I see that The Golden Bachelor winner Theresa Nist is trying to stay relevant, but is she still interesting enough to garner attention? The Golden Bachelor season 1 saw first senior lead Gerry Turner choose between 22 eligible senior women who were all vying for his heart. Gerry had a few frontrunners, but narrowed down his top three to Theresa, Leslie Fhima, and Faith Martin, all of whom he went on hometown dates with. Only Theresa and Leslie made it to the fantasy suite dates in Costa Rica, where I watched Gerry blindside Leslie to choose Theresa.
The Golden Bachelorette season 1, which saw lead Joan Vassos choose between 24 Golden men, just finished airing, with Joan declaring Chock Chapple as her winner. Joan left Gerry’s Golden Bachelor season early to be there for her daughter, who needed her. Bachelor Nation focus has been more on Joan and Chock than on Gerry and Theresa. Theresa has not been on TV since The Golden Bachelor wrapped up in November 2023, but I believe questions about her relevancy remain.
Theresa & Gerry Didn’t Work Out
But Theresa Liked The Attention She Got With Gerry
The Golden Bachelor season 1 was filmed in August 2023, and Theresa and Gerry got married in The Golden Wedding on January 4, 2024. The couple were treated courtesy of ABC to a lavish Italian honeymoon. However, the pair announced their split in April 2024 (via Good Morning America), after only three months of marriage. I watched the duo cite issues around not being able to agree where to live as reason for their breakup.
Theresa and Gerry’s split was huge for me as it was for Bachelor Nation fans, as I felt they were a strong match, and were set to contribute to a bright reign of Golden Bachelor franchise shows. However, Gerry and Theresa disappointed me with their lack of commitment and unwillingness to compromise. I don’t think they ever should have gotten married, and Theresa has admitted to doing so for the honeymoon that came with it.
I strongly feel Theresa marred her reputation as a result of her split from Gerry, but I think she enjoyed the spotlight and attention.
Theresa Has A Social Media Presence
She Is Trying To Capitalize On Her Golden Bachelor Fame
I witnessed Theresa try to never step out of the public eye in the wake of her divorce from Gerry. Based on her continued social media activity and penchant for rubbing her happiness in Gerry’s face, I think Theresa relishes the attention both good and bad. Theresa now has 128,000 followers on Instagram where she posts about twice a week. I’ve seen her try her hand at being a content creator and influencer, which goes to show her current clout chasing.
Theresa shares posts about her outfits, cooking recipes and methods, and the different ways she stays in shape. What’s more, Theresa shares content with her Golden Bachelorette friends, and even did a dancing video with Leslie that could be a nod to get her onto Dancing With The Stars. Either way I look at Theresa’s Instagram, I feel she is trying to capitalize on her Golden Bachelorette fame, but her run in public popularity may be over.
Is Theresa Still Relevant?
Not Anymore
To me, Theresa was only relevant to reality TV and Bachelor Nations fans’ microscope when The Golden Bachelor was airing, and in the aftermath of her divorce, because fans were still interested in what path she would take. Now that almost a year has gone by since her ill-fated wedding, I don’t think she is interesting anymore. She is trying to cling to her fame and her fanbase, and while she does maintain a strong following, I feel she is not relevant in the greater scope of Bachelor Nation anymore.
I don’t believe Theresa was a clout chaser all along, but I do think she relishes her celebrity status, although she is losing popularity now that there are newer and less problematic Bachelor cast members to focus on. Theresa only makes headlines these days when she spills tea on podcasts or makes attention-grabbing social media posts, but in the mainstream, I don’t think she is as popular at all. The Golden Bachelor boosted Theresa into the public eye, and I think she liked it, but interest in her is being replaced by other Bachelor cast members.
