Just a few months after getting married, The Golden Bachelor season 1's Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced their divorce, and there were many reasons why they couldn't make it work. 72-year-old Gerry met 70-year-old Theresa on the first night of the Bachelor spin-off, and they spent the season getting to know each other through a series of dates, group outings, cocktail parties, rose ceremonies, and dramatic interludes. Theresa was one of 22 amazing older women vying for Gerry's heart, so the competition was stiff. Despite butting heads with some of the other women, Theresa ended up walking away with Gerry's love, his final rose, and a Neil Lane diamond engagement ring.
Gerry and Theresa wasted no time planning their televised Golden Bachelor wedding, a lavish star-studded event that aired on ABC in January, just a few short weeks after the septuagenarian couple went public with their relationship. The Golden Bachelor season 1 was a major ratings hit, as was the Golden wedding. Though hopes were sky-high for the couple, the marriage was troubled from the beginning, and ended after only three months of matrimony. Gerry and Theresa announced their split in April, and officially settled their divorce soon after. There has been enormous speculation about what ended the first Golden Bachelor marriage, and the answer, like Gerry and Theresa's relationship, is complicated. Here are eight reasons why Gerry and Theresa couldn't make their marriage work.
8Gerry & Theresa Couldn't Decide Where To Live
They Were Geographically Challenged
Gerry and Theresa fell in love on The Golden Bachelor season 1, but they couldn't figure out how to blend their lives. Gerry lived in his lakeside Indiana dream home that he built with his late wife, Toni Turner. Theresa was in New Jersey, where she had resided with her late husband, William Nist. Both lived near their children and grandchildren, and Theresa had the added complication of her work as a successful financier to consider.
Though Gerry and Theresa tried to see each other regularly, it turned into a long-distance relationship, which became too difficult to maintain.
This problem was foreseeable, as it centered on the romantic prospects of people in their 60s and 70s. Generally speaking, people that age have lived full lives and have put down roots. This will likely be a challenge that The Golden Bachelorette's Joan Vassos will have to face during her upcoming season. It's hard to imagine anyone uprooting their entire world to be with someone they dated for a few weeks on a reality show.
7Gerry & Theresa Barely Knew Each Other
It Was A Ratings Grab
The Golden Bachelor season 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 even harder for them to get to know each other because they had to keep it under wraps. The Golden Bachelor's final rose ceremony aired in December 2023, and the wedding was planned for January 4, just a few short weeks after going public with 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.
Gerry and Theresa got carried away by high hopes and romantic expectations, but the good vibes weren't enough to keep the marriage together. The two were destined to part ways.
6Gerry Wasn't Honest About His Past
He Misled Everyone
Gerry had a full life before joining the cast of The Golden Bachelor season 1. Part of Gerry's backstory, and what helped make him so instantly likable, was that he had been single since the death of his late wife, Toni. Gerry and Toni were married for 43 years and had two children and two grandchildren together. In 2017, after a brief illness, Toni passed away, leaving Gerry a lonely widow. That turned out to be untrue, as it was later revealed that Gerry had been in a long-term relationship with a woman that he had even lived with.
Making matters worse, the relationship ended on bad terms, and the scorned woman had a lot to say about it.
In addition to being less than honest about his relationship status, Gerry was also accused of lying about his job. Though it's true that Gerry is a retired restaurateur, he sold his small diner decades ago, and has worked as a handyman ever since. Despite the red flags, Theresa married Gerry anyway, and it was only a matter of time before his lies caught up with him.
5Gerry & Theresa Weren't Compatible
They're Very Different People
Theresa works in finance and comes off as a type-A personality who knows what she wants and gets things done. The most illuminating part of Theresa's success is the fact that she accomplished everything she was able to achieve without the benefit of a college degree. In contrast, Gerry presents a more laid-back energy.
Even their fashion sense sets them apart. Theresa dresses in a more clean-cut, conservative, and tailored manner, while Gerry's style is relaxed. He's the type to wear a Hawaiian print shirt, while Theresa wouldn't be caught dead in something so loud. Theresa's outgoing charm seemed to be too similar to Gerry's gregarious energy, and they both needed someone who would balance them out better.
