- “The Golden Bachelor” — where 72-year-old Gerry Turner gets to woo fellow seniors — just premiered.
- The cameras showed that the lovelorn Iowan wears hearing aids in both ears.
- Turner has said he is “happy to display them” and not hide his hearing loss for appearance’s sake.
When Gerry Turner made his first appearance on ABC’s “The Golden Bachelor,” which premiered on Thursday, it was hard not to notice the small devices that were perched behind both ears.
Viewers may first have thought that they were the same type of earpiece that TV news anchors wear during live broadcasts, but the 72-year-old soon revealed that the twin gadgets were hearing aids.
Turner, 72, the first man over 45 to appear in “The Bachelor” franchise — “The Golden Bachelor” features contestants who are between the ages of 60 and 75 — made a point of mentioning the gadgets in the opener of the show.
Indeed, in a recent interview with USA Today, the father of two said it was “important” for fans to know that hearing loss is often part of aging and nothing to be ashamed of.
“I don’t want anyone to feel like they have a disadvantage or that they have something to be a little embarrassed about,” he told the outlet’s Bryan Alexander.
Turner seemed ready to appear vulnerable during the premiere of ‘The Golden Bachelor’
“If they start aging and they show the symptoms of being 70 years old, I don’t really care if people notice that I have hearing aids,” Turner went on.
The former restaurateur added, “It’s something I need.”
His admission went on to prompt one hearing aid company to promote its products on X, formerly Twitter.
Turner’s straight-talking about his disability was in keeping with advice from dating coach Heather Dugan. She previously told Insider that seniors looking for love should “not get caught up in doubts about your looks,” or whether your date will think you’ve physically still got it.
The mention of hearing aids was one of several examples of Turner’s open nature and willingness to appear vulnerable.
Craig Sjodin
He spoke fondly about his late wife, Toni, who died suddenly in 2017 during their 43rd year of marriage. They’d been sweethearts since high school and wed in 1974.
Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, the widower recalled how Toni was rushed to the ER with a bacterial infection and died only eight days later.
Turner said that the couple had a “typical, but beautiful life, full of love, full of activity.”
His identity was revealed on “Good Morning America” in July as the lead in “The Golden Bachelor.” ABC described him as a “doting father and grandfather.”
It listed his hobbies as grilling, driving ATVs, playing pickleball, and watching sports teams from Chicago.
The network said that he had three grown children as well as two grandchildren. They appeared on yesterday’s show and expressed support for the patriarch.
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