With the premiere of The Golden Bachelorette hitting the 2024 TV schedule this month, the franchise has officially moved on from Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist. The couple took fans on quite a rollercoaster of a journey on The Golden Bachelor last year, falling in love, getting married on live TV and then announcing their divorce just three months later. As Joan Vassos looks for what Bachelor Nation hopes will be a longer-lasting second love, Theresa admitted that she has talked to Gerry since their split, and she clarified the nature of their relationship.
Just over a year has passed since Gerry Turner won over the hearts of both America and Theresa Nist as the first lead of the wholesome dating show spinoff, and it’s been nearly three months since their divorce was finalized. When they announced their split, hand-in-hand on Good Morning America, they insisted the love they had for each other remained. That seems to still be the case, as Theresa told New York Post that she has talked to her ex, saying:
So Gerry and I have spoken. We don’t speak regularly. I would say I wish him all the best, and I can see that he has so many friends, and I’m so happy for him that he does. I truly hope he finds his person, because he wants that, and he deserves that, and I’m rooting for him. I’m in his corner.
Just as they said on GMA, the 71-year-old grandmother is still hoping that Gerry Turner finds the right woman to live out the rest of his life with, even though that’s not her. It really does seem like distance was the issue that doomed the couple, as neither Gerry nor Theresa Nist were willing to leave their families to move to their new spouse.
Some sources alleged that Gerry Turner had been “caught in a lie” with false promises of moving to New Jersey. However, fellow Golden Bachelor cast member and The Golden Wedding officiant Susan Noles divulged it was actually Theresa Nist who had balked. It was revealed soon after that her daughter was expecting a baby, and I can’t help but wonder if that played a role in not wanting to move to Indiana … well, that and Theresa’s obvious love of the beach.
Theresa Nist may still talk to her ex-husband every once in a while, but there’s another member of The Golden Bachelor cast who she’s in regular contact with: runner-up Leslie Fhima. The two grew close during filming, and while I can imagine there was some awkwardness after Theresa married the man that Leslie was also in love with, the Jersey girl said that’s who she is closest to from the show. Theresa said:
Absolutely, hands down it’s Leslie. We formed a bond initially on the show. We gravitate toward each other. She taught me some exercise routines. We used to take walks together, and we cooked for each other. So, after the show, I tried to reconnect, and we finally did. It’s too bad we don’t live near each other because we would be hanging out every night. But we talk all the time.
Now it’s Joan Vassos’ turn to hopefully form a lasting connection, and I’d love to see some of her men also develop lifelong friendships during their time at Bachelor Mansion. Tune in to see it all play out, with new episodes airing at 8 p.m. ET Wednesdays on ABC and streaming the next day with a Hulu subscription.