What Is Gerry Turner’s Net Worth? See How Much Money the ‘Golden Bachelor’ Lead Makes
Fans watched Gerry Turner set out in his quest for love during season 1 of The Golden Bachelor, where he met 22 contestants vying for his heart. In the spinoff's inaugural season on ABC, many became interested in the leading man’s life outside of the show, including his net worth.
What Is Gerry Turner’s Net Worth?
Gerry has an estimated net worth of $1.5 million, according to multiple outlets. Upon starting his journey to find love on TV, the dad of two described himself as a retired restaurateur. Per his LinkedIn profile, he previously owned a hamburger restaurant franchise in Iowa called Mr. Quick. He ended up selling it in 1985, according to multiple reports.
In November 2023, it was revealed by The Hollywood Reporter that the TV personality picked up work installing hot tubs at Gannon Pools in his years after working in the restaurant business.
Where Does Gerry Turner Live?
Currently, Gerry is living in his "dream house" in Indiana. He purchased the 2,000-square-foot estate with his late wife, Toni, in 2017 just before her sudden death.
“Every time I look at that lake, I go, ‘This is her dream. This is what she deserves. Why am I standing here alone?’” he said during one episode of The Golden Bachelor.
He viewed The Golden Bachelor as his second shot at love, but his journey certainly came with its fair share of drama. Gerry had an extremely tearful goodbye with Leslie Fhima during the show's finale. The episode aired just one day after Gerry's ex-girlfriend came forward with explosive claims about their relationship, which began just one month after Toni's death, per The Hollywood Reporter.
"The idea that I'd go out with a recent widower just mortifies me," the unidentified woman, who used the name Carolyn, said. "I just really didn't see it."
Carolyn moved in with Gerry 10 months into their relationship, paying $850 in expenses each month. She also alleged that they split the cost of all of their meals, except on special occasions. Their relationship started to falter in October 2019, and Gerry asked Carolyn to move out of the house by January 1, 2020. Reps for Gerry did not immediately respond to Life & Style's request for comment at the time the report was published.
Gerry found love with Theresa Nist and proposed during the season finale in November 2023. Despite the drama that unfolded, she has remained by Gerry’s side and has chosen to marry him.
Does the Golden Bachelor Get Paid?
On each season of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, the show's leads do get paid. They are estimated to make between $100,000 and $250,000, during their seasons, per a report published by Fox Business in July 2019. It is not clear exactly how much Gerry has earned from his time on the series, but like many leads before him, it is assumed he is making a pretty penny from the show.
Bachelor blogger Reality Steve also reported on his site that Bachelor leads have earned a minimum of $100,000 per season in recent years. Each season typically films over a six to nine week period.
The Golden Bachelor's filming schedule was rather unique, being that it was filmed in about a month. Still, ratings were impressively high for the very first season of the senior-centered dating show.
Are Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist Still Together?
Theresa and Gerry tied the knot in a televised wedding on January 4, 2024. However, the marriage didn’t last long. Four months later, the couple confirmed that they were planning to divorce.
“We’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s probably time for us to dissolve our marriage,” the reality stars announced on Good Morning America on April 12, 2024. Gerry and Theresa added that they couldn’t agree on where to live, as they were still residing in separate states.
“The thing that strikes me the most and in our conversations it’s been how dedicated both of us are to our families,” Gerry continued. “So we look at these situations and I think we just feel like it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart.”
Juju Chang, who interviewed Gerry and Theresa on GMA, confirmed that the couple signed a prenup before their marriage and “highly recommend” that other couples do the same.