Gerry Turner has a new love in his life post The Golden Bachelor, and he’s no longer keeping her under wraps.
After teasing their relationship for weeks, Gerry shared the identity of his girlfriend in an interview with TMZ in April 2025 — a year after his divorce from Golden Bachelor winner Theresa Nist.
Gerry said he met retired teacher Lana Sutton when she slid into his DMs. While he ignored her first message, Lana’s second attempt got his attention when she shared that she grew up in an Indiana town 20 minutes from him. He told TMZ that Lana is in her mid-50s and a former part-owner of a video production company.
He also shared photos of Lana on Instagram, writing, “I can’t believe how many people in Charleston recognized us and wished us the best.”
Bachelor Nation flocked to the comments, including Gerry’s past love interests Faith Martin and Susan Noles. “Awh so happy for you both!!❤️,” Faith wrote, with Susan adding, “So happy for you.”
Theresa, for her part, told Us Weekly that Gerry let her know about Lana prior to making the relationship public knowledge. “He said, ‘I just wanna let you know I met someone.’ I said, ‘That’s wonderful. I’m so happy for you.’ He goes, ‘I was afraid to tell you.’ ‘Why would you be afraid? I only want your happiness.’ Like, if this was the way it happened for him to find his person to go on the show, get married, and then find his person this way, then it was meant to be,” Nist told Us.
Keep scrolling for more on Gerry’s romance with Lana:
March 2025
Gerry said he took Lana to a restaurant on their first date in March and that they’ve been inseparable since. In an interview with TMZ the following month, he confirmed she’s met his kids and pickleball pals while he’s met a couple of her kids and her parents.
April 2025
Gerry revealed he was dating someone new on an episode of the “Bachelor Happy Hour” podcast.
“I am dating someone,” he said. “I think at this point it’s going well. But I don’t want to say too much and jinx it and I’m trying to respectfully get to a point where there’s an acceptable amount of time from my divorce. Maybe that’s an old fashioned thought — maybe it doesn’t matter as much as I think it does, but to be respectful, I kind of want to slow roll this.”
Gerry said he and the then-unnamed Lana bonded over their children and love of travel.
“The person I’m dating will say, ‘Do you want to go do?’ And before she gets out the rest of the sentence I will say, ‘Yes,’” Turner said, noting that he was instantly attracted to her.
“I hate to say it because I know I’m going to get baseballs thrown at me. It was almost the first time I saw her. It was the look that she gave me. It was like, all of a sudden, I was consumed by this look and I had this actual physical feeling and I pushed it off. I go, ‘That was silly, that’s ridiculous.’ And with every encounter that feeling has instantly come back with her look and it’s like, ‘Damn, this is pretty awesome,’” he said.
A few days after his “Bachelor Happy Hour” interview, Gerry revealed his girlfriend was indeed Lana during an interview with TMZ.
After revealing Lana’s identity, Gerry posted some photos via Instagram with the caption, “I can’t believe how many people in Charleston recognized us and wished us the best.”
Lana also shared some of the photos via her own Instagram, writing, “A couple memories from our first getaway to Charleston!”
April 2025
Gerry told People marriage could be a possibility for him and Lana.
He told the outlet he doesn’t know “that either of us necessarily would be looking to get married, but we’ve also said that’s not off the table.”
The pair have both been married twice, with Turner previously tying the knot with late wife Toni and saying “I do” with Theresa after getting engaged on The Golden Bachelor season 1. Turner, added that a “serious discussion” about exchanging vows is “down the road a bit.”
“But I do think we’ve both come to the comfortable agreement that we both want a long-term committed permanent relationship, and I think we’re both feeling like we’re there that we’re in that now,” he said. “It’s kind of two different things, but they are closely related.”
May 2025
Gerry, who was diagnosed with an incurable cancer in 2024, shared a carousel of photos of his and Lana’s recent travels via Instagram, writing, “The past two months have been an absolute blast — travel, adventure, and quality time with two families. Feeling grateful to have met such a kind-hearted woman. What a partner!”
He told People that they plan to travel to London and Paris this summer.
“We’ve been together every weekend,” Turner said. “She’s retired, so she’s not tied down. On a moment’s notice, she could come here or if I go there. There’s no encumbrances with work, so there’s just an awful lot of pluses that are helping us along.”
October 2025
Gerry proposed to Lana after less than one year of dating.
“We’ve got BIG news. The Golden Bachelor is OFF the market,” he wrote via Instagram. “I found my perfect match and she said ‘YES.’ I love this woman.”
February 2026
Turner shared in February 2026 that he and Sutton found their “perfect home.”
“Ther[e] have been many great days over the last 12 months traveling, bonding families, building a loving and fun relationship with Lana,” he wrote via Instagram, alongside photos of the twosome in front of a home. “But yesterday was one of the very best. Finding our perfect home was an arduous journey. So gratifying to close on our new home together.”
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