The Golden Bachelor star Leslie Fhima may have come in as the runner-up during Gerry Turner’s season, but it appears she’s saltier about not becoming The Golden Bachelorette than she is about losing out on Gerry’s heart. Leslie joined in on The Golden Bachelor season 1 with a group of other women who were serious about finding love in their golden years. Whether single by choice or widowed, the ladies were excited at the opportunity to get to know Gerry and see if they could build a genuine connection. Leslie, who gave a great first impression, was an early standout.
Leslie caught Gerry’s eye early on in the Golden Bachelor process, and the pair had a quick connection. Both fit and outdoorsy, Leslie had a free spirit that resonated with Gerry. They were excited to challenge each other with new adventures throughout their journey. After eliminating the entire Golden Bachelor cast aside from Leslie and Theresa Nist, it felt obvious to some that Gerry’s choice at the end of the season would be Leslie. His connection with Theresa was strong, but his relationship with Leslie felt stronger. Bachelor Nation was shocked when Gerry chose Theresa over Leslie in the end.
Leslie Got Her Heart Broken By Gerry
She Wasn’t Expecting To Be Snubbed
Throughout Leslie’s time on The Golden Bachelor, it was clear that her relationship with Gerry was something she wanted to prioritize. Though she wasn’t certain things would work out in the end, she wanted to put her all into Gerry and see if she would get a positive return. During the season, it felt like Leslie had a lot of clarity surrounding what she wanted moving forward, which appeared to be a future with Gerry. Though he was dating other women, Gerry was open about the fact that his feelings for Leslie were strong, indicating he saw a future, too.
Late in the game, Gerry seemed to be leaning more towards Leslie being his final choice than Theresa. He opened up to her during their fantasy suite date, explaining that she was the one he wanted and revealing he was in love with her. Though he said similar things to Theresa, Leslie wasn’t aware of that at the time and felt secure in her connection with Gerry being the one he picked to transition into the real world. Despite knowing there was a chance she’d be heartbroken, Leslie was confident. Unfortunately, Leslie was completely shattered when Gerry broke her heart.
Leslie Has Gone Out Of Her Way To Say She’s Over Him
She’s Been Open, But Some Feel It’s For Show
After The Golden Bachelor came to an end, Leslie spoke adamantly in the press and on her personal social media accounts about the experience, reassuring her followers and the general public that she was okay. Though she was candid about her experience and opened up about being blindsided by Gerry breaking things off with her in the eleventh hour, Leslie was also open about the fact that she was over the relationship. During The Golden Bachelor’s live finale, Leslie accepted Gerry’s apologies about ending things with her the way he did, but reassured everyone she was doing better than ever.
While some were hesitant to believe that Leslie could get over Gerry so quickly, she reiterated that she was fine, doubling down on the sentiment. Throughout the time since The Golden Bachelor’s end, Leslie has been upfront about working through her emotions surrounding the events that unfolded on the show, but has been open about being okay. While Leslie may not be telling the whole truth, she’s built her public persona around being happier without Gerry in her life. Relishing in her family and friends, as well as the newfound community she’s built, Leslie has been outspoken about being happy.
Leslie Wanted To Continue Her Celebrity As The Golden Bachelorette
She Wanted To Use The Platform To Promote Herself
While Leslie has been upfront about being over Gerry, she may not have been looking for her time on TV to come to an end. Throughout the weeks and months after The Golden Bachelor finale, many were curious if Leslie would be named the first Golden Bachelorette. While the newfound reality TV had shared the was open to the idea, she also wasn’t certain about any of the details surrounding the show, or if she’d even be offered the role. Though Leslie was interested, it wasn’t entirely obvious if the lead would be something she’d be contacted about just yet.
After The Golden Bachelor’s Joan Vassos was named the first Golden Bachelorette, some looked to Leslie for her reaction while others struggled tried to seek out information about the potential of Leslie having been the show’s first choice. While Leslie has kept quiet about the casting process, I believe it’s possible she wanted to become the first Golden Bachelorette in order to continue to grow her following. Though Leslie’s intentions may have been to find love, it seems more likely that she was hopeful she’d be able to keep building her community by appearing as the lead of the show.
Leslie Is Trying To Stay Relevant On Social Media
She’s Been Milking Her Golden Bachelor Fame
During the run of The Golden Bachelor and afterward, Leslie began to grow her social media following. Between posting about her time on the show, her experiences with Gerry, and her life off TV, Leslie was able to build an audience of people who were interested in leading a similar lifestyle. An entrepreneur, Leslie was looking to grow her business, her brand, and her list of opportunities after appearing on reality TV. She did her best to milk her appearance on The Golden Bachelor as best she could, ignoring the fact that her taste of stardom may not be lasting.
I believe that Leslie was hopeful she’d become The Golden Bachelorette to stay relevant and keep herself in the media. While she’s worked hard without the bonus of reality TV fame, Leslie has also struggled to keep herself going at times before she had the exposure of The Golden Bachelor. I think when her relationship didn’t pan out, Leslie was hopeful that she’d get the opportunity to become The Golden Bachelorette in order to keep herself going, and continue growing her audience. While she may not be the new lead, The Golden Bachelor star is still working to stay relevant.
