Despite facing backlash, former "Golden Bachelor" Gerry Turner has received support from contestant Susan Noles, who reveals the reason behind his divorce from Theresa Nist.
"The Golden Bachelor" star Gerry Turner, who recently filed for divorce from his televised bride Theresa Nist, is receiving support from one of the show's contestants, Susan Noles.
During an appearance on SiriusXM's "The Jess Cagle Show," Noles revealed that Nist's decision not to move and quit her job in New Jersey contributed to Turner's decision to file for divorce.
"I've gotta support this man a little bit," Noles said. "I feel like he got the wrong end of it. Theresa decided not to move and not to quit her job," she continued. "He got frustrated. Who can blame him? I mean, I would've never said I would move to that place wherever that is in the middle of nowhere."
Noles also defended Turner's character, stating that he is a "nice guy" who made a difficult decision.
"They got caught up in the moment," Noles said, referring to Turner and Nist's whirlwind romance and televised wedding. "We watched them fall in love. They bonded that first night, on that date. It was real."
Another contestant, Kathy Swats, also expressed support for both Turner and Nist.
"Gerry's a nice guy. Theresa's a lovely lady. You know, s--- happens. Sorry. It does, and we like them both," Swats said. "You know someone [for] a month or six weeks, and these things happen."
The couple's divorce announcement, which came three months after their televised wedding, shocked many fans and led to criticism of Turner.
However, Angie Turner, one of Gerry's two daughters from his late wife Toni, defended her father and Nist.
"It’s no surprise the news of my Dad and Theresa choosing to split has sparked a range of emotions and opinions," she wrote on Instagram. "I love how invested people were in the show, what an experience to have you along for the ride!"
"What has been disheartening is the level of rage and cruelty that our family has been met with," she revealed. "My Dad and Theresa are kind, good people that made this decision for them, no one else."
Turner had previously expressed his support for Nist, stating that he still loves her and that they remain dedicated to their families.
"Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations," Turner said on "Good Morning America." "We’ve looked closely at our living situations, and we’ve kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it’s time for us to dissolve our marriage. The things that strike me the most in our conversations (is) how dedicated both of us are to our families. So, we look at these situations, and I think we just feel like it’s best for the happiness of each of us to live apart."
Nist added, "We have received so much love and support from so many people who watched ‘The Golden Bachelor,’ and I don’t think we can tell you how many people told us that it gave them so much hope. We want none of that to change for anybody."
