Who Is ‘The Golden Bachelor’? New Senior Bachelor Star Is 71 Years Old

ABC will tug at our heartstrings this year with their latest Bachelor spinoff, The Golden Bachelor.

On July 16, Gerry Turner was announced as the first Golden Bachelor.

"It’s never too late to fall in love again. Don't give up, there's always possibilities," Turner said on Good Morning America.

Turner married his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. Unfortunately, in 2017, after 43 years of wedded bliss, Toni became sick and passed away.

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"She got robbed. Every day that goes by, that's the thought that I have. I have her picture on a dresser in my closet. Every morning I give her a nod, 'So what do you think about this?' For a while it was like, I was having a hard time figuring out if she would be OK. But we always told each other when one of us goes, we want the other to be happy. She's up there rooting [for me]. She's saying, 'Yeah, Gary. Do this,'" Turner said.

Persuaded by his daughters to sign up for the show, Turner has "nothing to lose."

"I'd love it if I found a partner who is high energy," he continued, adding he won't "discount" the idea of getting married again.

Below, here's everything we know about The Golden Bachelor.

Who Is the Golden Bachelor?

According to Entertainment Weekly, Gerry Turner, whose first name is pronounced "GAIR-ee," hails from Indiana, where he lives in a lakeside house.

According to an official ABC bio, Turner is "often busy hosting barbecues, playing pickleball, cheering on his favorite Chicago sports teams, four-wheeling and spending time with friends and family at restaurants and local haunts."

He has two adult daughters: Angie and Jenny.

How Old Is the Golden Bachelor?

Gerry Turner is 71. You can find Turner on Instagram here.

What Does Gerry Turner Do?

Gerry Turner is a retired restaurateur who previously owned and managed restaurants. That said, we sense some culinary dates will be a part of the new season.

What Is the Age Range for The Golden Bachelor?

According to an early casting call for the show, producers were looking for "active and outgoing" single women "in their golden years" and senior citizens "looking for a committed relationship" for the cast of The Golden Bachelor.

According to Parade, Rob Mills, who oversees unscripted entertainment for ABC, previously revealed the dating reality series was on the hunt for ladies 65 or older.

When Does The Golden Bachelor Premiere?

The Golden Bachelor will air Mondays at 10PM ET this fall on ABC following Dancing With the Stars. An exact premiere date has not been announced as of publishing.

The Bachelorette’s 20th season, featuring Charity Lawson searching for her soulmate, is currently airing on ABC.