The Golden Bachelor star, Gerry Turner, chose and married Theresa Nist in the TV show finale. Later, unfortunately, he faced public scrutiny after the couple announced their split just three months into the wedding. However, Joan Vassos, who competed alongside Nist, has shared her support for the former couple.
The Golden Bachelorette star has consistently been vocal about her thoughts and opinions and has also shared that despite their short-lived marriage, she believes that their love and connection on the show was genuine.
Joan Vassos Voiced Her Support For The Former Golden Bachelor Couple
Joan Vassos, who initially joined the 22 contestants on The Golden Bachelor, is currently leading her dating reality TV show in its spin-off, The Golden Bachelorette. But she had to leave the race to Gerry Turner’s heart mid-way due to a family emergency.
Gerry Turner ended up choosing Theresa Nist and the couple got married in a televised ceremony in January 2024. The marriage, however, did not last long, as they separated just three months later.
While their decision was met with significant criticism, The Golden Bachelorette star, Joan Vassos has shared her support for the former couple and their decision to call it off, when things did not work out. She said in an interview, as per Parade,
Honestly, I was there and watched them fall in love, so the love was genuine, it was real… They got married and when they discovered it wasn’t going to work for them. I have to applaud them for saying I’m not going to stick around in that.
She further appreciated the former couple for knowing “what was right for them” and decided to take the step, despite the pressure of being in the public eye since the very beginning of their relationship.
Both Turner and Nist have reflected on the several factors that led them to decide to split, including disagreement on their living arrangements. There are also speculations surrounding their respective lifestyles.
Why Did Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist Split Up?
Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist’s separation led to numerous speculations, with many even attributing the split to recent revelations about Turner’s dating history. Nist later denied the claim, stating that they had already discussed the whole issue.
However, it was the long distance that led them to make the decision to split up. Nist has shared that although they looked at houses in South Carolina and New Jersey, they never reached “the point where we made that decision,” leading to tensions regarding their living arrangements.
While Gerry remained at his lakeside home in Indiana, Theresa continued to live in New Jersey. Both were committed to prioritizing their respective families, making it difficult for either to uproot their established lives. Additionally, their differing lifestyles are also believed to have a role in the breakup.
During an episode of the Dear Shandy podcast, Nist revealed that her job created friction in their relationship. “I still work, so that’s the hurdle,” she said. Meanwhile, Turner, who has been retired for years, expressed a desire for more “fun and adventure” with his partner, seeking a more spontaneous lifestyle.
So that is the crux of it, right now, is when does that start? I think the living arrangement is really secondary to the freedom of being able to go and enjoy life and do — That hurdle is still there, and right now, we’re dealing with it.
Turner mentioned that they tried to work through these issues, but presumably, the differences proved too challenging to overcome. The couple announced their separation after a number of “heart-to-heart conversations,” concluding that dissolving their marriage was the best decision for both.
Since the split, Nist has been spending quality time with her family and friends, while Turner has made appearances on The Kardashians and joined The Golden Bachelorette, where he reunited with former contestant Joan Vasos.
The Golden Bachelor is available to watch on Hulu.
All the released episodes of The Golden Bachelorette are available to watch on Hulu.
