Meet the New Daddy Starring on 'The Golden Bachelor'

‘The Golden Bachelor’ is here!

71-year-old Gerry Turner has been cast as the first-ever leading man on The Golden Bachelor. After years of criticism that the Bachelor franchise predominantly fails to feature contestants who aren’t white, skinny, young, cisgender, and straight, a new spinoff titled The Golden Bachelor has excited the fanbase due to focusing on older people who are still looking for love.

Turner’s official bio on the show reads:

“A retired restaurateur and doting father and grandfather, Gerry Turner lives in his dream house on a beautiful lake in Indiana. He’s 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.

Always a romantic, Turner married his high school sweetheart, Toni, in 1974. Together, they lived a full and happy life with their two daughters, Angie and Jenny, and later two granddaughters, Charlee and Payton. Sadly, after their 43 years together, Toni suddenly fell ill and passed away in 2017.

Six years after Toni’s passing and with the support of his family, Turner is ready to put himself out there and find a love that will stand the test of time in his golden years.”

During an interview with Good Morning America, Turner said that he believes that his ex-wife is rooting for him to be happy and find love following her passing. When it comes to what he’s looking for in a woman, Turner talked about wanting a “high-energy” partner who hopefully enjoys playing golf and pickleball.

Scroll through to see pictures of Gerry Turner – and make sure to watch him when The Golden Bachelor premieres this fall on ABC.