The 20-year legacy is gearing up for a new spin-off: The Golden Bachelor. Take all of your favorite romance, drama, and extravagance, and watch it unfold for a love story that spans the golden years. This version of the show gives a second chance at finding love for those with a little more life experience.
Who is He?
It was announced on Good Morning America that the first Golden Bachelor is Gerry Turner. At 71 years old, the septuagenarian is ready to jump back into the dating world in a very public way. The retired restauranteur lives in Indiana, is a fan of Chicago sports teams, and cherishes meaningful time spent with his family and friends.
Gerry was encouraged to apply by his two daughters after the death of their mother in 2017. With her picture still in his room, Gerry has battled with whether his late wife would be okay with him dating again. Ultimately, their promise to each other was that when one passes on before the other, they keep seeking happiness. Gerry knows she’s cheering for his next happy ending. In addition to his two daughters, Gerry has two grandaughters that are just as excited for their grandfather to be finding love again.
Described as a hopeless romantic, Gerry says he isn’t worried about being the first Golden Bachelor. He leads a very full life and says that while he’s open to the idea of marriage, he doesn’t have anything to lose with this adventure. Gerry believes that “it’s never too late to fall in love again,” and after receiving the blessing from his family, decided to apply. Their excitement was confirmed when Gerry was told about his selection on a video call with his daughters and granddaughters.
What should we expect?
ABC has yet to announce the lucky women that will be competing for the final rose. Gerry has stated that he’s looking for someone energetic that can keep up with his more athletic hobbies, like pickleball and golf. The Bachelor has always kept suitors and contestants in a similar age range, so we can likely expect the women to be of a similar age.
This increase in the age group may very well change the interactions, too. While it’s possible that these women have experienced divorce, the death of a spouse, or never having found love to begin with, it is certain that we’ll get a group of classy ladies that have lived full lives. The experience and wisdom they bring to the cast may remove some of the drama we’ve seen with a younger group, but that doesn’t mean it’ll be an easy journey for the ladies.
The Bachelor alumn Jesse Palmer hosts this new iteration of finding love. It’s safe to assume this spin-off will follow the same format that the other franchise shows do, including general mingling at cocktail hours, group dates, and individual dates, after which roses are handed out. For some tongue-in-cheek fun, promotional material released so far shows Gerry holding a golden rose instead of the classic red rose – will this season perpetuate the “golden years” theme with more glittering accents? Tune in this fall to see if Gerry finds his next love.
Previous episodes of The Bachelor are streaming now on Hulu.
