Here is everything we know so far about The Golden Bachelor contestant Nancy Hulkower

The American dating reality television series The Golden Bachelor premiered on September 28, 2023, on ABC. From among the multiple contestants who vied for Gerry Turner's heart, Nancy Hulkower drew a lot of attention. Although circumstances on the ABC show dictated Nancy's exit during the fourth week, she nevertheless left a lasting impact on her fans through her grace and confidence.

The Golden Bachelor is the first entry into The Bachelor Nation to have seventy-two-year-old Gerry Turner as its central figure. The popular ABC show attempted to give Gerry a second chance at finding the love of his life in the series.

As of this writing, Gerry has proposed and subsequently tied the knot with one of the contestants, Theresa Nist, since the finale episode aired back in November 2023.

---

Who is The Golden Bachelor contestant Nancy Hulkower?

Nancy Hulkower is a 60-year-old retired interior designer hailing from Alexandria, Virginia, as per ABC. Although she left the show in week four before the rose ceremony, Nancy was able to make a lasting impact.

Hulkower is a self-confessed Bruce Springsteen fan. According to her official ABC bio, the retired interior designer enjoys watching college basketball, strolling her Goldendoodle, Max, and playing golf. A mother of three, she joined the show seeking a confident, reliable partner to share her life with. Nancy has stated that she believes in love stories and has described herself as a hopeless romantic.

Nancy was married to Mark, who died in 2011 of colon cancer, and they had three children together. She established a cancer charity in Mark's memory, according to the Alexandria Times.

---

Why did Nancy Hulkower leave The Golden Bachelor?

Along with making a dramatic limo entrance during the premiere, Nancy introduced herself by mentioning one thing she shared in common with Gerry. She referred to her hearing aid, adding that she was in the habit of wearing a little 'ear-candy' behind her ears.

Many of Gerry Turner's The Golden Bachelor contestants withdrew from the competition for a variety of reasons, but Nancy Hulkower made a devastating decision to return home, the reasons for which were albeit unfortunate.

According to Life and Style Mag, week four on the ABC show brought nothing but bad luck for the retired interior designer. During a group pickleball tournament, she sustained a stress fracture in her leg. At a pre-rose ceremony cocktail gathering, she confided in the other women that her fracture hurt but that she was somehow holding on.

Nancy discovered that Gerry didn't seem to feel the same way about her during that time after hearing other competitors brag about their close relationships with him. Her moment of reckoning with Gerry was an emotional one. According to Life and Style Mag, she told Gerry:

"You’re a lot more passionate with other people, I think you’ve, in a way, narrowed it down. But maybe I’m not in that group."

He confirmed her apprehension when he said:

"Um, I’m really not gonna dispute that."

After telling him she understood what it meant and wishing him the best, the mother of three briefly broke down and departed the mansion, opting not to attend the rose ceremony.

Before distributing roses to the remaining women after the cocktail party, Gerry admitted to them that it had been very hard for him to say goodbye to Nancy that afternoon, but he had to follow his heart because he had already forged stronger bonds with the other contenders.

---

The first season of The Golden Bachelor can be streamed on Hulu and Prime Video.