‘Golden Bachelor’: Gerry Turner on His “Extraordinarily Troublesome” Moments and the Stress of Hometown Dates

[This story includes spoilers for the latest episode of ABC‘s The Golden Bachelor.]

Gerry Turner was in a position to cheer on the ladies as they discovered extra about one in all his nice passions — yep, we’re speaking about pickleball — throughout this week’s installment of The Golden Bachelor.

The newest episode featured a group-date competitors as the ladies paired off for a pickleball match that included teaching from newly minted Bachelor star Joey Graziadei and encouragement from Bachelor Nation’s Trista Sutter. The Hollywood Reporter attended the taping of the date, which noticed Ellen Goltzer and Kathy Swarts prevail as champions, with Sandra Mason — who shocked everybody with the information that she skipped her daughter’s marriage ceremony that day to take part — receiving the date rose.

“I’m not going to lie — my pleasure was as excessive as theirs,” Turner quipped to THR in regards to the athletic showdown. “However I feel essentially the most spectacular half was how laborious they had been making an attempt. They actually wished to study the sport.”

In the course of the episode, which additionally included a one-on-one with Leslie Fhima, three ladies had been despatched residence — Nancy Hulkower, April Kirkwood and Swarts — with simply six contestants remaining and hometown dates quick approaching. Throughout a break from the group date, Turner defined that his first two rose ceremonies had been notably difficult, however that he has been grateful since then to have a greater sense of the women’ personalities.

“The primary two rose ceremonies had been extraordinarily tough, and it was as a result of I didn’t know everybody very nicely in any respect,” he mentioned. “So I used to be form of making uninformed choices and their life-changing choices. As I’ve gotten a little bit bit additional into the journey [with] the more moderen rose ceremony, I used to be much more snug as a result of I knew the ladies fairly a bit higher, so I felt like I used to be making an knowledgeable resolution.”

Hulkower, who suffered a stress fracture in her leg whereas taking part in pickleball, was despatched residence previous to the rose ceremony after telling Turner that he appeared extra passionate with the opposite ladies, main him to reluctantly agree. After the pickleball video games, and earlier than the cocktail get together throughout which she exited, Hulkower informed THR that she felt the 2 of them had a lot in widespread however emphasised, “Time is of the essence. I’m simply hoping I get the chance to speak to him.”

After the match, Kirkwood informed THR that she couldn’t assure what the long run held for herself and Turner however that she was simply having fun with the chance. “He has loads of laborious selections to make, so both method, I really feel grateful and blessed to be right here,” she mentioned. “It’s been an exquisite expertise. No regrets.”

Religion Martin, who acquired Turner’s first impression rose, informed THR after the pickleball video games that her expertise had so far been superb however that she was nonetheless hoping for extra time with him, the Golden Bachelor himself. “For some time, I used to be evaluating myself to all the opposite ladies, considering, ‘Oh, he’d be nice with them,’” Martin admitted. “However then I might see him being nice with me, too. So I’m excited.”

Throughout his chat with THR, Turner acknowledged that the most important shock for him within the journey had been how shortly time passes, with difficult choices always across the nook. Particularly, he has been targeted on determining which ladies will ultimately be one of the best match for the upcoming hometown dates.

“The clock is ticking,” Turner mentioned. “I begin desirous about hometowns each morning once I stand up, and I am going via my ideas. I have a look at my notes I’ve made and journaling. I’m glad I nonetheless have a while to make these selections, however I do know they’re getting shut.”

The Golden Bachelor airs Thursdays at 8 p.m. on ABC.