*SPOILER ALERT! Major spoilers for the first season of The Golden Bachelor below.*
The Golden Bachelor has been several years in the making, but the much-anticipated show finally arrived on air this fall, and it was better than everyone's wildest dreams. The Bachelor and Bachelorette franchise spinoff is set to drop its finale episode next week, and the fate of Gerry's final two women hangs in the balance.
ICYMI, this "Golden" version takes a slightly different approach to the OG reality dating show. The lead is a little wiser, a little more experienced and a little, well, older. Yup, gray-haired Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner is the first of his kind.
At 72 years old, he's got a lot of life under his belt, is dad to two daughters, and a grandfather, too. Now, after his wife's Toni's death, he's looking for a second chance at love. Naturally, Bachelor Nation fans want to know everything about the women who have shown up to woo him. The group of 60+ year old women included 22 accomplished, smart, beautiful, pickleball-loving ladies who are vying for Gerry's heart. Now, Gerry is down to just six contestants.
One contestant who has generated a bunch of buzz, and is now one of just two women left, is Theresa Nist. Theresa is featured pretty prominently throughout the season, after nearly scaring Gerry to death by pretending she'd shown up naked during the premiere. She manages to snag the first one-on-one date with him, and as the season progresses, she rubs a few women (cough, Kathy, cough) the wrong way by talking a bit too much about their connection. The two *really* connect and it seems like a match made in heaven.
So, who is Theresa and how far does she get with the Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner? Well, Reality Steve has already helped us out in the spoilers department. So, get ready to see more of Theresa in the future!
Here’s what to know about this new lady so far.
Where is Theresa from?
This Jersey girl doesn't pump gas! Theresa is from Shrewsbury, New Jersey, per her Golden Bachelor bio, which is about halfway through the state, near the water. Fun fact: Shrewsbery is 2.3 square miles and was settled in 1662, according to the town website. Theresa talks lovingly of her home in the first episode, and it's clear she is very attached to her community.
At this time, it's not clear if Theresa has ever lived anywhere else, but I'm curious to know if she and Gerry might head back to Jersey if she does, in fact, get a hometown date.
What’s her job?
Theresa is a financial services professional. While this title is a little vague, some sleuthing finds that she works at TFS Financial Services, Inc., as a senior compliance and operations liaison.
"Theresa began her career by trading her own account successfully, which gave her a great love of and appreciation for the markets. Theresa subsequently took key positions with Datek Online, Stifel Nicolaus and MetLife Securities, where she served as the manager of a large call center," her company website bio reads.
Theresa's ABC bio also notes that she “taught herself all about the stock market," so she's definitely one smart cookie.
How old is Theresa?
Theresa is 70 years old. Her actual birthday is August 4, 1953, which means she's a Leo. For context, in 1953, Harry S. Truman was president of the US, and I Love Lucy was a smash hit TV show that everyone watched. The advent of computers was still almost three decades away, and the DNA double helix was only just being discovered.
Theresa's bio says that she likes ‘70s rock “both soft and hard,” which definitely checks out if she was in her teens during the 1970s.
Does she have an Instagram?
While Theresa definitely doesn't seem like she's going on the show to become a social media influencer—she does appear to have an Instagram account. There, Theresa posts lots of fun pics of her family, her garden, and sweet scenes of domestic bliss.
Does Theresa have children?
Yup! Theresa has children and six grandchildren, who call her "Nana." She has one son named Tommy, who has three sons, and a daughter, Jenny, who also has three boys, per Bustle. And Theresa is a proud mom/Nana because posts about them on her Instagram a lot.
Recently, she dropped a photo of Leo and Henry, two of her grandsons, and says they're wearing gold to cheer her on during the show. Holy adorable!
I'm certain her other kids and grandkids will show up on the show (if not during Hometowns), so if you're dying for more deets, you'll just have to sit tight for now.
One thing is clear. Family is important to Theresa. “She is very close with her children and grandchildren, and loves nothing more than seeing them all thrive,” her bio reads.
Theresa and Gerry also bond over their kids pre-cupcake kiss, so they're definitely on the same page about their devotion to their offspring.
She gets a kiss from Gerry in the first episode.
Yes, it's true! Theresa gets a big old smooch from the leading gent, and she's the only contestant to get one.
The two sit on a bench while Gerry brings her a cupcake to celebrate her birthday (which just so happens to coincide with the first night of their arrival). He asks her if she'd help get icing off his face, to which she says "yes!" So, he promptly takes a very messy bite of the cupcake and has her... kiss it off.
While she doesn't get the first impression rose, it definitely seemed like things were off to a hot start for these two!
She gets the first one-on-one date.
To a drive-in no less! The date was picture perfect (minus a small convertible mishap on the California highway), and concluded with a full-on flash mob. Theresa and Gerry bond over losing their spouses while chowing down on fries and milkshakes, and head off into the sunset.
She gets into a fight with Kathy.
Ah, yes. In true Bachelor Nation fashion, there has to be at least one catty fight during the Golden Bachelor. And so far, it's between Kathy and Theresa. Here's the gist: Kathy gets peeved that Theresa keeps telling everyone about her date and strong connection with Gerry (I can't blame Theresa though, she's excited!), and calls her out for it. Theresa tries to apologize, but Kathy won't hear it, and instead just tells her to show her she heard by changing her behavior.
Long story short, Theresa has a hard time getting the message, so Kathy keeps getting annoyed. Eventually, Gerry gets involved, and seems to back Theresa's side of things, telling Kathy it wasn't okay to tell another contestant to be quiet. I love a man defending his lady!
How far does Theresa get on The Golden Bachelor?
Well, according to Reality Steve, Gerry gets down on one knee and picks Theresa as his wife-to-be. Congratulations to the happy couple!
It's not clear if they're still together post-filming, but I'm sure that all will be revealed soon.
Stay tuned for more updates on top-contender Theresa as The Golden Bachelor airs this fall and more spoilers are released from Reality Steve.
