The Golden Bachelor’s Shocking Second Engagement: Is Gerry Turner Still Married To Theresa Nist?

The question that has captivated Bachelor Nation fans since the credits rolled on The Golden Wedding finally has a definitive and shocking answer. As of December 2025, the inaugural Golden Bachelor, Gerry Turner, is definitively *not* still married to his final rose recipient, Theresa Nist. The fairy-tale romance that culminated in a live, televised wedding in January 2024 ended abruptly, with the couple announcing their divorce just three months later.

The news of the split was a major blow to viewers who had invested emotionally in the senior love story. However, the most recent and exclusive update—the one nobody saw coming—is that the 74-year-old retired restaurateur has already moved on. Gerry Turner is now engaged to a new woman, Lana Sutton, a surprise development that has completely rewritten the narrative of his post-show life, proving that love truly can be found again, even after a very public heartbreak.

The Golden Bachelor's Complete Relationship Timeline and Biographical Profiles

To understand the current relationship status of the first Golden Bachelor, it is essential to look at the full picture of the key players involved, from the televised romance with Theresa Nist to the new engagement with Lana Sutton.

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Gerry Turner: The Original Golden Bachelor

• Full Name: Gerry Turner
• Age: 74 (as of late 2025)
• Hometown: Hudson, Indiana
• Occupation: Retired Restaurateur
• Spouse (First Marriage): Toni Turner (deceased)
• Wife (Second Marriage): Theresa Nist (married January 2024, divorced April 2024)
• Current Status: Engaged to Lana Sutton (announced October 2025)
• Key Entity: The first-ever star of The Golden Bachelor on ABC.

Theresa Nist: The First Golden Winner

• Full Name: Theresa Nist
• Age: 72
• Hometown: Shrewsbury, New Jersey
• Occupation: Financial Services Professional
• Spouse (First Marriage): Billy Nist (deceased)
• Relationship Status: Divorced from Gerry Turner (April 2024)
• Key Entity: Won Gerry's final rose and married him in The Golden Wedding.

Lana Sutton: The New Fiancée

• Full Name: Lana Sutton
• Age: Mid-50s
• Hometown: Unknown (Private)
• Occupation: Retired Teacher
• Relationship Status: Engaged to Gerry Turner (announced October 2025)
• Key Entity: Met Gerry on social media (Facebook) after his divorce.

The Short-Lived Golden Marriage: Why Gerry and Theresa Divorced

The marriage between Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist lasted only 90 days, a shocking twist for a show built on finding lasting love in the senior demographic. The couple announced their split in a joint interview on Good Morning America in April 2024.

The primary reason cited for the divorce was a fundamental disagreement over where to live. Gerry was committed to staying near his family in Hudson, Indiana, while Theresa was rooted in her life and career as a financial services professional in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.

Despite their deep feelings, neither was willing to leave their respective families and established lives, making a shared future impossible. They officially filed for divorce shortly after the announcement.

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The Shocking Health Revelation That Hastened the Split

In a later, more candid revelation, Gerry Turner disclosed a major health crisis that he believes contributed significantly to the marriage’s demise. Shortly after The Golden Wedding, Gerry was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone marrow cancer.

The diagnosis, which he kept private for a time, put an immense strain on the new marriage. Gerry revealed in his memoir that the fear and uncertainty surrounding his health made it difficult to focus on building a future with Theresa. This shocking news provided a deeper, more emotional context for the abrupt split, suggesting the issues were far more serious than just a disagreement over geography.

Gerry Turner’s New Chapter: Engagement to Lana Sutton

The biggest update in Gerry Turner's life, and the definitive answer to the current status of the Golden Bachelor, is his new engagement. In October 2025, just 15 months after finalizing his divorce from Theresa Nist, Gerry announced his engagement to Lana Sutton.

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This news confirmed that the retired restaurateur is officially "off the market" once again. The announcement, which came via a social media post, stunned Bachelor Nation, as Lana Sutton was not a contestant on the show.

How Gerry Met His New Fiancée

Unlike the highly-produced environment of the ABC reality show, Gerry’s new relationship began in a surprisingly modern and low-key way: social media. Lana Sutton, a retired teacher in her mid-50s, reached out to Gerry on Facebook.

Gerry, who receives countless messages from fans, was taken by Lana’s sincerity and they began a relationship away from the cameras. The speed of the engagement—just over a year after his very public divorce—indicates that Gerry is committed to finding a lasting partner and is not letting the past heartbreak slow him down.

The Golden Bachelor’s Legacy and Future

The journey of Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist, while short-lived, still holds a significant place in the history of the franchise. It proved there was an appetite for love stories focused on older adults, paving the way for the upcoming season of The Golden Bachelorette and expanding the Bachelor Nation universe.

Despite the divorce, both Gerry and Theresa have maintained a public stance of mutual respect and friendship, often reuniting for television appearances. Theresa has been supportive of Gerry's decision to move on, even as she continues to focus on her life in New Jersey.

The ultimate takeaway for fans is that while the first Golden Bachelor marriage did not last, Gerry Turner’s quest for love did not end. He is now building a new future with his fiancée, Lana Sutton, proving that true, lasting connection can be found in the most unexpected places—sometimes even on Facebook, rather than on a reality TV set. The question of "is the golden bachelor still married" is a firm no, but the new, more exciting question is: when will this golden wedding take place?