Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner ‘ready to find love again’ after wife’s sudden passing Mon 17 July 2023 20:00 Updated Tue 18 July 2023 10:55 Kiesha Dosanjh
Isabella Ramos
Published Apr 06, 2026
Gerry Turner has officially been announced as the first Golden Bachelor by ABC after Reality Steve reported the name over on his ‘Bachelor blog.’ After endless teasing, the man of the hour has been revealed, as we take a closer look at The Golden Bachelor’s children, ex-wife, and what he’s said about going on the show.
ABC has been teasing The Bachelor spin-off show for a while after over 20 years of the main show airing. Of course, The Golden Bachelor isn’t the first spin-off the show has had. The Bachelorette first launched in 2003, with The Bachelor in Paradise following in 2014. Now, 71-year-old Gerry will be making history as the first-ever Golden Bachelor as he hopes to ‘find love again’ six years after his high school sweetheart’s tragic passing.
Entering our golden era 💛 Meet Gerry, #TheGoldenBachelor, coming to ABC this fall, and stream on Hulu. @goldenbachabc
— The Bachelor (@BachelorABC) July 17, 2023
Who is Gerry Turner?
Gerry Turner is a 71-year-old grandad and retired restaurateur from Indiana, who says “It’s never too late to fall in love again.”
The new Bachelor has two daughters, Angie and Jenny, who actually encouraged their father to sign up for the show, as revealed on Good Morning America.
Turner, who describes himself as being 71 years young, also has two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton.
The Golden Bachelor married his high school sweetheart
The future ABC star married his high school sweetheart, Toni in 1974, and they lived happily with their two children until Toni’s tragic passing.
Gerry Turner’s wife suddenly fell ill, and after 43 years together, unfortunately, suddenly died in 2017, just six weeks after her retirement.
“She got robbed. Every day that goes by, that’s the thought that I have,” the future star told GMA.
Six years after her tragic passing, Gerry is ready to put himself out there again and “find a love that will stand the test of time in his golden years.”
The Golden Bachelor said he was having a hard time figuring out if his wife would be ok with him doing the show.
“But we always told each other, when one of us goes, we want the other one to be happy. She’s up there rooting [for me],” he revealed on GMA.
Meet Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old father of two ready to find love again! ❤️#TheGoldenBachelor@goldenbachabc
— Good Morning America (@GMA) July 17, 2023
Fans can’t wait to see Gerry Turner on The Golden Bachelor
The show is unlike one fans have ever seen before, and of course, when the news dropped, they took to Twitter to share their excitement.
“Bring it on! FINALLY! Golden Bachelor is gonna be epic hahah,” wrote one fan.
“Yeah imma be tuned into the golden bachelor, watching girlies in their 20s start drama is fun, imagine how fun it will be watching grown adult women have drama omg?!?!” tweeted one excited fan.
Another said: “I’m actually excited about this. I feel like something new like this is exactly what the Bachelor franchise needed. Can’t wait to see the women they cast!!! I hope there’s going to be a pickleball date.”
