Summary

• Gerry married Theresa for fame, damaging his reputation among fans who now his ex post-divorce.
• Gerry enjoyed attention post-show, relishing his fame. He was nominated for a Critics' Choice award.
• Despite his attempts to win the breakup, fans see through Gerry's act and are strictly on Team Theresa.

The Golden Bachelor season 1's Gerry Turner may have married Theresa Nist for reality television fame, and it has damaged his reputation. 72-year-old Gerry met 70-year-old Theresa on night one of The Bachelor spin-off when Theresa stepped out of the limo pretending to be naked under her coat. She was, of course, only pretending, as she was wearing a nude-colored dress beneath the coat, but the adorable bit charmed Gerry and captured his attention. It wasn't much of a surprise when Gerry gave Theresa his final rose, and they quickly planned their wedding.

Gerry and Theresa wasted no time, tying the knot during their star-studded Golden Bachelor wedding, which aired on ABC in January. Signs of trouble arose early when it was revealed that Gerry still lived in Indiana, while Theresa continued to reside in New Jersey. Still, fans were shocked when The Golden Bachelor season 1 couple announced their divorce after only three months of marriage. Gerry and Theresa rushed into marriage, and it's possible that Gerry was more interested in reality television fame than marital bliss.

Gerry Liked The Attention They Got Post-Show

He Reveled In The Fame

Giving credit where credit is due, Gerry has proven himself to be exceptionally entertaining, which is why he still holds the media's attention to this day. Though the success of The Golden Bachelor season 1 can be attributed to multiple factors, including an aging television audience that loves stories about themselves, Gerry's charming telegenic qualities played a major role in the show's incredible reception, and Gerry knows it.

In May, just a few weeks before announcing his divorce from Theresa, Gerry posted on Instagram about his Critics' Choice "Male Star of the Year" nomination. He posted a screenshot of the nominees, with his name circled, among familiar names such as RuPaul Charles, Alan Cumming, and Eugene Levy.

The award went to Alan Cumming for hosting The Traitors, but just the fact that Gerry was nominated is impressive.

Gerry & Theresa's Relationship Got Them On Family Feud

An Incredible Opportunity

Celebrity comes with privileges and even extraordinary opportunities, like when Gerry and Theresa were invited to appear on the beloved game show Celebrity Family Feud, along with other The Golden Bachelor cast . The episode was filmed before Gerry and Theresa announced their divorce but aired afterward, which made the whole thing awkward.

There was some speculation that ABC would scrap the episode due to the Golden divorce, but ultimately decided to air it after all.

Everyone Can See Through Gerry's Fake-Nice-Guy Act

The Fans Are Strictly Team Theresa

Though Gerry is a prolific philanthropist, loving father, and doting grandfather, fans turned on him after he announced his divorce from Theresa. When he initially ed the cast of The Golden Bachelor season 1, Gerry was generally beloved, and he enjoyed enormous popularity with Bachelor Nation fans, but the honeymoon didn't last long. Though it's unfair, fans blame Gerry for the divorce and have let Theresa off the hook. Now Gerry is trying to reclaim his good name and probably wishes he had never agreed to appear on The Golden Bachelor.

Though Gerry and Theresa's divorce announcement came as a surprise, there was a major red flag that should have tipped everyone off sooner. In April 2024, just a few weeks before The Golden Bachelor season 1 couple announced their split, TMZ reported that Gerry and Theresa were still living separately. The fact that Theresa didn't want to leave her home in New Jersey, while Gerry wanted to stay in Indiana, was ultimately given as the reason for the divorce. The truth is, if Gerry and Theresa were truly in love, they would have found a way to make it work.

Fans didn't arbitrarily choose to take Theresa's side in the divorce, as their opinion on the matter was in large part influenced by Gerry's behavior. Not only was it revealed that Gerry wasn't honest about his love life before ing the cast of The Golden Bachelor season 1, his behavior after the divorce was also unattractive. Gerry flaunted his fame after the divorce, and even publicly bragged about the fact that he had plenty of romantic options. While Gerry tried to win the breakup, Theresa kept her head down and focused on her family instead.

The Golden Bachelor season 1 is available to stream on Hulu.

Source: Gerry Turner/Instagram, TMZ