Heavy/ABC "The Golden Bachelor" star Gerry Turner.
Ever since the bombshell news that “The Golden Bachelor” Gerry Turner and his three-month wife, Theresa Nist, announced they are divorcing, stars from Bachelor Nation have been weighing in on the sad outcome.
On April 12, 2024, Turner, 72, and Nist, 70, announced their split on “Good Morning America”. The couple attributed their “living situation” as one of the reasons that they have decided to “dissolve” their brief marriage. Turner lives in Indiana, Nist lives in New Jersey and neither were willing to leave their families.
Original “Bachelorette” Trista Sutter admitted on the “Almost Famous” podcast that she thinks the couple should have “taken a beat and lived in the same home for a while.”
In addition, an ABC boss reacted to viewers’ comments about the over-60 version of the franchise.
Here’s what you need to know:
ABC VP Robert Mills Liked a Viewer’s Suggestion About ‘The Golden Bachelor’
Before “The Golden Bachelor” made its debut in September 2023, ABC Entertainment Vice President Robert Mills teased a love story for the ages.
“People love love stories, and I think that this feels like a real universal love story,” he told Variety last fall. “If we’ve done our job right, this should be absolutely a four-quadrant, with something for everyone.”
Fans love the idea of a widower finding a second love after a 42-year marriage. But that all changed when Turner and Nist made their shocking announcement to throw in the towel.
Fans were jaded following the quick end to Turner and Nist’s marriage after just three months. In a post on the X app, one viewer wrote, “I feel like this quick divorce is a great excuse for #BachelorNation production to finally give us something where the contestants and lead are from the same area (or at least the same state)! The material is there!!! #GoldenBachelor.”
The viewer went on to propose a senior version of “Bachelor in Paradise” set in a wealthy retirement community.
“Imagine them bringing cameras into one of those rich… senior communities in Florida and giving us a Paradise like set up,” the viewer wrote, before tagging ABC Entertainment vice president Robert Mills. “Thoughts?” the viewer asked Mills.
“Bachelor in Paradise” is a spinoff of “The Bachelor” that features castoffs from other seasons looking for love. The rose ceremonies switch off between the men and the women each week.
Mills replied to the suggestion with one word: “Genius,” he wrote.
‘The Golden Bachelorette’ Is Already Set
ABCGerry Turner and his ladies on “The Golden Bachelor.”
As Turner deals with his divorce, ABC already has another “Golden” round in the works. In February 2024, ABC announced on Instagram: “The moment you’ve been waiting for: #TheGoldenBachelorette is coming this Fall. 💛”
The lead for the female-led spinoff has not been confirmed by the network yet. With Nist soon to be single, there have been rumors that she could be in the running as next season’s lead.
Before his split from Nist, Turner told E! News he would love to see one of his former bachelorettes find another chance at love. “But there’s no way I could recommend one out of those 22 women that would be better than any of the others,” he said. “They’d all be wonderful candidates for it.”
READ NEXT: Another ‘Vanderpump Rules’ Star is Moving to The Valley
Comments
ABC Boss Makes Interesting Comment About the Future of ‘The Golden Bachelor’