Though Gerry and Theresa both seem like wonderful people, it's now abundantly clear that they were never the right people for each other.
4Theresa Wants To Focus On Herself
She Puts Family And Career First
Since announcing her divorce from Gerry, Theresa's been focused on what really matters to her, spending more time with her friends and family, as well as continuing to work on her day trader career. It's great that Theresa puts family first, but it's a big part of the reason why she couldn't make her marriage work. Theresa has two adult children, a son and a daughter, both of whom she is very close to. Between her two children, Theresa was blessed with a total of six grandchildren. Recently, Theresa announced that her daughter was pregnant with Theresa's seventh grandchild.
The announcement came soon after Theresa and Gerry went public about their separation, so the good news came just in the nick of time.
The Golden Bachelor season 1 star has six grandsons, so she's probably crossing her fingers in hope of a granddaughter.
3Theresa Practices Gratitude
While Gerry Is Still Bitter
Although the divorce news was disappointing, Theresa didn't let it make her bitter. After the divorce was revealed, Theresa posted an Instagram note to thank everyone who had checked in on her. The post is a photo of Dr. Seuss quote that reads, "Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened." Though the marriage ended, it was an exciting love story that gave hope to a lot of people. The post garnered 17.8K likes.
The caption reads, in part, "I ask you to please stay open to all the experiences, opportunities, and love that may come your way. Keep smiling, keep laughing… I will"
Gerry and Theresa's love story played out for the world to see during The Golden Bachelor season 1. Hopefully, Theresa will take her own advice and continue to stay open to falling in love again.
For his part, Gerry has been more angry and bitter since the divorce, mostly because he has been unfairly blamed for the split. Though his bitterness is understandable, the differences in how Gerry and Theresa deal with disappointment are great examples of why they're simply not compatible.
2Gerry Was In It For The Fame
He May Not Have Been Looking For Love
Since Gerry appeared on The Golden Bachelor season 1, he has been obsessed with his own fame and notoriety. In May, just a few short weeks before announcing his divorce from Theresa, Gerry took to Instagram to post about his Critics' Choice "Male Star of the Year" nomination. In the posted screenshot of nominees, his name is prominently circled. The award ended up going to Alan Cumming for hosting The Traitors, but just being nominated was a huge accomplishment for Gerry to brag about.
In February 2024, Gerry bragged about his newfound fame once again. A few short weeks after marrying Theresa, Gerry's Instagram account posted a photo of an Emmy consideration magazine ad that featured a photo of Gerry under the words "HISTORY-MAKING." The first season of The Golden Bachelor earned other nominations, including a DGA nomination for best reality program premiere and an AARP Movies For Grownups award for best reality series.
The post has 3.5K likes and Gerry's post reads, "Is this a hint of things to come? We are open to possibilities."
Sadly, the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelor didn't win any Emmy Awards in 2024, but, still, the show was a huge ratings coup for ABC and Gerry.
1Gerry & Theresa Weren't That Into Each Other
The Biggest Reason They Couldn't Make It Work
Gerry and Theresa's explanation for their divorce rings true, but it's only part of the story. Gerry lived in Indiana near his children and grandchildren, while Theresa lived in New Jersey near her family. It's understandable that, after a lifetime of building a life, they'd be hard-pressed to leave it all behind for someone they met on a reality dating show. On the other hand, if Gerry and Theresa were head over heels in love with one another, they would have found a way to make it work.
The hard truth that nobody wants to admit is that Gerry and Theresa just weren't that into each other, no matter how romantic their story was supposed to be.
This isn't to say that The Golden Bachelor couple didn't care deeply about each other, and they share a bond unlike any other. Though they appeared to love each other, it simply wasn't enough.
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Gerry Turner |
73 years old |
Retired restaurateur |
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Theresa Nist |
71 years old |
Financier/Day Trader |
