Gerry Turner took ‘very first STD test’ to become the ‘Golden Bachelor’
Gerry Turner had to take an STD test before becoming the first Golden bachelor – but he didn’t know what to expect from the process.
During a Tuesday, November 21 performance at Justin Long‘Life is short’ podcastGerry, 72, recalled hearing from producers while on vacation in Florida in February.
“I was actually traveling with an old girlfriend — we were just friends — and I got a call from ABC saying I needed to start the process of getting an STD test,” he said.
Gerry, who was married to his late wife Toni for 43 years before her death in 2017, admitted such testing was a foreign concept to him at the time.
What you need to know about Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner’s late wife and daughters
Golden Bachelor star Gerry Turner has the support of his family on his journey to find love on the ABC reality series. Gerry, who was announced as the first-ever Golden Bachelor in July 2023, shared two daughters, Jenny and Angie, with his late wife Toni. Gerry and Toni married in 1972 and enjoyed “43 wonderful years […]
“That may have been my very first STD test. I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn’t know if they would look in the iris of my eye and take a urine sample [or] a blood sample. I had no idea. I didn’t know,” he said.
The sexual health check wasn’t the only test Gerry had to undergo to land the job.
“I had to send my fingerprints to the FBI, there were tons of background tests. There was a psychological evaluation of 360 questions and then another hour of interview. The vetting process is ridiculously thorough,” the retiree revealed.
Despite the in-depth casting process, Golden bachelor host Jesse Palmer doesn’t think there’s any way to know for sure how anyone will react to the circumstances of the show.
“[Gerry’s] the man who knows what he wants, and I think he felt and experienced a lot of things for the first time this season. And I think navigating this part of the journey was something that he or anyone can’t really prepare for when you’re in these moments,” Jesse, 45, told exclusively We weekly on Monday, Nov. 20.
Gerry will have to choose between finalists Leslie Fhima And Theresa Nist – both of whom he told he loves – during the season finale. Palmer said Us That Golden bachelor fans should prepare for an emotional conclusion.
“Throughout the season [the goodbyes are] easily the hardest part. And I think that’s usually true for most of the leads, but I think people are really going to see an emotional farewell in the finale that they just haven’t seen yet. It’s pretty intense,” the television personality teased.
In a trailer for the upcoming final episode, Gerry can be heard telling Jesse that he hasn’t been this emotional since his wife’s death.
“The only advice in these situations is to reassure him that it will all be worth it and that on the other side of it all there is a wonderful woman with whom he can spend the rest of his life,” Jesse said. Us of the moment. “But that was about as intense, as real and as raw as it gets. And it was probably the rawest moment I think I’ve been a part of since I hosted the franchise.”
The Golden bachelor season finale airs on ABC Thursday, November 30 at 8pm ET.