Gerry Turner is one of the most popular Bachelor Nation stars after stealing hearts on The Golden Bachelor.
But getting cast for the show was no small feat.
It’s not just a matter of beating out a handful of other men who would have made a great first lead for The Golden Bachelor.
He also had to undergo a slew of tests, background checks, and even fingerprinting for the FBI.
Ultimately, Gerry passed the test, and now we’re waiting to see who he chooses to give his final rose to: Leslie Fhima or Theresa Nist.
He has assured fans that he did find love through this process that seems like a whirlwind to viewers, but it turns out that a lot more went into it before filming even began.
Gerry Turner says he took his first STD test
Gerry Turner was married to his wife, Toni, for 43 years and doesn’t have an extensive sexual history, so the thought of taking an STD test may not have crossed his mind.
But to be a Bachelor Nation star, he had to get one — and pass.
Now, Gerry is speaking out about the vetting process he had to get through to star as The Golden Bachelor.
While speaking to Justin Long on his Life is Short podcast, Gerry said, “I was actually traveling with an old girlfriend — we were just friends — and I got a call from ABC wanting me to initiate the process to go get a STD test.”
It turns out that was his first STD test, and Gerry wasn’t sure what to expect. He told Justin, “That may have been my very first STD test. I had no idea what was gonna happen. I didn’t know if they were gonna look in the iris of my eye, take a urine sample [or] a blood sample. I had no idea. Did not know.”
That was just the start, too, because The Golden Bachelor producers had to make sure Gerry was mentally healthy and had a clean background in addition to his sexual health.
“I had to send my fingerprints to the FBI, there were numerous background tests. There was a psychological evaluation that was like 360 questions and then another hour of interview,” Gerry explained. “The vetting process is ridiculously thorough.”
Gerry admits he has some regrets about his time on The Golden Bachelor
As the first season of The Golden Bachelor winds down, Gerry Turner has been reflecting more on the experience.
He has admitted previously that he has some regrets about things he’s done on the show — namely, telling more than one woman he loved them.
He originally intended only to tell one more woman that he loved them for the rest of his life. The problem is, he fell in love with three of them and told all three just that.
Thanks to some well-timed spoilers, we know who Gerry will pick in the end. We won’t spoil it here, though. If you want to see who gets that final rose and Gerry’s proposal, click here.
The Golden Bachelor returns on Thursday, November 30, at 8/7c on ABC.