Summary

The Golden Bachelorseason 1’s Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist recently settled their divorce, and though the split seems to be amicable, the couple should never have gotten married in the first place. Like many bad life decisions, this one was driven by romantic notions, societal pressure, and reality television. Reality shows about dating aren’t a new thing, having been a mainstay of the genre sinceThe Bachelorseason 1premiered in 2003, but this was the first time that a dating show centered around the love lives of baby boomers.

The Golden Bachelorseason 1was a surprise hit for ABC, instantly capturing the attention of a fickle television audience. Gerry dated 22 amazing older women and gave his final rose to Theresa. The two were married in January, and though hopes were high for the septuagenarian newlyweds,Theresa and Gerry announced their divorce in April. As much as everyone wanted to believe in their love story, Gerry and Theresa shouldn’t have been married.

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Gerry & Theresa’s Marriage Cheapens Their First Marriages

Golden Widowers

Long before Gerry wasThe Golden Bachelor, he was married to the love of his life, Toni Turner, for 43 years. They had two children and two grandchildren together, and after many years of hard work, the couple finally built their dream home on a lakeside in Indiana. Sadly, it wasn’t long after they moved into their dream home that Gerry’s wife got sick andpassed away after a brief illness in 2017.

Like Gerry, Theresa was also a widower before joining thecast ofThe Golden Bachelorseason 1. Theresa met William Nast when they were teens, and she married him when she was only 18 years old and he was 20. He was the love of her life, but after 42 years of marriage and two children,William passed away in 2014.

The golden bachelor Gerry turner leaning on a rail, and theresa nist off to the side with broken hearts in background

After enjoying long, healthy marriages with the loves of their lives, entering into a hasty marriage that failed quickly was a mistake.

Gerry & Theresa Barely Knew Each Other

It Was A Ratings Grab

The Golden Bachelorseason 1 was filmed in the summer of 2023 and didn’t finish airing until December, so Gerry and Theresa had to keep their relationship secret that whole time. This made it harder to get to know each other because they had to keep it under wraps.TheGolden Bachelor’sfinal rose ceremonyaired in December, and the wedding was planned for January 4,just a few short weeks after going publicwith their relationship.

This simply wasn’t enough time for Gerry and Theresa to get to know each other, but ratings for the show were great, and fans were clamoring for a wedding.

The Golden Bachelor TV Poster

Gerry & Theresa Weren’t Committed

They Should Have Tried Harder

It’s disappointing thatGerry and Theresa gave up on marriageafter only three months. Though there’s something to be said for ripping the band-aid off quickly,marriage is a serious institution that shouldn’t be entered into lightlyor walked away from without a fight. By breaking up after only three months,The Golden Bachelorcouple confirmed that they never took the marriage very seriously.

The Golden Bachelor

Cast

The Bachelor returns to TV with The Golden Bachelor, a romantic reality competition series created for ABC. The show will focus on an older generation of hopefuls, with one senior male hoping to court and win the heart of one of several older female contestants.