After years of teasing a senior citizen version of The Bachelor, the franchise has finally made it happen.
The Golden Bachelor has named its leading man as the show gears up for its debut this fall.
Gerry Turner was revealed as the first-ever The Golden Bachelor in a cheeky promo from ABC that had a little fun with his older age.
This was where The Bachelor fans got their first glimpse of Gerry, who doesn’t at all look his age of 71 years old.
Along with several promotional photos of Gerry, Bachelor Nation was introduced to him on Good Morning America.
The Indiana native is a widower, and after years of grieving his wife, Gerry’s ready to find love again in his golden years.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg about him, too, so let’s see what else Bachelor Nation should know about Gerry.
Who is The Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner?
According to his ABC bio, Gerry married his high school sweetheart Toni in 1974. They built a happy life together in Indiana, living on a lake.
Gerry and Toni have two daughters, Angie and Jenny, as well as two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton. The happy family enjoyed spending time together, having BBQs, watching sports, and riding around on four-wheelers.
In 2017, the unthinkable happened when Toni suddenly became sick and died weeks after she retired. Gerry spent the past six years grieving his wife and helping his family figure out how to live without Toni.
Now Gerry’s ready to put his heart on the line again and help kick off the next The Bachelor spin-off. This morning Gerry stopped by Good Morning America to chat about the show and his hopes for his journey.
Gerry Turner opens up about being The Golden Bachelor
Despite the heartache of losing his wife of 43 years, Gerry has kept the motto to never give up. That motto and encouragement from his daughters prompted Gerry to sign up for the show.
“It’s never too late to fall in love again,” he expressed.
Gerry was asked about how he thought his wife would feel about his new adventure to find love. He admitted it took him a while to realize Toni would be okay with him falling in love again.
“We always told each other when one of us goes, we want the other one to be happy,” Gerry shared.
As for what Gerry is looking for in a partner, he wants someone competitive, with a lot of energy, and someone who likes sports. Gerry isn’t the sit around and do nothing type of guy in his golden years.
There’s a face to The Golden Bachelor, and it’s Gerry Turner. The Golden Bachelor will hit ABC airwaves this fall, so be sure to keep checking back for more details.
The Golden Bachelor premieres on ABC in fall 2023.