Tori Spelling Admits She Was Relieved When Dean McDermott Announced Their Split amid His Alcohol 'Spiral'
After McDermott announced in June 2023 that the couple had decided to go their "separate ways," Spelling said she was happy he shared the news because "I don't know if I could have done it"
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From left: Tori Spelling and Dean McDermott attend Fox Winter TCA on February 06, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Tori Spelling felt a sense of relief when Dean McDermott announced their split on social media last year.
The surprise announcement came on June 17, 2023 with McDermott, 57, sharing a now-deleted announcement on Instagram that the couple had decided to go their “separate ways” and “start a new journey” apart.
Now, the Beverly Hills, 90210 alum, 51, is revealing on the latest episode of her podcast misSPELLING that her estranged husband “apologized” for the post and removed it.
“He was reacting emotionally, and he was still drinking and, you know, he was in that spiral,” she recalled. “But I gotta say, when I saw that post — inside, I was like, ‘Oh, thank god.’”
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From left: Tori Spelling and Dean McDermottRelated: Tori Spelling Reveals Why She Stayed 'Longer' in Her Marriage to Dean McDermott
“Because... I don't know if I could have done it. I want to do it. I want it to be strong enough," she added.
After 18 years together, Spelling filed for divorce from McDermott on March 29. In court documents obtained by PEOPLE, she cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their split. Their official date of separation was listed as June 17, 2023, the same day that McDermott posted.
She also asked for sole physical custody of their five minor children — Liam Aaron McDermott, 17, Stella Doreen, 16, Hattie Margaret, 12, Finn Davey, 11 and Beau Dean, 7 — and joint legal custody with McDermott's visitation rights to be determined at a later date.
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Stella Spelling, Tori Spelling, Beau Spelling, Dean McDermott, Finn Spelling, and Hattie Spelling attend the Luskin Orthopaedic Institute for Children, Stand for Kids Gala at Universal Studios Hollywood on June 10, 2023 in Universal City, California.In April, Spelling further detailed her reaction to McDermott telling her he wanted a divorce — and subsequently, posting about it on Instagram without her knowledge — on her MisSPELLING podcast.
"I looked at [his post] and I'm not kidding you guys, I felt like this giant rock had been lifted off my chest," she shared. "I could breathe deeply, and I was like, ‘Oh my God. He said it. He said it, so now I'm free.'"
McDermott had allegedly threatened a divorce "1 million times," according to Spelling.
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"I don't think I've ever threatened that, like, ever. And there were times where I desperately wanted it," Spelling said. "But, like, I would never throw that in someone's face if I didn't actually mean it."
"I didn't have the balls to leave," she added, recounting on her reaction to seeing McDermott's post. "I couldn't do it and he did it. [I thought] '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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