made Leslie think that she would win his heart after telling her she was the one. But Gerry blindsided Leslie after he had a very connecting date with Theresa, and ultimately proposed to her.
How Was Gerry Perceived In The Golden Bachelor?
Gerry Turned On The Charm
Gerry came off as a genuine soul immediately on The Golden Bachelor. His reactions to all the women’s limo introductions were very telling of his open personality and ability to find positive qualities in everybody. He did a good job at being very present on all of his dates and separating his feelings for each woman he made a connection with. When Gerry did send his romantic connections home he did so with grace, vulnerability, and respect. He walked several of the women out of the mansion and explained his elimination choices well.
Gerry was a very relatable figure during his time on The Golden Bachelor , and that’s why he became so popular with the show’s audience.
Gerry even opened up about wanting to have a sex life as a senior, which only made him more resonant. While Gerry did have many instances that showed his good nature, he did make decisions at the end of his journey and afterward that marred his reputation.
Gerry Is Not The Man Fans Thought He Was
Gerry Lied
Gerry’s first controversial move was when he made Leslie think she was the one only to let her down by telling her he was choosing Theresa. Leslie got her heart broken, and while Gerry was sympathetic to it he could have handled the situation better and not led Leslie on. Gerry and Theresa got engaged at the end of The Golden Bachelor, and they had their Golden Wedding shortly after on January 4, 2024. In a wild turn of events, however, Gerry and Theresa announced their divorce (via Good Morning America) just four months later.
The pair cited their inability to blend their lives together and said they had been living separately. They presented a united front and said they were parting ways amicably. Gerry and Theresa’s divorce news made Gerry look really bad and like he was being inauthentic the whole time on The Golden Bachelor because he didn’t seem to try very hard to make it work with Theresa. There were also rumors that Gerry was not happy with Theresa wanting a prenup, which speaks to his potential for wanting something to gain by marrying Theresa.
It also came out via an ex-girlfriend of Gerry’s that Gerry started dating again very shortly after his wife passed away. On the show, Gerry said that he was just getting ready to date again. Gerry’s ex also exposed his alleged poor treatment of her, saying that he criticized her weight and kicked her out of his house with no warning. Gerry’s image was tarnished by the allegations and he has not publically refuted that he lied about his dating history.
Gerry could have been putting on a charming front for The Golden Bachelor viewers, when in actuality he was being disingenuous. Gerry has also been spotted at dating events, which means he is moving on quickly and may not have been completely invested in his relationship with Theresa to begin with. In any case, Gerry perception by The Golden Bachelor community is not the greatest right now, but that could be good for a return to TV screens.
Gerry Is Still A Huge Reality TV Figure
Gerry Is Relishing His Celebrity Status
Gerry’s name is larger than life now in the reality TV world, and he has been relishing the fame. He has made appearances on podcasts and talk shows and has even rubbed shoulders with the Kardashian clan. Gerry is enjoying his reality TV fame, and he may not want to relinquish it. Given his now-controversial status since his alleged lies were exposed and his marriage to Theresa didn’t last, Gerry is still relevant.Bachelor Nation and reality TV fans are still curious to know about Gerry’s life, and there is room for him to make a public comeback.
What Kind Of Bachelor Spinoff Could Gerry Attain?
There Are Several Options
Since appearing on The Golden Bachelor, Gerry has been on Celebrity Family Feud with Theresa when they were together and a host of other alums from his season. It was just announced that Gerry and Theresa will be contestants on Celebrity Family Feud once again, despite their divorced status. Gerry’s willingness to go on TV again signals his continued interest in being in the spotlight. He has room to repair his image in several ways.
Gerry could take over as host of The Golden Bachelorette or future seasons of The Golden Bachelor and replace Jesse Palmer.
That would make him one of the main faces of the franchise. If that’s not a route that gets taken, now that Gerry is single, he could appear in Joan Vassos’ pilot season of The Golden Bachelorette as a contestant. Moreover, Gerry could have his own spinoff about finding love again or become The Golden Bachelor for a second time.
