Plus, where he and Theresa plan on living — and his reaction to rumors he was dishonest about his past.
Last night, the first-ever Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner, handed out his final rose to Theresa Nist in an action-packed season finale that we’re still thinking about today. The show has become a popular conversation topic among the Katie Couric Media staff, with Katie herself often leading the dialogue. We’ll admit it: We’ve become a bit obsessed. And we know we’re not alone, which is why we recapped every episode of the season for you, partnered with AARP to come up with our winner predictions, polled you for your picks, and interviewed the contestants about their experiences on the show. The last item on our Golden Bachelor bucket list was, of course, an interview with the happy couple.
The day after the partially live, partially awkward, and very emotional finale, Katie caught up with Gerry and Theresa on Zoom. They talked about where they plan to live after The Golden Wedding and how Theresa felt watching all that drama unfold. Plus, Katie confronted Gerry about The Hollywood Reporter‘s piece that refuted his resume as a restauranteur and revealed he had a slew of relationships (including one that didn’t end well) despite his claims he hadn’t dated since his wife Toni died. Watch the full interview to hear his side of the story and read some of the highlights below.
Gerry and Theresa on how it went down with Leslie
Gerry: I’ve gotta say, I have no regrets. Throughout the whole journey, I would give each woman 100 percent of myself when I was with them. I didn’t want to leave any stone unturned. I wanted to be completely open. And then when I was through with a date with one of the women, I would package that up, set it aside, and then go to the next. With Leslie and Faith, I had strong feelings for them. So when I expressed love for them in those moments, it was legit. And it was completely legit until I realized there was a woman there who was the person I couldn’t live without.
Theresa: I love Leslie. Leslie was one of my best friends in the house, and I completely understand how she feels. But Gerry had to go through the experience. He had to give 1,000 percent to every single woman. This was his journey. And he felt the way he felt in the moment. It was difficult hearing it, but I knew everything that would happen beforehand because Gerry and I had discussed his entire journey. So I was prepared every time I viewed the show. But I wound up in tears. It’s very difficult hearing something like that.
Gerry on The Hollywood Reporter’s claims he wasn’t honest about his restaurateur career
Gerry: The business I owned was very much like the Cadillac Diner that Theresa and I went to on the very first date. I sold burgers and fries and shakes, and it was a very profitable business. And the comments about what I did later in life, I did those after I retired. I retired at 55, and I was very happy giving back to the community and doing things that were worth something to other people. I mean, jeez, I didn’t work as a handyman for the money. I did it because I knew I was doing something good for people who needed help. There’s just enough truth in [the article]. But I have so many positives to think about that I haven’t really given that article a whole lot of thought.
Gerry on the rumors he was dishonest about his dating history after his wife died
Gerry: I guess I would say this: I dated a number of women, but then it becomes an issue of how you define whether you’re in a relationship. [The relationship referenced in The Hollywood Reporter] really didn’t [last a few years]. But I want to focus on what’s going on now.
Where Theresa and Gerry are going to live after The Golden Wedding
Gerry: This was one of the conversations we had in the fantasy suites that was really important, where I saw fate take hold of us: I had talked about living in the Charleston, South Carolina, area for two years with my kids, and Theresa and I are in there having our conversation, and lo and behold, I learned that Theresa has a son, daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren about an hour and a half away from Charleston. And so it was like, oh, my goodness, there’s a good area for compromise. So that’s the first place we’re going to look for a house.
