Single Bergen County Woman Fails To Win Heart Of 'Golden Bachelor' On TV: What's Next?

BERGEN COUNTY, NJ — It's never too late to look for love, but one Bergen County reality show contestant is going to have to look a little longer.

Maria, 60, a health and wellness director from Teaneck, was among two New Jersey contestants sent home by the producers of the new ABC reality TV program "Golden Bachelor" after she failed to capture the (hopefully still robust) heart of Gerry Turner, 72, a widower from Indiana.

Twenty-two women from around the country competed on the show, which had its premiere on the network last Thursday, Sept. 28.

And then, several women were cut.

Anna, 61, a retired nutritionist from Summit, and Theresa, 70, a financial specialist from Shrewsbury, were the two other Jersey Girls (well, women) competing. Both Maria and Anna failed to capture Gerry's attention during the first week, and were thus eliminated from the contest.

There was no clear reason why they were sent home, but several of the other women wowed the widower in different ways, and earned the right to stay.

Theresa, the Shrewsbury contestant who was celebrating her birthday on the day of the filming, shared the first kiss on the show with Gerry.

But she wasn't the one who got the most attention from Gerry on the first episode.

Faith Martin, 61, a teacher from the state of Washington, won his "first impression rose" for earning his affections immediately, ABC noted.

"You made this impression not because you rode in on a motorcycle, not even because you have a beautiful voice and you sang a song to me, but because of what you're doing right now, you're making me feel very special," said Turner.

And what of Maria from Teaneck?

She still has her three lovely children, and lots more going for her, according to ABC's description.

"With a beautiful smile and a personality to match, Maria is a firecracker that's ready to find a spark," the show said. "She has three children in their 20s and loves them more than anything in the world. Maria's career in health and wellness is extremely important to her, along with a passion for helping families impacted by autism."

See Episode 2 Of 'Golden Bachelor'

Meanwhile, Gerry will keep looking for golden love this Thursday.

On the premiere, he shared that his wife Toni, who'd been his high school sweetheart, had died in 2017, and he was ready for a new relationship.

The show is available for streaming on Hulu, but you have to sign in for a free trial or have a subscription. The next free episode airs on Oct. 5 on ABC at 8 p.m.