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Tori Spelling Reveals ‘Biggest’ Fear That Kept Her in Dean McDermott Marriage for 18 Years
Tori Spelling has been transparent about her June 2023 split from estranged husband Dean McDermott. Now, the Hollywood starlet revealed the biggest “fear” that kept her in the marriage for nearly 18 years.
“One of my biggest fears, and this perhaps did make me stay longer, is I feel like in our world it’s difficult to be with a man and have him not feel emasculated,” Tori, 50, told former 90210 costar Shannen Doherty on the Thursday, April 25, episode of her “misSpelling” podcast. “Not by our doing, but by who we are and have been labeled by society.”
Tori and Dean, 57, have faced marriage woes over the years, but things came to a head in June 2023 after the couple got into an explosive fight. Shortly after their argument, the Canada native took to Instagram to share that he and Tori called it quits.
“It’s with great sadness and a very very heavy heart that after 18 years together and 5 amazing children, that @torispelling and I have decided to go our separate ways and start a new journey of our own,” he wrote. “We will continue to work together as loving parents and guide and love our children through this difficult time. We ask that you all respect our privacy as we take this time to surround our family with love and work our way through this. Thank you all for your support and kindness.”
Dean, who shares kids Liam, 16, Stella, 15, Hattie, 12, Finn, 11, and Beau, 7, with Tori, deleted the post hours later – but the message remained the same.
In March, In Touch confirmed that Tori filed for divorce and cited “irreconcilable differences” as the reason behind their separation. Although the California native requested sole physical custody of their five underage kids, she did seek joint legal custody.
The following month, the Mother, May I Sleep With Danger? star recalled the altercation that led to Dean’s Instagram announcement about their split. Tori claimed that she got home from a photoshoot with Jennie Garth, and Dean made a comment that made things chaotic.
“This guttural scream came out of me,” Tori said during the April 8 episode of her podcast, sharing that she “smashed” a baked potato. “It was beast-like. It wasn’t pretty at all.”
Tori then locked herself in the house’s master bedroom and Dean quickly followed behind, repeatedly banging on the door for her to open it.
“He came in and he was very, very upset. And he said, ‘I want a divorce. This is over.’ And I said, ‘OK. Great. OK,’” Tori said. Moments later, Dean announced their split to fans via Instagram.
“I’m not kidding you guys, I felt like this giant rock had been lifted off my chest,” she admitted. “I could breathe deeply, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. He said it, so now I’m free.’ Like, ‘Everything has started, and this, I couldn’t do it. And he did it, and now I can move on. He’s put it out there, Let’s go. Yes. I needed this.’ You know? Like, I couldn’t do it myself.”
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