What Really Ended 'Golden Bachelor' Gerry Turner's Marriage To Theresa Nist? The Latter Speaks Up

Theresa Nist is breaking her silence- and this time, she is not holding back. The Golden Bachelor star has stepped forward to set the record straight, after her ex-husband and former ‘Golden Bachelor’ Gerry Turner released his tell-all memoir, Golden Years: What I’ve Learned from Love, Loss, and Reality TV. 

On November 4, 2025, nearly two years after their highly publicized wedding, Turner, 74, finally broke his silence about his brief marriage to Theresa Nist in his new memoir. The inaugural star of The Golden Bachelor described his wedding as emotionally disappointing and incompatible, detailing moments that led to their split. However, it seems that Theresa isn’t having it. With the memoir hitting tabloids at warp speed, the 72-year-old has now stepped up to share her side of the story.

Theresa Nist responds to Gerry Turner’s claims and shares her side of what really went wrong

Gerry’s Golden Bachelor wife, Theresa Nist, recently spoke up about her short-lived marriage, the emotional turmoil that followed, and her reaction to her ex-husband’s headline-making claims. The couple, who met during the first season of The Golden Bachelor in 2023, seemed like a real-life fairytale come true. Their televised wedding in January 2024 drew millions of viewers, only for it to fall apart just three months later, ending in a highly publicized divorce.

Shortly after Golden Years hit the market, appearing on the Dear Shandy podcast, the 72-year-old reacted to Gerry’s explosive claims in the memoir. Expressing how ‘upset’ she has been to see the reality TV star talk about their marriage, Nist said:

“I have been so upset. I have been extremely upset. Anytime I talk about anything that I read that he said about any interaction we had, I just go, 'That's not how it was.'”

The ‘distance’ started on the show itself

The 72-year-old revealed that she had started noticing cracks in their relationship at the very time The Golden Bachelor was being filmed, as early as their ‘fantasy suite’ date. Theresa recalled noticing a mood shift the moment she began discussing her job, as she felt Gerry’s demeanor change. She shared:

“He started proclaiming his love for me. [He said], ‘I love you. I love you. I love you. And I’m going to ask you to marry me, and whether or not you say yes, that’s up to you.’ I was shocked.”

Nist also claimed she felt Turner bonded better with co-contestant Leslie Fhima, who became a runner-up of the show. Further in the podcast, she addressed Gerry’s accusation that she read How to Win the Bachelor to “strategize” her time on the show, dismissing it as completely untrue. 

Theresa recalls Gerry’s ‘shocking’ temper over her sleep schedule

Speaking about the minor disagreements that surfaced after their wedding, Theresa Nist recalled Gerry Turner’s surprising temper over simple issues like sleep schedules. Unlike Gerry, who preferred early nights, Theresa often stayed up until midnight. The 72-year-old shared an incident when, after attempting to go to bed at 7:30 p.m., she couldn’t fall asleep, and Gerry suddenly woke up in a bad temper, upset that she had stayed up longer. She recalled:

“I was up for like an hour, and I was just about to go to sleep, and all of a sudden he comes storming out of the bedroom calling me a liar.”

What really broke them up?

In his memoir, Gerry mentioned telling second runner-up Faith Martin that he felt 'trapped' ahead of his televised wedding to Theresa. When the latter asked why he decided to go through with the marriage, Turner explained he “felt like [he] was doing the right thing.” However, Theresa claims they never discussed his feelings, adding that she would have been 'relieved' had he opened up. Upon introspection, Nist admitted they rushed into marriage without properly getting to know each other. She shared:

“I always said I like to live my life without regrets, but boy, I made some mistakes here. I regret getting married so quickly. That shouldn’t have happened.”

The Golden Bachelor alum also addressed the financial dynamics of the marriage, confirming that the former restaurateur had “more money,” and the topic of a prenup came early in their relationship. While Theresa assured him she would “never take his money”, he kept bringing it up, creating unnecessary tension over confusing legal paperwork.

What Theresa said about Gerry’s cancer diagnosis being the reason for their divorce

In December 2024, months after their split, Gerry revealed he had been diagnosed with Waldenström’s macroglobulinemia — a rare form of bone marrow cancer. He later told PEOPLE that his diagnosis made him ‘rethink’ his marriage and prioritize time with family. But according to Theresa, his illness had nothing to do with their breakup. She told Us Weekly:

“His illness was not the reason whatsoever. I cared deeply. That’s not who I am — I would have been by his side.”

What’s next for Gerry and Theresa?

The fairy-tale promise of The Golden Bachelor may not have lasted, but both Gerry and Theresa seem to be finding peace in their own ways. While Theresa focuses on peace and reflection, Gerry has already found his next chapter. The 74-year-old is now engaged to retired teacher Lana Sutton, whom he met on Facebook months after his divorce. He announced the engagement in October 2025.

With her side of the story now revealed, Theresa can’t help but feel the pain of misrepresentation. In her own words, “That’s the tragedy of it all. People never got to see the real me.”

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