As Gerry Turner Goes Public With New Girlfriend, Another Golden Bachelor Veteran Weighed In On Who Theresa Nist Could Date On Bachelor In Paradise

Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner on The Golden Bachelor.
(Image credit: ABC)

It’s been just barely over a year since Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist announced their divorce, dashing the dreams we had for The Golden Bachelor’s premiere couple, and what a difference a year can make. After revealing that he was dating again, Turner has gone public with details of his relationship with Lana Sutton. Meanwhile, as Bachelor in Paradise prepares for a Golden twist when it airs on the 2025 TV schedule, another cast member has weighed in on who Turner’s ex-wife might match with.

Gerry Turner’s New Girlfriend Has Been Identified

The first (and so far only) Golden Bachelor seemed just smitten when he discussed the woman who became the love of his life following his divorce from Theresa Nist. Now we know exactly who is responsible for changing Gerry Turner’s views on love at first sight. Lana Sutton, a retired teacher in her mid-50s who is also the part-owner of a production company, made the first move, TMZ reports, reaching out to Turner via Facebook.

Despite apparently sharing several mutual friends and accepting her friend request, Gerry Turner said he ignored the first DM he got from Sutton. However, then she sent another message saying she’d grown up in Indiana about 20 minutes from him, and that sparked the couple’s first conversation.

Gerry Turner and Lana Sutton had their first date in March when he took her out to eat (what, no pickleball?), and he said they’ve been pretty much inseparable ever since. Turner has met Sutton’s parents, while she has met his kids and pickleball pals (ah, there’s the pickleball!). The newest Bachelor Nation love interest has three children and one grandson, who was born in September 2024, per Swoon.

Could Theresa Nist Show Up On Bachelor In Paradise?

Gerry Turner seems to be thriving in his love life, so what about his ex-wife? There’s been no update in the romance department for the New Jersey resident, so is there a possibility she’ll show up on Bachelor in Paradise? While Turner took a hard pass on the beachy spinoff, Nist hasn’t said one way or another whether we’ll see her, so I’m keeping my hopes up.

Only one woman from The Golden Bachelor has been confirmed for Bachelor in Paradise Season 10 so far, and that’s runner-up Leslie Fhima. She can’t spill the tea on who else has been cast, but she did have an idea for who her good friend Theresa Nist might connect with — Keith Gordon from Joan Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette. Fhima said on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast:

Keith seems really funny, and I haven’t met him, but he seems really funny. And Theresa is funny. She has a good sense of humor. You know, I could maybe see them having fun together.

Humor is definitely important, and I think Leslie Fhima might actually be on to something, because I can see Theresa Nist and Keith Gordon together. However, he — like Gerry — is from Indiana, so maybe we should get his opinion on cornfields up-front, just in case!

Bachelor in Paradise is supposedly coming this summer, though no premiere date has been announced by ABC. Stay tuned for that and a casting update to see if Theresa Nist and/or Keith Gordon will appear.

Heidi Venable
Content Producer

Heidi Venable is a Content Producer for CinemaBlend, a mom of two and a hard-core '90s kid. She started freelancing for CinemaBlend in 2020 and officially came on board in 2021. Her job entails writing news stories and TV reactions from some of her favorite prime-time shows like Grey's Anatomy and The Bachelor. She graduated from Louisiana Tech University with a degree in Journalism and worked in the newspaper industry for almost two decades in multiple roles including Sports Editor, Page Designer and Online Editor. Unprovoked, will quote Friends in any situation. Thrives on New Orleans Saints football, The West Wing and taco trucks.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.