Golden Bachelor Gerry Turner on Backlash Over Leslie Fhima Split

Gerry Turner can own up to the fact that he hurt Leslie Fhima on his way to finding love with Theresa Nist.

“I felt like a villain at times,” the Golden Bachelor star, 72, told Good Morning America on Friday, December 1, during a joint interview with Theresa, 70.

When host Juju Chang noted to Gerry that he’s “required to be a heartbreaker,” the reality star agreed. “Yes, it is an artificial environment. I didn’t realize how impactful it would be,” he said.

The journalist asked Gerry about allegations that he gave Leslie, 64, “false hope” that he was going to pick her.

“I really have no response to that other than, at that moment, that’s sort of how I felt,” Gerry said.

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During the final dates of the season, Gerry told Leslie that she was “The One” — something she called him out for when they reunited on After the Final Rose on Thursday, November 30.

“I just want to tell you, Gerry, that I fell in love with you for so many reasons. I really did. I mean, the way you looked at me and your eyes sparkled, the way her nose prickled when you talked to me, the way we made each other laugh all the time. You got my stupid humor. I was myself with you completely,” she said. “The most important thing I fell in love with was your integrity. And because of your integrity, your words meant so much to me. I didn’t take them for granted.”

Leslie added that “everybody knows what [Gerry] said on camera,” but she also claimed he gave her even more reassurance behind closed doors.

“But only you and I know it was said in [during the] overnight. And I would never share that with anyone. It’s our private time. But those words gave me 100 percent certainty that I was your girl,” she said. “And your words just meant so much to me, and that’s why I was blindsided. Because I wasn’t sure how it changed or what happened.”

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Gerry said sorry to Leslie, and she noted that she wasn’t sure if she could accept his apology. When Theresa was brought on stage, Gerry confirmed that he knew he was going to propose to the New Jersey native after their overnight date (which took place after his off-camera time with Leslie).

Theresa, for her part, told GMA that she knew she had strong feelings for Gerry but wasn’t confident he would pick her.

“We had beautiful, wonderful women there. Faith, Leslie — they’re amazing. I didn’t say, ‘OK, I’m running away with this,’” she said.

The remark made Gerry emotional.

“It’s a good display of her unselfishness and her innocence in this,” Gerry said of why he was starting to tear up. “That had such a strong impact on me. And [I’m] also thinking back at how difficult those moments were. It’s a combination of those two things.”

Gerry and Theresa, who are moving to Charleston, will document their wedding on The Golden Wedding, which airs live on ABC Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 8 p.m. ET.