71-Year-Old Gerry Turner Is ABC’s First ‘Golden Bachelor’

shot of Gerry Turner, the first contestant in ABC's new series — © 2023 American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Credit: Brian Bowen Smith

Gerry Turner will be looking for someone with whom to share his sunset years on *The Golden Bachelor*

A little over two months following its announcement of The Golden Bachelor — a new, senior-focused spinoff entry in the Bachelor unscripted dating series franchise — ABC has identified who that first “Golden Bachelor” will be when the series debuts this fall:

Gerry [pronounced GAIR-ee] Turner, a man described by the network as a “charming 71-year-old patriarch from Indiana.”

As you can see in the pictures, he certainly does look charming enough; heck, I hope I look close to something like the way Gerry does when I’m his age in about 20 years (or even now, TBH).

shot of Gerry Turner, the first contestant in ABC's new series "The Golden Bachelor." He is a white, 71-year-old man, standing in front of golden backdrop. He is clean-shaven, wearing a slate-colored suit jacket and slacks with a white dress shirt. He is smiling and holding a golden metallic rose by the stem with both hands.

Just as other men have done on previous incarnations of The Bachelor, in the first season of The Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner will be arriving at a mansion and interacting with different women in search of that special connection.

Only here, instead of finding someone with whom to start out together in life for the first time, Turner (and other future “Golden Bachelors”) have already had long-term romances/marriages that ended for various reasons, and are now looking for a second chance at love — a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life.

'The Golden Bachelor': ABC Announces Senior-Focused 'Bachelor' Spinoff For This Fall

'The Golden Bachelor,' coming to ABC this fall, promises a love story for 'the golden years' as the long-running 'Bachelor' dating-show franchise turns its spotlight on older people looking for romance and 'the one.'

Remind

Here’s more from ABC about Mr. Turner:

“A retired restaurateur and doting father and grandfather, Gerry [GAIR-ee] Turner lives in his dream house on a beautiful lake in Indiana. He’s often busy hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling and spending time with friends and family at restaurants and local haunts.

“Always a romantic, Turner married his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. Together, they lived a full and happy life with their two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and later two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton. Sadly, after 43 years together, Toni suddenly fell ill and passed away in 2017.

“Six years after Toni’s passing and with the support of his family, Turner is ready to put himself out there and find a love that will stand the test of time in his golden years.”