<p id=”par-1_71″><em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/tag/the-bachelor/?swcfpc=1″>The Bachelor</a></em>, <em>The Bachelorette</em>, and other dating competitions in the franchise have led to many engagements and several marriages over the years. While there have been a few happy endings in the franchise’s history, there have also been a fair number of <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/why-did-matt-james-and-rachael-kirkconnell-break-up-the-theories.html/”>failed courtships</a>. Do you know how many divorces Bachelor Nation fans have endured? We have all the details on the first divorce and the latest and most surprising one.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-a-bachelor-in-paradise-couple-were-the-first-to-call-it-quits”>A ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ couple were the first to call it quits</h2>
<p id=”par-2_61″>The first episode of <em>The Bachelor</em> premiered in March 2002. More than 18 years later, the first franchise divorce was finalized. In February 2020, Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone announced their split with a statement issued to <a target=”_blank” href=”https://bachelornation.com/2020/02/14/krystal-nielson-chris-randone-separate/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Bachelor Nation</a>. After meeting on <em>Bachelor in Paradise</em> season 5, the couple married in a televised wedding during the next season of the unique dating competition.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-1″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Randone-and-Nielsen.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone attend opening weekend of Serea restaurant at Hotel Del Coronado on June 29, 2019 in Coronado, California.” class=”wp-image-3767709″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone | Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Clique Hospitality</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-3_78″>The couple’s marriage was a short-lived one. Randone and Nielson were married for less than a year when they announced plans to separate. In August 2020, a year and two months after their wedding, Nielson filed for divorce. They finalized the split by the end of the year. Over the years, Randone has spoken about the split, insisting he hoped to reconcile before Nielson filed for divorce. She moved on, and he spent time talking about the marriage.</p>
<p id=”par-4_70″>During a chat with <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/chris-randone-reveals-what-went-wrong-in-krystal-nielson-marriage/” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>Us Weekly</a> shortly after Nielson filed, Randone said his Bachelor Nation commitments and failure to process his reality TV fame led to the breakdown of the marriage. Nielson opted not to discuss what led to the divorce but did admit the pandemic, coupled with the split, was a scary time in her life. She went on to welcome a baby with a new partner in 2021.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-2″><img decoding=”async” src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Marcus-and-lacy-bip-wedding.webp?strip=all&quality=80″ alt=”Marcus Grodd and Lacy Faddoul exchange vows in ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 2″ class=”wp-image-3767710″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Marcus Grodd and Lacy Faddoul | Rick Rowell/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
<p id=”par-5_67″>While Randone and Nielson were the first Bachelor Nation couple to legally end their romance, they weren’t technically the first couple to announce a “divorce.” Lacy Faddoul and Marcus Grodd technically married in a ceremony on <em><a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/fans-assume-bachelor-in-paradise-has-been-canceled-abc-has-not-responded.html/”>Bachelor in Paradise</a>; </em>they announced their split in 2016. While they had a marriage ceremony, the duo never filed official paperwork, meaning they weren’t legally married, so they couldn’t legally divorce.</p>
<h2 class=”wp-block-heading” id=”h-theresa-nist-and-gerry-turner-s-divorce-shocked-fans”>Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner’s divorce shocked fans</h2>
<p id=”par-6_69″>While Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson were the first Bachelor Nation couple to legally split, they are not the couple that fans were most surprised to learn had opted for divorce. That distinction goes to the most recently divorced duo, <a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/theresa-nist-says-gerry-turner-altered-their-plan-after-the-golden-wedding.html/”>Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist</a>. Like Randone and Nielsen they married in a whirlwind ceremony and announced their plans to divorce before the ink was dry on the license.</p>
<figure class=”wp-block-image size-full” id=”emb-3″><img decoding=”async” fetchpriority=”high” width=”1200″ height=”960″ src=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/THersa-Nist-and-Gerry-Turner-the-golden-bachelor-engaged.jpg?strip=all&quality=89″ alt=”Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner sit together during the finale moments of ‘The Golden Bachelor,’ Nist recieved the final rose and became engeaged to Turner.” class=”wp-image-3595400″><figcaption class=”wp-element-caption”>Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner | John Fleenor/Disney via Getty Images</figcaption></figure>
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<p id=”par-7_67″>Nist and Turner left <em>The Golden Bachelor’s </em>inaugural season excited about starting a life together. In January 2024, the couple wed in a televised ceremony. While they seemed in love at the time, the honeymoon phase of their relationship was remarkably short-lived. By April 2024, they announced their plans to divorce. Everything was finalized in August 2024, exactly one year after filming for <em>The Golden Bachelor</em> ended.</p>
<p id=”par-8_86″>Turner and Nist’s Bachelor Nation divorce certainly took viewers by surprise. The speed at which they split was only one element that made it shocking. The reason came as a surprise, too. At the time, the couple insisted they were calling it quits because they couldn’t agree on where to live. Fans were surprised by the announcement. After all, the couple really did seem to have a viable plan mapped out upon leaving the Bachelor mansion. Theresa Nist later hinted to<a href=”https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/theresa-nist-hints-darker-reason-the-golden-bachelor-divorce.html/”> darker reasons</a> behind the breakup.</p>