Tori Spelling: How Shannen Doherty would react to my ‘DWTS’ Season 33 stint
Now this warrants a 9021-OMG!
Tori Spelling is set to appear on Season 33 of “Dancing With the Stars” alongside pro dancer Pasha Pashkov, she said Wednesday on “Good Morning America.”
The 51-year-old took a moment to reflect on what her longtime friend and “Beverly Hills, 90210” co-star, the late Shannen Doherty, would say about her latest adventure.
“It’s definitely been incredibly hard losing Shan recently. But I believe that she would want me to put my power on,” she told Extra. “She kept telling me, ‘You have it in you.’ “
Doherty, who played Brenda Walsh, died at 53 after a lengthy battle with breast cancer in July. She competed on Season 10 of the ABC series in 2010 alongside pro partner Mark Ballas, but was the first eliminated contestant.
Following Doherty’s passing, Spelling reflected on their last conversation.
“I’ve had a lot of death in my life,” she said on her podcast in July. “And I don’t believe in regrets, but I have a lot of regrets that I didn’t have that time to have a second chance to get past stuff from the past and look at all the good things and really talk it out and have that last conversation.”
Spelling added, “And I feel like she and I had that, and I’m super grateful for that.”
The cast has also mourned Luke Perry, who played Dylan McKay, following his death at 52 from a massive stroke in 2019.
While speaking to Extra, Spelling gave insight into why she chose to join “DWTS.”
“We’ve only been rehearsing for two days, but already just doing this and committing to this has given me hope,” she said. “It really has. In myself, believing in myself.”
“Doing this show is the reason I never did this show before. I didn’t believe enough in myself and say yes and it’s one of my biggest fears,” she went on.
“Because you’re really putting myself out there and being judged by millions of people and this time I was like, ‘I want to change my story.’ It’s now or never. My life has radically changed so much in the last year. That I really was like, ‘I’m going to say yes to something that’s super scary and just put myself out there.’ “
She added: “I want to find me again. I feel like I lost me for a really long time throughout my life.”
The news comes months after Spelling filed for divorce from Dean McDermott, her husband of 18 years, in March. Spelling cited irreconcilable differences and the date of separation as June 17, 2023.
The “Due South” alum shared news of his divorce from Spelling in June 2023, writing in a since-deleted Instagram post, “It’s with great sadness and a very very heavy heart that after 18 years together and 5 amazing children.”
Although McDermott, 57, likely won’t be in the ballroom to cheer on his ex, their five children, Liam, 17, Stella, 16, Hattie, 12, Finn, 11, and Beau, 7, will undoubtedly do so.
Fans of the beloved ‘90s show can also hope to see Spelling’s on-screen circle support her in the ballroom, as the “90210” gang all keeps in touch.
Spelling and former cast member Jennie Garth co-host the “90210MG” podcast together, while the “True Tori” alum recently went on Brian Austin Green’s “Oldish” podcast to spill some on-set secrets.
The pair, who played longtime couple Donna Martin and David Silver, reflected on not speaking for 18 years after the show wrapped.
“I remember crying that we were going to lose touch because we were so close,” Spelling recalled of their last interaction after the series finale on the Aug. 26 episode alongside co-hosts Sharna Burgess and her brother, Randy Spelling. “It was almost like going through a divorce or something. It’s time to move on, but I’m also losing that human I’m with every day and have that connection with. What’s going to happen now?”
“I remember you reassuring me that it was gonna be OK,” she said to Green, 51. “I remember you said, ‘We’re always gonna be together. We’re even all gonna go on vacations together.’ And that was the last time we spoke for 18 years.”
The “Unwed Father” actor shared that he tried to keep his word about remaining friends but didn’t feel that Spelling did the same. Green mentioned one particular moment involving co-star Vincent Young, whom Spelling dated from 1999 to 2001.
“I remember going by Vincent’s house to see you multiple days after we wrapped and trying to keep a connection going,” he explained. “But it got to the point where I just never got that from you.”
Then, at a “90210” DVD release party in 2006, Green, who was married to Megan Fox at the time, felt slighted by Spelling, who showed up with her now-estranged husband [Charlie Shanian].
“You guys got there and you never said hello to me once,” confessed Green. “I just kept missing you guys and then you were gone.
“It was just this thing of like, ‘She just doesn’t want to be my friend anymore,’ ” he continued. “I genuinely felt that. I tried to visit you, I would call you. When that wasn’t reciprocated at some point, I gave up.”
Spelling agreed that his experience was “pretty right on” and noted that those times were difficult.
“On my part, I lost myself in that relationship again as I had done previously in relationships,” she added about Young. “That relationship was not a good relationship for me and toward the end, I got wrapped up and things weren’t good.”
“I shied away from you because you weren’t a fan of the relationship,” Spelling told Green. “You had a good working relationship with Vince, but I don’t think you felt like our personal relationship was something that was correct for me. My process was different and I would shy away from those that would really fight for me.”
But through it all, Spelling stated: “I never stopped thinking about you and never stopped wanting to reach out and reconnect.”