On Nov. 6, Gerry Turner, the 72-year-old bachelor from the first season of ABC’s The Golden Bachelor will release his memoir, Golden Years: What I’ve Learned From Love, Loss, and Reality TV.
Turner found himself on the show after his wife of nearly 45 years died suddenly and unexpectedly in 2017, and his two adult daughters suggested he apply to the show in 2020. The pandemic paused casting and other efforts to launch the series, but filming finally began in 2023.
Fans of the show may remember that Turner, a retired restaurateur, gave his golden rose to Theresa Nist, a 70-year-old financial services professional from New Jersey. The two married shortly after the finale aired in November 2023. Then, in another twist, they divorced after just three months of marriage in early 2024.
Say what you will about Turner’s aw-shucks, Midwestern ways (or the fact that his past may not be exactly as he claims), but the season was a hit for ABC, and the most watched of the Bachelor franchise since 2021. Time and again, audiences responded strongly to the depiction of seniors (especially older women) dating and finding love.
Turner’s memoir is mostly a retelling of his experience leading up to, during, and then shortly after taping of the show. The book reveals new details and slightly different versions of what viewers saw on TV, but ultimately, the sections sure to be most talked about relate to what took place afterwards, in which he badmouths his short-lived flame while lavishing praise on the show’s runner-up.
Here are ten of the book’s most illuminating passages:
On The Death Of His Wife
“Suddenly, shockingly, out of nowhere, the love of my life, my partner in all things for the last forty three years, was gone.”
Within a month of selling their Iowa home and retiring to a small, lakeside town in Indiana, Toni Turner’s health deteriorated quickly and she died of a kidney infection a few months shy of her 65th birthday. It’s later revealed that Toni had hidden from Gerry a Type-2 Diabetes diagnosis, which may have led to her death. Whatever the cause, Toni is brought up throughout the book, and her memory is clearly an inspiration and solace for Gerry.
On Fame And Representation
“Hey, man, I wanted to wish you luck,” he said. “You’re representing the men of America in this. It’s awesome to see you on TV, and I hope you find love.”
At an In-N-Out in Los Angeles, a man recognizes Turner and gives him his support. It’s a reprise that runs throughout the memoir.
On The Runner-Up
“The real red flag for me was her romantic history.”
Turner ultimately gave Theresa Nist the golden rose and the two married (if briefly). But the decision came down to Nist and Leslie Fhima. Turner claims that Fhima’s two previous divorces were a major red flag and one of the biggest reasons she didn’t win. Yet, Fhima is still in Turner’s life, while Nist…not so much.
On Meeting The Kardashians
“Kris and one of her daughters met me at the front door — if you can call it that — but I don’t know which one of them she was.”
During publicity for The Golden Bachelor, Turner made an appearance on Hulu’s The Kardashians. While Kendall Jenner says she’s a fan of The Bachelor franchise, Turner can’t return the compliment. He doesn’t know their names, who they are, etc. However, Turner reveals that, off camera, Kris Jenner asked him about getting hearing aids, and the two had a human moment about “the normal wear and tear on a person’s body at our age.”
On Pre-Nups and Cold Feet
“Two days before the wedding, I got a frantic call from my lawyer saying the document was not executable. One of her signatures was missing.”
With the cameras and the excitement gone, Turner admits that the strain of a long-distance relationship (forced to stay under wraps by the show’s producers) made him second-guess his decision to marry Nist. When Turner asked Nist (who works in finance) to sign a pre-nup, she initially balked at the request. When she finally relented, Nist missed some signatures, giving Turner pause.
On Consummating The Marriage
“My first night at her house, she took out sheets and pillows before telling me, ‘Tomorrow’s a big workday. I need a good night’s sleep. Do you mind sleeping on the sofa?’”
About a week after their wedding, Turner claims he drove from his home in Indiana to Nist’s home in New Jersey. Not only was he surprised by how small her house was (he claims she uses her stovetop as a vanity because — amongst other things — the lack of space), but was sensing a gap growing between them. That distance was most notable in their lack of physical intimacy.
On Ending Things
“Sitting about six feet from Theresa on a stone bench, I turned to her and asked, ‘So is it time to just call it quits?’”
Turner’s retelling of where and when he and Nist decided to end their marriage might seem a little too polished for some, leading to more questions than answers. As he writes, the two were spending time apart in their respective homes, then reunited in LA for Joey Graziadei’s “After The Final Rose” episode. Returning to their hotel, the newlyweds found a secluded bench, had a talk, and decided to divorce after only three months together. Was it really that easy and clean?
On Cancer And Post-Divorce
“…to be that insignificant to someone I had married, albeit briefly, was very painful. We no longer talk; we have no reason to.”
Shortly after his divorce from Nist, Turner was diagnosed with a rare form of bone marrow cancer. He informed several friends and even some of the women from The Golden Bachelor, but the response he claims he got from Nist was muted and she only followed up with him a few times before they completely stopped talking.
On Questioning Motives
“There was something about the image of Theresa curled up on one of the couches, planning her strategy to win a rose, that made me feel sick to my stomach.”
In the aftermath of his brief marriage to Nist, Turner learns from multiple other contestants on the show that Nist was reading a book called “The Secret to Finding Love and Fame on America’s Favorite Reality Show.” As he claims, it made him completely question Nist’s motives for being on The Golden Bachelor and why she ever decided to marry him. Ouch.
On The Lingering Leslie Question
“Although I hate to admit it, every time I think about Leslie, I still get emotional.”
Turns out it should have been Leslie Fhima after all? According to Turner, he and Fhima saw each other during a taping of Celebrity FamilyFeud. After the show, the two had a quiet moment together that must have been electric enough for Fhima to say to Turner, “You still got it for me?” The two still regularly talk, though Turner claims they are just good friends. Then again, isn’t that the basis of all great loves?
