'The Golden Bachelor' star married Nist in a televised ceremony on ABC in early January.
The Golden Bachelor's Gerry Turner is making his split from Theresa Nist official. The 72-year-old reality TV star has filed for divorce from his 70-year-old wife, whom he married in a televised ceremony on ABC in early January, in an Indiana court on Friday.
According to court documents obtained by ET, Turner cited an "irretrievable breakdown" as the reason for the split and listed April 12 as the date of separation.
The filing comes mere hours after Turner and Nist announced their split on Good Morning America.
"Theresa and I have had a number of heart-to-heart conversations and we've looked closely at our situation, our living situation and so forth and we've kind of come to the conclusion mutually that it's probably time for us to dissolve our marriage," Turner said, sitting beside Nist while holding her hand.
As for what led to their divorce, Turner vaguely noted, "The thing that strikes me the most in our conversations it's been how dedicated both of us are to our families… I think both of us feel like it's best for the happiness of each of us to live apart."
He insisted that he "still loves" Nist, adding, "I still love this person. There's no doubt in my mind, I still am in love with her. I root for her every day."
The exes noted that they have a prenup and would recommend it to others, stating that they don't want to discourage others at a second chance at love. "I don't think we can tell you how many people told us that it gave them so much hope. We want none of that to change for anybody," Nist said.
And Nist was insistent that Turner's romantic history did not factor into the former couple's decision, saying she was already well aware of his past.
During the first season of The Golden Bachelor, Nist met with Turner's daughters, Jenny and Angie, and his granddaughters, Payton and Charlee, who shared in their father and grandfather's happiness and gave their approval Nist.
"If Dad proposes to Theresa, I think it'd be a great thing, actually. I'd be very happy for him," Jenny said in one of the final episodes of the show's inaugural season, with Angie adding, "I really do think I could see him getting down on one knee and them getting married."
The restaurateur ultimately presented Nist with his final rose, getting down on one knee and asking for her hand in marriage.
"You're the person that I can't live without," he said in the final episode. "Theresa, I love you 1,000 percent. I'm not ever going to stop believing that every day, I choose you."
ET exclusively spoke with the couple when they were still a month out from their wedding, and they shared their excitement about finally being able to share their love with the world after keeping it a secret while the show was airing.
"When you get to this age, every moment is precious and you don't want to waste them," Turner told ET. "Now we've got a date out there that we can look forward to, rather than every day that we had to keep it secret. It's a total different mindset."
Nist chimed in, saying she was still in disbelief, "I was open to the experience and the opportunity to be married again, but who would've thought? This is amazing. This is incredible."
Following the news of their split, some of their former co-stars shared their thoughts on the shocking announcement.
Turner's Golden Bachelor runner-up, Leslie Fhima -- whom he tearfully dumped during the season finale -- did not respond publicly to the news, instead sharing a smiley snap from her latest Costa Rica wellness retreat.
Fellow contestant Joan Vassos posted to her Instagram Story, writing, "My heart goes out to my good friends Theresa and Gerry who made the difficult decision to separate. I know they care for each other deeply and they will always have a special relationship."
"The Golden Bachelor women and Bachelor Nation are 'wrapping' our arms around them in a big hug so they feel our love and support," she added.
April Kirkwood, who made it to Turner's top eight, also seemed to hint at the split in her latest Instagram post, which she captioned, "POV watching drama you're not involved in unfold around you."
"Drama is part of the human experience but so is protecting your own inner peace," she added in her caption. "Respect others on their journey through the highs and lows with grace & kindness."
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