Reality TV Star's Divorce Sparks Suicidal Thoughts and Shame

Gerry Turner, a 74-year-old reality TV star, has opened up about the emotional turmoil he faced following his divorce from wife Nist, 72, in April 2024. In an excerpt from his new book, "Golden Years: What I've Learned From Love, Loss, and Reality TV," Turner details the shame and fleeting suicidal thoughts he experienced after their split.

The couple had tied the knot just three months earlier on ABC's "The Golden Bachelor." However, Turner admits that he felt "trapped" ahead of the marriage, a sentiment he shared with runner-up Faith Martin. Despite these doubts, Turner went through with the wedding, but the relationship ultimately proved unsustainable, leading to their divorce.

In the aftermath, Turner found himself avoiding people and struggling with intrusive thoughts. "At a certain point, I did not even want to get out of bed," he wrote. "One night, while I was lying in bed and staring up at the ceiling, it all became too much, and for the briefest of moments, I thought about putting a gun to my head." However, he quickly dismissed the suicidal thoughts, thinking of his daughters, Jenny and Angie.

Now, over a year later, Turner has found happiness again, revealing that he is engaged to Lana Sutton. He recently addressed the criticism that he had moved on too quickly, explaining, "I don't think of myself as being divorced. It was such a short time and it was, you know, in an artificial environment."