Tori Spelling reveals her daughter’s heartbreaking phrases that led her to divorce Dean McDermott
Tori Spelling revealed what one of her children said to her that ultimately led to her divorce with Dean McDermott.
The reality TV personality, 51, explained that her teenage daughter Hattie, 13, had a conversation with her, and afterward she decided to leave her then-husband.
The Beverly Hills, 90210 alumna opened up about the events that preceded her eventual separation with the 58-year-old actor after 18 years of marriage on the latest episode of her misSPELLING podcast.
She recalled how it started with her young daughter asking her an important question amid McDermott’s struggles with addiction.
Spelling emphasized that her daughter prefaced her statement by noting her parents had been together for nearly a decade and reaffirming that she loves both of them, before Hattie proceeded to encourage her mother to make a decision for her own good.
This comes after Spelling seemingly reignited one of her past romances after she got candid about her fears of ‘dying alone.’
Tori Spelling revealed what one of her children said to her that ultimately led to her divorce with Dean McDermott; pictured together in June 2023 in LA
The reality TV personality, 51, explained that her teenage daughter had a conversation with her, and afterward she decided to leave her then-husband
Spelling noted that Hattie was not choosing one parent over the other when she asked her: ‘Have you ever considered what it would be like to be with someone else and not Dad and get treated right?’
After that, she said on her podcast that she went on to make the decision to finally leave her longtime husband.
‘It got to the point where it was worse for the kids to see us together,’ Spelling recounted of the time leading up to their split. ‘We could no longer hide what was happening, the fights.’
She continued: ‘He was an addict going through a lot, and a lot of it was taken out on me.’
At the time, Spelling said McDermott was put on psychiatric hold for suicidal ideation after he made headlines for cheating on her in 2013.
When she told the kids that their father had gone away for a bit for ‘healing,’ Finn had asked if it was ‘because of his anger issues.’
Spelling recalled her son telling her: ‘I hope they have surgery on him, and they take out his anger.’
The reality star recalled how she felt during that time with her children witnessing their father’s alcoholism and their parents’ marital woes.
Spelling said her 130-year-old daughter Hattie asked her: ‘Have you ever considered what it would be like to be with someone else and not Dad and get treated right?’; (L–R) Stella McDermott, Spelling and Hattie McDermott pictured in December 2024 in LA
The Beverly Hills, 90210 alumna opened up about the events that preceded her eventual separation with the 58-year-old actor after 18 years of marriage on the latest episode of her misSPELLING podcast
In addition to Hattie, the former couple share four other children: (L–R) Stella, 16; Beau, eight; Hattie, 13; Liam, 18; and Finn, 12
Spelling filed for divorce from McDermott in March 2024 after nearly two decades of marriage; pictured August 2019
She cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for the split and listed the official date of separation as June 17, 2023; pictured December 2018
‘I didn’t like the person I was, trying to raise strong humans and just taking it and taking it,’ Spelling said while reflecting on that time before their split.
She said that she wanted to keep their family together for their children until Hattie shared a different perspective.
Spelling also added that Hattie told her she was ‘scared’ to have that life-changing conversation with her.
‘The want of kids, just always wanting their parents together, I think kept me from making what was outwardly a better decision for them than what they saw between two partners.’
Spelling filed for divorce from McDermott in March 2024, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for the split and listing the official date of separation as June 17, 2023, after nearly two decades of marriage.
In addition to Hattie, the former couple also share four other children: Liam, 18, Stella, 16, Finn, 12, and Beau, eight.
Last summer, McDermott marked one year of sobriety and celebrated his milestone with a social media post.
He has since moved on with girlfriend Lily Calo. Meanwhile, Spelling was in a relationship with advertising CEO Ryan Cramer and recently appeared to have rekindled their romance.
They recently made their red carpet debut together 17 months after they first sparked dating rumors.
