The daughter of “The Golden Bachelor” star Gerry Turner is speaking out about the backlash her father and his soon-to-be ex-wife Theresa Nist are receiving in the aftermath of their divorce announcement.
In an Instagram post on April 24, 2024, Angie Turner Warner, the daughter of “The Golden Bachelor” star and his late wife, Toni, admitted that she wasn’t surprised that fans were upset by the quickie marriage. But she also said the backlash they’ve been hit with is over the top.
“It’s no surprise the news of my Dad and Theresa choosing to split has sparked a range of emotions and opinions,” she wrote on Instagram, adding that viewers were very “invested” in the first “Golden” couple.
“What has been disheartening is the level of rage and cruelty that our family has been met with,” she added. “My Dad and Theresa are kind, good people that made this decision for them, no one else. I kindly urge everyone to remember that behind every story, there are real people with real feelings.”
Angie also referenced Andy Levine and Sharleen Joynt’s “Dear Shandy” podcast, during which Levine praised the septuagenarian couple for ending their relationship “so soon” instead of milking it for more fame.
Fans Reacted to Angie Turner’s Post About the Backlash
On April 12, 2024, “The Golden Bachelor” couple shocked fans by announcing they were divorcing after just three months of marriage. During an appearance on “Good Morning America” Turner, 72, and Nist, 70, said they still love each other. The two hinted that their decision to “dissolve” their marriage comes from their inability to agree on where to live.
Fans were stunned, dismayed, and even angry following Turner and Nist’s “GMA” breakup announcement. Plenty of members of Bachelor Nation weighed in, too.
During an appearance on Sirius XM’s “The Happy Hour” radio show, “Bachelorette” alum Tyler Cameron accused the exes of putting “a stain on love and Bachelor Nation.” On “Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen,” he jokingly suggested Turner and Nist should be “canceled.”
Former “Bachelor” star Nick Viall told People magazine, “Maybe Gerry’s not as golden as we hoped he would be.”
In her Instagram post, Angie Turner Warner thanked all of the fans who have offered her father and Nist “love and compassion” in the weeks since their stunning split announcement.
But some fans felt the backlash was warranted.
“I think the backlash comes from the opinion that if they really had loved each other they wouldn’t have divorced so quickly. They never even gave it a chance or one or both of them lied to each other prior to the wedding,” one commenter wrote.
“I am sorry for the backlash but this is what comes when you decide to be on reality television you have to take the good with the bad!” another chimed in.
Turner’s daughter responded to the comment with: “Agreed. We all recognize that.”
Angie Turner Still Thinks of Her Short-Term Stepmom as ‘Family’
When Turner and Nist married, they involved their children from their first marriages.
Nist has a son, Tommy, and a daughter, Jenny, from her marriage to her late husband Bill. Gerry Turner has daughters Angie and Jenny. Both Turner and Nist also have grandchildren.
Shortly after her father’s divorce was announced, Angie Turner Warner posted a photo from happier times. The family photo featured her dad, his bride, and the rest of the extended clan.
“Just want to thank everyone in this photo! We all came together, had the best time, and showed each other love. I will call you all family forever! ❤️,” she captioned the happy pic.
Nist also commented on the family photo with: “Angie, what a beautiful message. You are so wonderful. You are all so wonderful. What a beautiful experience we all had together. We are bonded for life.”