Portrait of Gerry Turner along with key art for 'The Golden Bachelor'

Thanks, I Hate It

Who Is ‘The Golden Bachelor’ Star? Meet Gerry Turner

Gerry Turner is a 71-year-old retired restaurateur from Indiana whose two daughters encouraged him to sign up for the show.

by Megan Elliott

Published on July 17, 2023

3 min read

Gerry Turner stars in ‘The Golden Bachelor’

The first Golden Bachelor star is a retired 71-year-old restaurateur. Gerry [pronounced GAIR-ee] lives in his dream house on a lake in Indiana. He enjoys hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling, and dining out at local restaurants with family and friends.

Gerry’s life is full, and the only thing that’s missing is a special lady to share it with. This grandfather of two was married for 43 years to his high school sweetheart, Toni. They wed in 1974 and went on to have two daughters, Angie and Jenny. Sadly, Toni suddenly fell and died in 2017, just six weeks after she retired. Now, six years later, Gerry is ready to get back out there, thanks to the support of his family, including his two daughters, who urged him to apply for the show.

Will Gerry meet the new love of his life on The Golden Bachelor? While the full cast hasn’t yet been revealed, he’ll have his pick of women (who are all age 65 or older) once he arrives at the mansion. All “have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss, and laughter” and are “hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities,” according to the network.

Gerry says he’s hoping to meet a ‘high-energy’ woman on the show

Gerry is still wrapping his head around the idea of becoming a reality TV star.

“It’s still sinking in,” Gerry said of his feelings about being the first Golden Bachelor.

It also took him some time to accept that searching for new love didn’t mean he was betraying his late wife.

“For a while, I was having a hard time figuring out if she would be OK [with this],” he explained during an appearance on Good Morning America (via YouTube). But eventually, he realized she wouldn’t want him to stop living his life just because she was no longer there.

'The Golden Bachelor' star Gerry Turner posing with his daughters and granddaughters

‘The Golden Bachelor’ star Gerry Turner with his daughters and granddaughters Jenny Young, Angie Warner, Payton Young, and Charlie Young | ABC/Brian Bowen Smith

“We always told each other, when one of us goes, we want the other one to be happy,” he said, choking up. “She’s up there rooting [for me]. She’s saying, ‘Yeah Gerry, do this.’”

Clearly, no one will replace Toni. But Gerry hopes he will find someone with whom he can enjoy his current phase of life.

“I’d love it if I found a partner who is high energy,” he said. “Someone that maybe plays pickleball. Someone that maybe plays golf.”

If he meets the right woman, he’s not opposed to saying ‘I do’ again.

“I wouldn’t discount [the idea of a wedding],” he said with a smile.

When does ‘The Golden Bachelor’ premiere?

ABC hasn’t announced a premiere date for The Golden Bachelor, but we do know it will debut this fall. Episodes will air on Mondays at 10 p.m. following new episodes of Dancing With the Stars Season 32. They will also be available to watch on demand and on Hulu the day after their premiere on ABC. Jesse Palmer will host the new series.

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