The Golden Bachelor unveils 71-year-old grandfather as first contestant ‘given a second chance at love’

Septuagenarian Gerry Turner from Indiana will compete on first season of ABC dating show spinoff

Gerry Turner (ABC)

ABC’s new dating show for senior citizens, The Golden Bachelor, has unveiled its first contestant in search of “a partner with whom to share the sunset years of life”.

Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old grandfather from Indiana, will be the first “hopeless romantic” who’s given a “second chance at love” on the spinoff series of the network’s hit Bachelor dating franchise. The franchise, which comprises The Bachelor, The Bachelorette and Bachelor in Paradise, typically centres on 20-to-30-year-old singles.

Debuting on 1 September, The Golden Bachelor “showcases a whole new kind of love story – one for the golden years”, an official synopsis states.

“The women arriving at the mansion have a lifetime of experience, living through love, loss and laughter, hoping for a spark that ignites a future full of endless possibilities,” it adds. “In the end, will our Golden man turn the page to start a new chapter with the woman of his dreams?”

The network describes Turner as a “charming 71-year-old patriarch” who will show that love stories “only get better with age”.

Turner is a doting father, grandfather and retired restaurateur who resides in a lakehouse in Indiana. His favourite activities include hosting barbeques, playing pickleball, four-wheeling, watching his favourite Chicago sports teams, and spending time with friends and family at local eateries and restaurants.

In 1974, Turner married his high school sweetheart, Toni. During their 43 years of marriage, they had two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and later welcomed two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton.

Gerry Turner with his two daughters and two granddaughters (ABC)

However, Toni suddenly fell ill and died in 2017. Now, six years after her death, Turner, with the support of his family, is ready for his second chance at love.

The Golden Bachelor airs this fall on Thursdays at 8pm EST on ABC.

It has not yet been announced who will host the show, but it’s scheduled to premiere this fall, following the conclusion of the 20th season of The Bachelorette, which is currently hosted by former Bachelor season five star Jesse Palmer.

Palmer took over from longtime host Chris Harrison, who exited the franchise in 2021 amid a racism controversy.